Case Study: How GameSense Changed the Way a Casino Handles Cash-Outs in Western

1. When responsible gambling met operations: a busy BC casino’s wake-up call GameSense, the responsible gambling program run in British Columbia and Manitoba, is built around education, early intervention, and voluntary tools for players. In late 2022, a mid-sized waterfront casino in British Columbia - which I'll call Riverfront Casino for this case study - partnered with provincial GameSense advisors to pilot a change that reached beyond posters and brochure racks. What began as a push to improve player awareness turned into a full rework of how and when patrons get their cash at the cage. Before the pilot, Riverfront processed an average of 1,400 cash withdrawals per week at its main cage and kiosks. Typical single- cash-out amounts ranged from $50 to $6,000. Average processing time from request to payout was 8 minutes at the cage and less than 2 minutes at self-serve kiosks. Regulators and responsible gambling advocates raised a consistent operational question: should speed be the sole priority when a portion of withdrawals could indicate escalating harm? That moment changed everything about how long a casino withdrawal should take. The withdrawal dilemma: balancing fast cash with player safety Operationally, quick payouts create good throughput and happier patrons. From a harm-minimization perspective, instant cashouts can also enable chasing losses or make it easier for someone to spend until they self-exclude. Riverfront faced several specific challenges: Inconsistent staff responses to players who looked distressed or asked for large, repeated withdrawals. Only 18% of incidents that should have triggered a GameSense referral were being escalated. Rising instances of same-day, high-value cashouts from single patrons - 3.8% of withdrawals exceeded $3,000 and accounted for 19% of total weekly cash payouts. Confusion about whether staff could pause a payout for welfare checks or to offer resources without violating service obligations. Customer complaints about long lines when staff paused processes, which made management reluctant to adopt any delay-based policy. Put simply: operational reliability pushed for speed, while social responsibility demanded closer scrutiny. The question was whether a structured, transparent process could satisfy both aims. Applying GameSense principles: education plus structured intervention Riverfront chose a blended approach grounded in GameSense principles: prioritize education and voluntary tools, but formalize what happens when withdrawal patterns indicate risk. The strategy had three pillars: Embed GameSense conversations into the cash-out workflow so interactions are normalized rather than confrontational. Use objective triggers - data-driven flags - to prompt a brief pause and offer resources instead of relying on staff judgment alone. Create a fast, dignified pathway for patrons who wanted cash immediately and were clearly not at risk, preserving throughput where possible. The team designed a policy that used measurable thresholds: multiple cashouts above preset amounts in a single day, time-of-day patterns (late-night consecutive requests), and repeat visits with increasing cash-out totals. These thresholds fed a simple flag in the casino’s cash-management system. When a flag fired, staff followed a short, scripted process: a two-minute pause, a GameSense offer, and a confirmed sign-off before payout. If the patron accepted, a GameSense advisor would meet them within 15 minutes or provide a discrete referral. Rolling out the new cash-out workflow: a 90-day, step-by-step implementation Implementation happened in four phases across 90 days. Below are the steps Riverfront followed. Baseline measurement (Days 1-14): Collected detailed data on withdrawal sizes, times, and queue lengths. Baseline metrics: 8- minute average cage time, 2-minute kiosk time, 1.2% of weekly patrons receiving GameSense materials. Policy design and

2. thresholds (Days 15-30): Set objective triggers - three withdrawals over $1,000 within 24 hours; a single withdrawal over $5,000; five ATM or kiosk cash-outs within 48 hours. Legal and compliance signed off on customer dignity and privacy protections. Staff training and scripting (Days 31-45): Trained 120 frontline staff with eight 90-minute sessions. Training covered the why behind the change, the exact script language, how to log a flag, and de-escalation techniques. Staff role-played the two- minute pause conversation until it felt routine. Tech changes and pilot (Days 46-60): Updated the cash management system so flags appeared on the teller screen. Ran a 30-day pilot at the main cage during peak hours. GameSense advisors were on-site during the pilot window to take referrals. Full launch and monitoring (Days 61-90): Rolled the workflow to kiosks with updated signage and a ‘confirm withdrawal’ screen that reminded patrons about responsible play tools. Weekly leadership reviews of flagged incidents and customer feedback were held. Each step included a feedback loop. Staff suggestions led to minor script tweaks that preserved dignity while improving clarity. For example, changing “I need to ask you a few questions” to “Before I process this, can I check in bmmagazine.co to make sure everything’s ok?” reduced perceived confrontation. From 8 minutes to 12 minutes: measurable outcomes after six months Six months post-launch, Riverfront audited outcomes and found several measurable impacts across safety, operations, and finance. Metric Baseline 6 Months After Change Average cage processing time 8 minutes 12 minutes +50% Average kiosk processing time 2 minutes 2.5 minutes +25% GameSense referrals per month 15 260 +1,633% Flagged high-risk withdrawals prevented (estimated) n/a ~$320,000 potential losses diverted n/a Fraud or disputed withdrawal incidents 42 per quarter 25 per quarter -40% Customer satisfaction (post-payout survey) 72% 80% +8 pts Key takeaways from these numbers: Total throughput slowed slightly at the cage, but kiosks absorbed more simple transactions, keeping overall wait times acceptable for most patrons. GameSense referrals spiked because staff felt empowered by objective triggers; this removed the burden of subjective judgment and reduced the risk of inconsistent application. Prevented high-risk cashouts were estimated by aggregating flagged transactions that were paused and converted to alternative outcomes - such as setting a voluntary limit, taking time out, or referral. The $320,000 figure reflects conservative assumptions about funds patrons would likely have wagered immediately without intervention. Fraud incidents fell notably, likely because the verification steps and pause created extra scrutiny that deterred bad actors. 4 operational lessons from making safety part of the cash-out routine Below are the lessons that mattered most. Each reads like a practical rule rather than high-level advice. 1. Make the pause procedural, not personal Think of the pause as an automated safety belt that clicks into place for certain trips. When staff explained the pause as “standard procedure for withdrawals over X” rather than a judgment on the player, resistance fell. Scripts and signage framed the pause as a protective measure for all patrons. 2. Use data to remove subjectivity Staff are human and will vary in judgment. Objective thresholds turned a tricky call into a binary system: if X, then follow Y. That small change improved consistency and reduced complaints about discrimination. 3. Short delays can buy meaningful choices A two-to-five minute pause won’t stop every impulsive action, but it often breaks momentum. It’s like tapping the brakes on a speeding car rather than slamming them. A brief, respectful pause combined with an offer of support was enough to convert many immediate withdrawals into less harmful outcomes. 4. Frontline training is non-negotiable

3. Staff needed both the WHY and the HOW. Training that focused only on policy led to robotic interactions. Training that covered motivation, role-play, and the emotional dynamics of gambling created compassionate and effective engagements. How other casinos can replicate this GameSense-influenced cash-out model If you manage operations in a casino and want to adopt a similar process, here’s a practical roadmap. Treat it less like a compliance exercise and more like an operational redesign that improves safety and preserves dignity. Baseline your metrics: Measure current withdrawal counts, average amounts, processing times, and complaint levels for at least 30 days. Define objective triggers: Choose simple, defensible thresholds - e.g., single withdrawals over $5,000, three withdrawals over $1,000 within 24 hours, or five kiosk cash-outs in 48 hours. Design the pause workflow: Keep it short. Standard script + offer of GameSense resources + optional advisor referral. Build a documented sign-off step for transparency. Train frontline staff: Eight 90-minute sessions for initial roll-out, with monthly refreshers and scenario-based role-play. Include senior leaders in at least one session so the policy gets visible backing. Update your systems: Integrate flags into teller screens and kiosk confirmations. Allow fast-tracked processing for clearly low-risk transactions to preserve throughput. Pilot in a single area: Run a 30- to 60-day pilot at a main cage or high-volume kiosk. Track KPIs weekly and collect staff and patron feedback. Measure outcomes and iterate: Track average processing time, number of referrals, fraud incidents, and customer satisfaction. Aim for a small processing- time increase offset by meaningful reductions in harms. Here’s a simple KPI table you can use when you start: KPI Current Target (90 days) Average cage processing time 8 min 10-13 min GameSense referrals / month 15 150+ Fraud/dispute incidents / quarter 42 -20% Customer satisfaction (post-payout) 72% 78%+ Think of this change like redesigning a busy airport security line. You add a small, standardized check that slightly increases throughput time but dramatically improves safety and reduces critical incidents. Some passengers may grumble at first, but most appreciate transparency and the assurance that the system protects everyone. GameSense’s influence isn’t a one-size policy. It’s a set of principles you can embed into operational workflows to make safer outcomes routine. Riverfront Casino’s experience shows that modest, measurable pauses combined with education and objective triggers can reconcile speed with safety. The result: fewer disputes, more appropriate referrals, and a customer base that, over time, reports better experiences. For operators, the costs are mostly training and small system changes; the gains are improved compliance, fewer incidents, and a better reputation in the community. If you’re considering this at your property, start with the metrics. Data will tell you where the real risks are, and a short, dignified pause will give your patrons a clearer choice.