Making Gambling 100% Enjoyable We Transform Gambling
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Kindred Group plc Sustainability Report 2020 Making gambling 100% enjoyable We transform gambling 1 Sustainability Over the last 20 years, Kindred Group highlights 2020 has brought together some of Europe’s 2 Company overview 2 Kindred at a glance most successful online gambling 4 CEO’s review brands – forming one of the largest 6 How we create value 8 Sustainability at Kindred online gambling companies in the 8 Our purpose and strategy world. We rest on our purpose to 10 Our priority areas 12 Sustainability transform gambling into a more trusted governance source of entertainment and positive 14 Materiality assessment contributor to society. That includes 15 Engaging with our stakeholders offering our 30 million customers 16 Our priority areas 16 Responsible a superior experience while helping Gambling them feel safe and secure. 24 Maintaining integrity 30 Running a compliant business 36 Being Kindred 42 Contributing to our communities 48 GRI index 51 Notes to the sustainability report 56 Glossary About this report Kindred’s Sustainability Report has been prepared in accordance with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards: Core Option. The report covers activities in the 2020 calendar year and numbers are for the year ending 31 December 2020. We continuously www.kindredgroup.com track our material ESG issues – our most important environmental, social and governance impacts – to ensure we are addressing the most vital topics. @KindredGroup The report is focused on material issues and activities in line with our stakeholder concerns and relevance, as per the extensive materiality assessment updated in 2020 and continuous stakeholder dialogues. We strive @KindredGroup for accuracy, timeliness, clarity and reliability in our communication. Testing agency eCOGRA has conducted a KindredGroup thorough audit of all 2020 commitments set out in 2019 and on the reported progress on these. The report itself has not been subjected to independent third‑party assurance. Kindred Group plc For more information about Kindred and our operations, please visit www.kindredgroup.com/sustainability. KindredGroup-plc Sustainability highlights 2020 Company overview at Kindred Sustainability Our priority areas In 2020, we launched We are proud to become the first an exciting collaboration gambling operator to develop and launch with Zafty Intelligence a public KPI to openly track progress on using AI to tackle the percentages of Gross winnings revenue problem gambling. derived from harmful gambling. GRI content index Notes Together with the European During 2020, we became part Football for Development of the first pan-European code of Network, we launched Fair conduct on responsible advertising Sport 4 All, educating football for online gambling published by Glossary clubs across Europe on anti- the European Gaming and Betting match-fixing procedures. Association (EGBA). To play our part in limiting global Our bug bounty programme has been warming, we have set Science Based made public on the HackerOne platform Targets for our emissions by 2023. to make our brand websites safer. Kindred Group plc Sustainability Report 2020 An internal support programme, We are happy to share that our CDP called Kindred Hive, has been (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) developed to support all score has improved to a B. colleagues working from home and improve mental health during the pandemic. 52% reduction in CO2e emissions per employee. 1 Kindred at a glance Over the last 20 years, Kindred Group In 2020, we have as a Group provided (Kindred) has brought together pre‑game betting and live betting products some of Europe’s most successful within sports betting, poker, casino & million online gambling brands – forming games and bingo, generating over GBP 30 customers worldwide one of the largest online gambling 1 billion in Gross winnings revenue which companies in the world. represents an annual growth of 24 per cent. We have proudly offered nearly 30 million customers worldwide a great form of digital About us entertainment, and an average of 46 million The Company was founded as Unibet in 1,564 transactions have been made daily. employees, representing 1997 on the principle that there is always a better way to operate in the gambling Our team of 1,564 employees, representing sector to ensure a truly great experience 62 nationalities, have worked together every – we think of it as Kindred being run by day to deliver the best and safest possible players, for players. gambling experience for our customers. 62 nationalities with extensive experience The ambitious work on always delivering We hold local gambling licences in and highly developed skills the best and safest experience has Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, continued during the COVID‑19 pandemic France, Germany (Schleswig‑Holstein), despite the fact that the vast majority Ireland, Italy, Romania, Sweden and the of our employees have been working UK. In the wake of the ruling overturning from home since early March 2020. GBP m the Professional and Amateur Sports 1,130 in Gross winnings revenue Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018 in the USA, A changing regulatory landscape we have seen states open for online sports In recent years we have witnessed a major betting and casino, opening the doors to shift across Europe and in the USA, in terms a potentially huge market. Today, Kindred of the transition from .com to .country, holds local licences in Indiana, New Jersey million meaning that markets are adopting a 46 and Pennsylvania. During 2021, Kindred transactions on average per day local licence system, with the Netherlands is planning to enter Illinois and Iowa. expected to follow in 2021. Increased focus on control mechanisms, restrictions and Kindred is listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm tighter regulation have been put in place Large Cap list and is a member of the in an attempt to curb excessive gambling. European Gaming and Betting Association 14 Operators have adapted to a new market local licences around the world (EGBA) and founding member of the reality and work with stakeholders to International Betting Integrity Association ensure that the level of channelisation (IBIA). Kindred Group is audited and – the share of customers who choose certified by eCommerce Online Gaming to play with locally licensed operators Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) for % – remains high in a digital environment 60 compliance with the 2014 EU directive, the of revenues from locally where the alternative is only one click away. Recommendation on Consumer Protection licensed markets and Responsible Gambling (2014/478/EU). Digitalisation unlocks opportunities As we look forward, our heritage of A growing online industry “offering players a better and safer way The online gambling industry came to gamble” remains crucial. With the about in the mid‑1990s when retail introduction of 5G mobile systems in the sports betting and casino games Share of product/offerings USA, Europe and Asia, gambling will truly became available on computers. become a new form of entertainment Even after 30 years, this shift can still for a wider audience. We will experience be considered as being in its early days, gambling in new ways and probably see but the online industry is growing at an a new form of gamification in society. annual pace of approximately 11 per cent At the same time, the technological while growth in the offline industry is development can help make gambling broadly flat. In 2020, the global online safer, more secure and more sustainable penetration was approximately 20 per cent. than ever before. Innovation in technology, marketing and data offer huge opportunities to get even closer to our customers, providing world‑class digital entertainment. kindredgroup.com We believe a successful business is about future‑proofing our operations to be economically, socially and environmentally sustainable in the long term. Online casino 51% Sports betting 43% Poker 3% Bingo & other games 3% 2 Company overview at Kindred Sustainability Our locations and licences Offices Licences USA Our priority areas Pennsylvania New York New Jersey GRI content index Indiana Europe Notes Sweden Stockholm Estonia Glossary Denmark Ireland Copenhagen Germany United Kingdom London Antwerp Belgium France Paris Romania Milan Australia Northern Italy Territory Madrid Kindred Group plc Sustainability Report 2020 Darwin Gibraltar Malta Queensland New South Wales Sydney South Victoria Australia Western Australia 3 CEO’s review A year like no other Kindred’s fantastic team has“ proven that we can give our customers a great and safe experience despite a global pandemic. ” Henrik Tjärnström CEO kindredgroup.com 4 Company overview at Kindred Sustainability When I wrote this letter a year ago, we were seeing the first signs of the We have decided to openly report COVID-19 disease reaching Europe. “ I did not then expect it turning into a on our share of revenue from our global pandemic that has paralysed the world and caused great distress highest customer risk category. for countries, organisations and ” individuals; 2020 did not become Our priority areas the year I envisioned. Adapting to a new market reality The pandemic has put us, and every other Our annual Sustainable Gambling Equally important is our environmental organisation, to the test. I have on several Conference, this year held digitally for footprint, which as a digital business is occasions through the years referred to the first time, is one of many initiatives limited. With the pandemic preventing