Kindbridge Behavioral Health and Mindway AI have announced a strategic partnership to combine their expertise in mental-health care and artificial intelligence aimed at better identifying and supporting individuals experiencing gambling harm.

Mindway AI’s neuroscience-based technology identifies gamblers at risk, but the challenge has been what to do with an individual who has been flagged. That’s where the new partnership kicks in, connecting these individuals to Kindbridge’s telehealth services, ensuring they get appropriate mental-health support.

“From Kindbridge Behavioral Health’s perspective, this alignment is transformative, because it enables us to explore the previously uncharted connection between risk scoring and mental health,” said Daniel Umfleet, President of Kindbridge Research Institute and Founder/CEO of Kindbridge Behavioral Health. “Mindway AI’s ability to detect psychological markers of harm and behavioral triggers, combined into a player-risk score, provides a powerful tool for predicting harm.”

Umfleet has extensive experience in mental-health-care strategies, client engagements with major organizations, and advocacy work in state legislatures and has been particularly outspoken on gambling and potential harmful behavioral addictions.

“By bridging this risk score with mental-health management, we can better understand a player’s mental-health state and intervene early,” he said. “This approach allows us to deliver timely tailored care, helping players regain balance and return to optimal well being more effectively than ever before.”

Mindway AI CEO Rasmus Kjaergaard said the partnership not only enhances early detection, but also ensures at-risk players receive tailored mental-health support based on the risk level detected. Mindway AI’s technology identifies nuanced risk patterns, which are then seamlessly linked to Kindbridge’s tailored treatment programs.

According to data supplied by Umfleet, 23% of the U.S. population reports experiencing a mental-health concern at any given time and those numbers may in fact be closer to 50%. “This is significant, because many individuals engaging with igaming platforms may already be struggling with unreported mental-health concerns,” he told CDC Gaming. “When left unaddressed, gameplay or betting can exacerbate these underlying issues — issues operators are often unaware of.

“With more players presenting serious harm requiring urgent intervention, and health systems unprepared to meet the demand, early identification is critical,” he said. “By detecting unhealthy play patterns and facilitating conversations around self-care and mental health, we can leverage operator platforms to introduce pathways toward recovery earlier and more effectively.”

Kindbridge Behavioral Health is based in Tennessee, Mindway AI in Denmark. The partnership was 18 months in the making.

Kjaergaard said the risk of players suffering gambling harm is rising as digital platforms expand accessibility and increase in gambling intensity.

In Ontario, the only open regulated jurisdiction in Canada, there are currently 51 licensed operators, and 83 websites. According to Q1 FY 2024-25 financial data (fiscal period April 1 to June 30) for the Ontario market, wagers and revenues continued their upward swing – $18.4 billion and $726 million in Q1.

On Friday the American Gaming Association released their Q3 2024 data Friday – commercial gaming revenue hit $17.71 billion, marking the industry’s 15th consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth and the highest-grossing Q3 on record.

“Many players at risk of gambling harm remain undetected or fail to receive the necessary care, creating a critical gap in protection,” Kjaergaard said. “This is where the Kindbridge and Mindway AI partnership is transformative and urgently needed. In September of this year, the American Gaming Association revealed research that showed a significant increase in responsible-gaming (RG) investments from gaming-industry companies, with total spending reaching $471.8 million annually, up from approximately $275 million in 2017.

“So there clearly is a need here and our partnership directly meets the industry’s growing need for robust, proactive, and accessible safeguards, marking a turning point in addressing gambling harm effectively.”

The target for the service Kindbridge and Mindway provide are operators, regulators, and other stakeholders keen on improving responsible-gambling measures in the U.S., Canada, and the UK, regions with high gambling activity and strong regulatory momentum around player protection.

“The solution is especially valuable to operators managing millions of active users, helping them comply with emerging requirements, while enhancing player safety,” Umfleet said. “Ultimately, the goal is to expand globally, taking this model wherever there’s a need for advanced harm detection and intervention systems.”

Added Kjaergaard, “Whether you’re a large international sportsbook or a small niche online casino, our solution is designed to enhance your responsible-gaming initiatives. The integrated AI technology from Mindway AI, coupled with Kindbridge’s specialized mental-health network, provides a comprehensive end-to-end approach to player protection.

“We’re not just offering a tool for detecting at-risk players; we’re ensuring that every operator, regardless of size, can provide immediate seamless access to professional care,” he said. “From the smallest operators who need cost-effective solutions to large-scale operators looking to elevate their player protection standards, this partnership offers the most complete solution in the industry, setting a new benchmark for player safety and well-being.”

Artificial intelligence has been used in gaming for behavior analysis, but this approach of integrating AI with mental-health services is new.

“This collaboration creates a feedback loop between risk scoring and mental health care that hasn’t been implemented before,” Umfleet said. “It’s a first-of-its-kind initiative that goes beyond just detection, ensuring that at-risk players receive targeted and effective support, a critical innovation for responsible gambling.”