Dave & Buster’s plans to add a feature to its app that will allow customers to place bets amongst themselves on competitive games, according to an announcement from the entertainment chain on Tuesday. It’s just the latest sign that tech-based gambling is becoming normalized in the U.S. at an unprecedented rate, seemingly without regard for the long-term consequences.
Dave
&
Buster’s,
which
bills
itself
as
the
largest
operator
of
entertainment
centers
in
the
world,
is
working
on
the
betting
features
for
the
app
with
Lucra,
a
gamification
software
company
founded
in
2019.
“The new strategic partnership integrates Lucra’s proprietary gamification software into the Dave & Buster’s app, allowing loyalty members to digitally compete with each other, earn rewards, and unlock exclusive perks while competing with friends at Dave & Buster’s—bringing together the sports arena and the arcade for an unparalleled, gamified experience,” Lucra said in a press release posted online Tuesday.
Lucra’s
goal
is
to
provide
a
“safe
and
trustworthy
experience”
where
users
can
bet
with
friends
“inside
a
platform
or
place
they
already
know
and
love.”
The
company
says
it
wants
to
“destigmatize
cash-based
competition
by
evolving
it
into
a
fun,
friendly,
and
social
experience.”
Why add betting to the Dave & Buster’s app? Obviously, it’s a way to make money by incentivizing new behaviors, but the addition of gambling can also drive new traffic, and “keep customers longer inside your ecosystem,” according to Lucra’s press release. And nobody understands that last part better than the gambling industry, which has spent decades figuring out how to keep the money flowing.
Roughly 2.5 million Americans qualify as having a severe gambling addiction, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling, while 5-8 million more have mild or moderate gambling problems. And the recent legalization of sports betting in the U.S. isn’t helping, allowing users to bet all day and night from their phones.
As
CNBC
notes,
Lucra
doesn’t
use
the
terms
“bet”
or
“wager”
in
its
marketing
materials,
opting
for
terminology
like
“real-money
contests
or
challenges.”
That’s
because
skills-based
games
aren’t
subject
to
the
same
kind
of
regulations
as
games
of
chance,
despite
the
fact
that
most
Americans
would
use
the
words
“bet”
and
“wager”
to
describe
what
they
will
be
doing
in
the
Dave
&
Buster’s
app.
“We’re
thrilled
to
work
with
Lucra
to
bring
this
exciting
new
gaming
platform
to
our
customers,”
Simon
Murray,
senior
vice
president
of
entertainment
and
attractions
at
Dave
and
Buster’s,
said
in
a
press
release.
“This
new
partnership
gives
our
loyalty
members
real-time,
unrivaled
gaming
experiences,
and
reinforces
our
commitment
to
continuing
to
elevate
our
customer
experience
through
innovative,
cutting-edge
technology.”
The
new
app
features
will
only
be
available
to
customers
18
and
over
in
44
states.
Dave
&
Buster’s
didn’t
immediately
respond
to
emailed
questions
on
Tuesday
about
what
kind
of
safeguards
might
be
in
place
to
ensure
children
can’t
make
bets
in
the
app.
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