Sara Barbosa Reis: Player education – the strongest tool for harm prevention

Professional Path of Sara Barbosa Reis

Sara Barbosa Reis is the head of responsible gaming at KTO Group Brazil. Her first experience in the iGaming industry was in the player reactivation team at a company where responsible gaming was taken very seriously. She learned to recognize when a player needs support, not encouragement to return to the game.

Development of the Harm Prevention Approach

After her promotion to a senior position, Sara developed methods to detect signs of gambling-related harm during interactions with players and trained colleagues in responsible gaming practices. She believes that player education is one of the strongest methods of harm prevention from gambling.

The Role of Empathy, Data, and Individual Approach

Sara emphasizes that gambling advertising should be transparent about risks and avoid overly aggressive messages that do not provide education about potential harm. She stresses that players' vulnerability levels vary, so it is important to detect risks early for timely intervention. Sara highlights that empathy is a key quality in working with responsible gambling, helping to understand the context of data and choose the right approach. She believes that data and human understanding complement each other: technology reveals behavioral patterns, while empathy and professional judgment ensure meaningful actions. Sara states that a "one-size-fits-all" approach is insufficient; inclusive, individualized strategies are needed, especially considering the stigma around women and barriers to accessing support.