The advent of AI technology has the potential to revolutionize customer service, making long waits for assistance a thing of the past. Customers should confidently expect AI agents to be available 24/7, offering instant responses and possessing all necessary information to resolve their inquiries.
Yet, the reality is often different. Customers seeking assistance can feel trapped in a system designed more to limit access to human agents than to provide meaningful resolutions. When dissatisfied patrons are redirected to lengthy FAQ sections, they may feel compelled to abandon their inquiries, while the service provider counts that encounter as a success. Such interactions can lead to repeat inquiries, customer attrition, and in the gambling sector, they risk missing signs of financial trouble or issues related to responsible gambling, which can pose regulatory challenges.
Raphie, headquartered in New Jersey and established as Conduet in 2019, focuses on providing genuine resolutions through what it refers to as “accountable automation.” With expertise drawn from over a million real industry interactions, Raphie could effectively understand user queries and deliver precise solutions.
Co-founder and CEO Justin Heath stated, “A big premise on which we have built Raphie is to completely avoid that situation where it feels as though you are talking to a robot that does not know what you are asking.” The effectiveness of Raphie’s resolution-centric method is evident, as one U.S. sportsbook client reported customer satisfaction exceeding 90% for players served by their fully automated system. These impressive results, combined with Raphie’s specialized knowledge and cost-reduction strategies, are driving the company's ambitious expansion into European markets.
Central to Raphie’s European strategy is the acknowledgment that generic AI tools frequently fail to address the unique questions posed by iGaming operators. It claims that roughly 90% of inquiries in this sector require account-specific insight; nevertheless, many players who inquire about issues like withdrawal statuses may receive generic responses instead of tailored assistance, which may involve identifying fraud, requesting additional documentation, or clarifying payment timelines.
Many common inquiries regarding bet settlements or bonuses illustrate this point; while a generic AI may recognize a player’s question about a parlay bet, it may lack the industry context to explain the specific details involved in individual legs of the bet.
Raphie resolves this gap through its “context layer,” which integrates closely with operators' account management and customer service systems. This allows the platform to extract pertinent data before aligning responses with the operator's established protocols.
Heath pointed out that some operators initially underestimate the demand for a specialized platform because they already employ an AI tool in their helpdesk. Yet, he emphasized a clear divide between the advertised automation potential of such generic services and their practical performance. “Operators will tell us they are using Salesforce or Zendesk and already have an AI tool available,” he explained. “They expect the 70% or 80% automation advertised on the box, but then find it is more like 5% or 10% because that is the volume you can respond to without the wagering-technology integration.”
Raphie's approach is not about a complete transition from human agents to automation. It offers three operational modes that can be utilized independently or in combination based on the needs of the operator. Full Automation employs Raphie’s AI Agent to handle inquiries from start to finish—with human intervention as needed. Co-Pilot mode aids human agents by offering suggested responses, which they may use directly or modify. Operators can also choose Raphie’s Specialist Human Agents based in Jersey City and the Philippines for customer service and risk management.
“We assess where a customer has dropped off before the conversation has fully run its course rather than treating that as resolved,” Heath added.
For instance, BetSaracen, an Arkansas sportsbook, has shown the effectiveness of Raphie’s AI features working in coherence. After employing Co-Pilot for more than a year and implementing Full Automation recently, the operator achieved a 77% rate of autonomous resolutions and over 55% reductions in response times, while maintaining customer satisfaction levels above 90%.
Raphie does not simply count every case that completes without human handover to define resolution. Instead, it evaluates customer satisfaction, whether an agent was necessary for intervention, and the frequency of repeat inquiries from players within a 24-hour period. Additionally, it employs extensive quality assurance measures to detect when conversations are abandoned before a proper conclusion is reached, which is identified as a negative outcome.
Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Alex Jones expressed that customer interactions with the AI Agent often reveal the quality of the overall experience. “They do not know they are talking to an automation tool,” he noted. “We see people wishing Raphie a good night and signing off because they have enjoyed such a natural dialogue.”
Raphie advocates for a cautious four-stage approach for operators implementing automation. Starting with a thorough assessment of inquiries and workflows, it progresses to shadow mode—testing responses without communicating them to players. Automation is then rolled out category by category, followed by continuous refinement based on changing products and player behaviors.
This phased approach enables operators to not only expand the scope of inquiries Raphie can manage but also deepen the actions it can take to conclusively resolve them.
A request about bet settlement may indicate that an event has concluded, but the market is unsettled. Raphie can notify the trading team of this while simultaneously updating the player. It can also inform a game provider about any stalled rounds or unlock accounts when the operator’s criteria are met. However, Raphie acknowledges that certain situations still necessitate human intervention, particularly when inquiries exceed the defined scope, if the customer shows signs of frustration, or if responsible gambling issues arise. “If somebody asks about a pending withdrawal and then says they need the money to pay their rent, that type of flag is escalated straight through to the relevant team,” Heath explained.
Raphie aspires to achieve a balance between increased automation and necessary human intervention, defining it as “accountable automation.” The primary aim is not merely to maximize the number of inquiries handled without an agent but to ensure that decisions made during the process are measurable, auditable, and comply with operator guidelines.
As the technology evolves, Raphie anticipates that AI will manage a broader spectrum of customer inquiries and perform more operational tasks needed to fulfill them. Human agents will then be able to focus on complex issues, ensuring oversight in instances where judgment or regulatory compliance is critical.
After establishing its operational model in North America, Raphie is now preparing for European growth. This expansion will require more than simply transferring its existing framework; operating in Europe, characterized by a regulatory maze, will demand market-specific adaptations. While Raphie’s understanding of payments, bonuses, and Know Your Customer (KYC) inquiries may be relevant, it must tailor its compliance and escalation processes according to the nuances of each market.
European operators typically maintain advanced customer service capabilities, staffed with professionals well-versed in the intricacies of the industry. Nevertheless, escalating gambling taxes and associated pressures are forcing operators to reassess costs and optimize the deployment of human resources and technology, aiming for efficiency without diminishing the customer experience. Raphie claims its technology can reduce customer support expenses by more than 60%.
Heath remarked, “European markets are under far more cost pressure, so the desire to move quickly with AI seems to be there. We are seeing interest from small operators right through to some of the biggest globally.”
Through its expansion into Europe, Raphie aims to assist iGaming operators in established markets in resolving customer queries more effectively and economically while retaining human expertise for situations that genuinely require it. For customers, the expected outcome—fewer circular conversations—should finally lead to meaningful resolutions.
