A recent survey indicates that VIP account managers within the online gambling sector largely rely on spreadsheets and manual decision-making processes, rather than modern automation or AI solutions. This heavy dependence could lead to a phenomenon known as "silent churn," where high-value players become inactive without any prior notice, posing a considerable challenge for operators in the industry.
The report, titled "The State of VIP Operations," was created through a collaboration between The Playa, Gaming Operations Academy, and WarriorLab. Conducted in 2026, the survey involved 70 professionals engaged in VIP management, including account managers and heads of VIP, with 64% being directly employed by gambling operators.
The study aimed to explore daily management practices of VIP portfolios, the tools being used, and to identify key operational hurdles.
Notably, while 75% of respondents rated their VIP data as either good or very good, 71% admitted that their data was scattered across various systems. Half of them acknowledged occasionally making decisions based on incomplete or outdated information. Silent churn emerged as a significant issue, with 46% indicating that VIP players frequently or very frequently became inactive without warning. Furthermore, nearly half of the respondents reported lacking indicators of players' behavioral signals or health. Viktoriia Grygorenko, CEO of The Playa, highlighted this as the “clearest commercial case in the report,” asserting that issues like fragmented data, reactive workflows, and the absence of behavioral signals culminate in lost revenue without an opportunity for operators to act.
The survey also indicated strong interest in prioritization tools; 75% valued high-quality, prioritized guidance for daily engagement with each player. However, 38% feared that the introduction of AI could diminish the personal touch essential for VIP management.
In the realm of tools utilized, none of the respondents indicated AI or automation as their primary method for managing VIP portfolios. Instead, spreadsheets and business-intelligence dashboards comprised 30% each, followed by CRM platforms at 24%. Only 15% reported using AI or automation tools, and typically only as secondary resources. The challenge of managing large portfolios was significant, as 64% of managers handled over 100 VIPs, and 20% managed more than 500.
To illustrate the workload, the report suggested that a manager handling 250 players would have, on average, only 100 seconds to dedicate to each player daily, assuming their time was evenly distributed. Grygorenko stressed that prioritization is key to managing these larger portfolio sizes effectively, stating that beyond roughly 150 players per manager, personal knowledge doesn’t scale well. She argued that the solution isn’t fewer players or additional managers; rather it involves identifying which accounts require attention on a given day.
The report revealed an average satisfaction score of 6 out of 10 regarding existing tools. Gali Hartuv, CEO and co-founder of WarriorLab, described this as “middling satisfaction,” which he referred to as “the most expensive kind.” While VIP managers expressed interest in utilizing AI for workload prioritization, they remain cautious about fully trusting opaque automated systems for final decisions.
When asked what operators seek to improve VIP operations, respondents pointed towards a need for an integrated solution that combines player data, communication history, and task management. They also desired consistent guidelines linked to performance outcomes, real-time data availability, and predictive behavioral signals. Additionally, managerial autonomy supported by senior leadership was highlighted as crucial by the respondents. Grygorenko emphasized that VIP operations are distinctly human-centric within iGaming, driven by small teams operating under limited technology, and often evaluated through short-term metrics. She noted that the findings indicate a clear need for VIP managers to receive enhanced signals on which players require their attention and what changes might have occurred that could maximally impact their judgments.
Grygorenko and Hartuv plan to expand on these findings next week during the iGB webinar titled, "(How) should AI engage high-value players?".
The landscape of VIP operations in the UK has undergone considerable transformation over the past decade. Following a consultation process between the Gambling Commission and the Betting and Gaming Council, a new code of conduct was implemented in October 2020. This code mandates that operators conduct thorough checks on players before admitting new VIPs, including closely monitoring their betting behavior. Additionally, operators are prohibited from incentivizing customers based on their losses, and all reward programs must receive oversight from senior management. The code further restricts participation in VIP programs for players under 25.
According to a report by the Gambling Commission from 2025, the number of VIP customers per operator has decreased by 95% since the introduction of these tighter restrictions.
