A new study reveals that VIP account managers in the online gambling sector largely rely on spreadsheets and manual decision-making rather than leveraging specialized automation or AI systems. This dependence puts high-value players at significant risk of what is termed "silent churn," where VIP players become inactive without any prior warning, creating challenges for operators.
The report, titled "The State of VIP Operations," was authored by The Playa in partnership with Gaming Operations Academy and WarriorLab. Conducted in 2026, the survey targeted 70 professionals involved in VIP management, including VIP account managers, heads of VIP departments, and consultants, with 64% of those surveyed working directly for gambling operators.
The research aimed to uncover how daily management of VIP portfolios is conducted, the tools utilized, and key operational challenges faced by these professionals.
A striking statistic from the findings indicates that while three-quarters of respondents rated their VIP data quality as good or very good, 71% acknowledged that their data is spread across multiple platforms. Furthermore, half of the respondents admitted to making decisions based on incomplete or outdated information.
The phenomenon of "silent churn" was noted, with nearly half (46%) reporting that VIP players became inactive often or very often without prior notice. Additionally, about 48% reported lacking indicators of players' behavioral signals or health. Viktoriia Grygorenko, CEO at The Playa, pointed to this finding as the "clearest commercial case in the report."
She stated, "Every other finding – portfolio overload, fragmented data, reactive workflow, no behavioral signal – resolves here, in revenue that walks out without notice, without warning and without anyone getting the chance to intervene."
The demand for prioritization tools among VIP managers is evident, as 75% rated the importance of daily prioritization action guidance for players as high (8/10 or above). However, 38% expressed concerns that the introduction of AI might diminish the personal touch that is crucial in VIP management.
In the survey, none of the participants identified AI or automation as their primary tool for managing VIP portfolios. Instead, spreadsheets and business-intelligence dashboards were each used by 30% of respondents, with CRM platforms at 24%. Only 15% incorporated AI or automation tools, and even then, primarily as supplementary aids.
The challenge of managing large and demanding portfolios surfaced as a key issue, highlighted by the fact that 64% of managers oversee 100 or more VIPs; one in five manages over 500. The report estimated that a manager responsible for 250 players would have about 100 seconds to dedicate to each player daily if their time were distributed evenly. Issues related to data quality and fragmentation were further emphasized.
Grygorenko pointed out that prioritization is essential as portfolio sizes grow. She noted, "[At] above roughly 150 players per manager, personal knowledge stops scaling. The fix is not fewer players or more managers – it is showing each manager which few accounts actually need them today."
Satisfaction with the tools currently in use received a middling score of 6 out of 10. Co-author Gali Hartuv, CEO and co-founder at WarriorLab, described this level of satisfaction as "the most expensive kind."
While VIP managers welcomed AI for prioritizing their tasks, the report indicates that they prefer to maintain human oversight in making final judgments, rather than relying on opaque automated systems.
In terms of what operators seek to enhance VIP operations, respondents highlighted several needs. These included an integrated system that combines player data, communication history, and task management. They also requested structured and consistent guidelines with performance indicators linked to relationship outcomes, alongside real-time data and predictive behavioral signals.
Managerial autonomy supported by senior leadership was recognized as another priority. Grygorenko outlined that VIP operations are inherently human-centric, characterized by small teams using suboptimal technology, all while facing brief performance metrics. She concluded, "The findings show that VIP managers are asking for a clearer signal on who needs attention, what has changed and where their judgment can have the greatest impact."
Grygorenko and Hartuv are set to discuss these findings further during the iGB webinar titled "(How) Should AI Engage High-Value Players?" which will take place next week.
The landscape of VIP operations in the UK has shifted significantly over the past decade. In October 2020, a new code of conduct was implemented following discussions between the Gambling Commission and the Betting and Gaming Council. This code mandated rigorous checks on players before they could be signed as VIPs, requiring close monitoring of their betting behavior. Additionally, operators were prohibited from incentivizing customers based on losses, and reward programs must now be overseen by senior management. Notably, the code restricts any player under the age of 25 from participating in VIP programs.
According to a report from the Gambling Commission published in 2025, the number of VIP customers per operator has plummeted by 95% since heightened restrictions were enacted.
