Casino Guru Academy launched a new Suicide Prevention Course at ICE Barcelona 2026. The course is the only free training resource for customer-facing industry professionals. Authored by responsible gaming expert Christina Theophilos, the initiative has already attracted 50+ participants.
Casino Guru Academy has launched a new Suicide Prevention Course at the recently concluded ICE Barcelona 2026 industry event. The course addresses one of the most sensitive and complex challenges facing the iGaming sector today: suicide and self-harm threats.
As pioneers in educational resources that equip industry professionals with practical tools to address consumer issues, Casino Guru Academy is proud to contribute to the broader dialogue on gambling-related harm and responsible industry practices.
The Suicide Prevention Course is the only freely available learning resource designed to help customer-facing industry professionals respond effectively to self-harm crises. It provides participants with the knowledge and skills that help recognize warning signs, respond appropriately, and de-escalate critical situations.
The course was authored by Christina Theophilos, M.Ed., an educational and consumer protection specialist and experienced Head of Responsible Gaming with extensive frontline experience in the online gambling industry. This initiative represents a significant step toward bringing suicide prevention into industry awareness.
Theophilos had this to add, commenting on the newly-launched course:
Strong player protection safeguards exist in most regulated markets. However, as grey and illegal markets expand, a global gap remains in accessible and required staff training to recognise and respond to suicide threats. While these platforms do not cause suicidality, uncontrolled play can intensify financial, emotional, and social distress—underscoring the need for practical, real-world preparation for operators.
Since its launch at the Sustainable Gambling Zone at ICE Barcelona 2026, more than 50 participants have registered for the course, signaling growing industry recognition of suicide prevention as a priority issue.
Šimon Vincze, the Sustainable & Safer Gambling Head at Casino Guru, added:
Suicide prevention should not be an uncomfortable or marginal topic for industry stakeholders, but an integral part of consumer protection efforts across the sector. Casino Guru Academy’s new course is designed to support that shift, and we are immensely proud to have the opportunity to create this resource and distribute it freely.
