Application guidelines

The biggest mistake operators make with player education content is treating it as a bolt-on – a separate “RG page” buried in the footer, a compliance checkbox disconnected from the actual player experience.

Playbook takes the opposite approach: integration over isolation.

The test: If a player can use your platform for a full session without encountering any Playbook content unless they actively go looking for it, the integration has failed.

1. Equal design investment

Playbook content gets the same design quality as commercial content. Same typography, same color system, same spacing, same layout principles. If the promotional banner looks like it was designed by a world-class agency and the player education section looks like a compliance afterthought, players will treat it accordingly.

2. One interaction to help

On every screen, page, or surface – a player should be able to reach a helpline number or support resource within one tap, click, or glance. Present, accessible, never intrusive.

3. Visible, not buried

Playbook content appears in primary navigation or settings – not in a submenu behind three clicks. Present in footers, account settings, and at key decision points (deposits, wager placement, session milestones).

4. Consistent across channels

A player should recognize Playbook content whether they see it on mobile, on a poster, or in a TV ad. Visual identity and voice stay consistent – only the format adapts.

Website

Landing page: Every operator site needs a Playbook content hub – a dedicated section for educational content, tools, quizzes, odds explainers, and support resources.

Footer strip: A persistent element on every page containing:

• Playbook RG logomark (or text identifier)
• Helpline number or link
• Age restriction notice
• Link to the content hub

Mobile app

Mobile is where most players gamble (60%+ of traffic). The mobile experience must be a first-class feature.

Key touchpoints:

Mobile design principles:

• Touch targets: 44x44px minimum
• Primary CTAs within thumb zone
• One action per screen – don’t overload
• Playbook tools accessible from hamburger menu or tab bar

Email

Playbook messaging should be woven into the transactional email lifecycle:

Email rules:

• Helpline number in every email footer
• Playbook content uses the same font size and visual weight as commercial content
• Never unsubscribe players from Playbook communications

Social media

Social media is where Playbook content earns organic reach through genuine engagement.

Social media rules:

• Every profile bio includes helpline or support link
• Content is designed to earn engagement, not just check a box
• Quiz results and myth-busters are the highest-performing formats – lead with them

Tier 2 digital touchpoints

Tier 2 content (crisis/support) appears at specific moments in the player journey. These touchpoints use a different visual treatment – calmer, more white space, no playful elements. See visual-identity/tier-2/tier-2-visual-guide.md for the full visual specification.

The Tier 2 test: Can a player in distress find help within one tap? Is the helpline number above the fold? Is there anything playful, witty, or gamified on the page? If yes to the first two and no to the third, the Tier 2 implementation is correct.

Tier 2 implementation checklist

Before launching any Tier 2 touchpoint, verify the following:

Tier 2 content hierarchy

Every Tier 2 screen follows a strict information hierarchy:

1. Primary: The support action – what the player can do right now (call, text, chat, self-exclude)
2. Secondary: Context – what is happening and why (limit reached, session length, account status)
3. Tertiary: Additional resources – links to FAQ, further reading, alternative support channels

Never invert this hierarchy. The support action always comes first. Context explains, but never blocks the path to help.

Transition between Tier 1 and Tier 2

When a player moves from standard content (Tier 1) to a support context (Tier 2), the visual transition should be deliberate:

• Background shifts from brand colors to white
• Accent color shifts from orange to teal
• Typography weight increases for body text (improved readability under stress)
• Layout simplifies – single column, fewer elements per screen
• Playful brand elements (illustrations, mascots, decorative patterns) are removed entirely

This transition signals a shift in context. The player should feel that the platform is taking their situation seriously.

Print serves land-based venues (casinos, betting shops, lottery retailers) and community outreach.

Print design rules:

• Minimum logo height: 0.25 inches
• Minimum body text: 10pt
• Helpline numbers: minimum 14pt, bold
• QR codes linking to digital content hub – test before printing
• Design quality matches or exceeds commercial print materials

Venue signage placement

Design principles:

• Readable from 3 meters for public signage
• Match content length to dwell time (restroom cards > corridor signs)
• Privacy-sensitive placement for helpline information
• Multilingual in diverse communities

TV spots

Creative direction: Feature real, diverse people enjoying themselves. Confident, energetic tone – not somber PSA energy. End with helpline displayed for at least 5 seconds.

Radio and audio

• Speak helpline numbers clearly and repeat
• Use a natural, conversational voice – not announcer energy
• Match the warmth and confidence of the Playbook voice

Digital pre-roll

15-second pre-roll for YouTube and streaming platforms:

• First 5 seconds work without sound (text overlay)
• Helpline number as persistent text
• CTA links to content hub or quiz

Motion and animation

Motion reinforces meaning and helps players understand system responses. All animation in Playbook RG content follows four principles: purposeful (every animation has a reason), fast (never make users wait), accessible (respect prefers-reduced-motion), and consistent (same patterns everywhere).

Tier 2 motion: Support contexts use slower, subtler animation – no spring/bounce easing, no celebratory motion, no staggered reveals. Simple fades only. See visual-identity/motion/motion.md for the complete specification including CSS custom properties.

Reduced motion: All animation must respect the prefers-reduced-motion media query. When reduced motion is active, show all content instantly – keep opacity fades at 100ms but disable all transform-based animations.

Animation do’s and don’ts

Loading and skeleton states

When content loads asynchronously, use skeleton screens rather than spinners:

• Skeleton blocks match the shape and position of incoming content
• Use a subtle pulse animation (opacity 0.6 to 1.0, 1.5s duration, infinite loop)
• Replace skeleton with real content using a 150ms crossfade
• Never show a spinner for loads under 300ms – show nothing instead
• For Tier 2 contexts, use static gray placeholder blocks (no pulse animation)

Haptic feedback (mobile)

On supported devices, pair micro-interactions with light haptic feedback:

Haptic feedback is always optional and respects system-level accessibility settings. Never use haptic patterns that could be interpreted as celebratory or rewarding in Tier 2 contexts.

When Playbook RG content appears alongside the operator’s brand:

Visual hierarchy

The adaptive identity in practice

• Operators replace: Colors, fonts, logo, program name, helpline numbers
• Operators keep: Layout patterns, information hierarchy, icon system, voice and tone, message structure, accessibility standards

A player who sets deposit limits on Platform A will recognize the same flow pattern on Platform B – even though the two platforms look completely different. The consistency is in the structure, not the skin.

Non-RG marketing pairing

Where jurisdictions require or operators desire Playbook messaging alongside commercial advertising:

• Playbook elements complement the promotion, not contradict it
• Helpline information is integrated, not tacked on as fine print
• The transition between commercial and Playbook messaging feels natural
• Playbook messaging uses the same production quality as the commercial content

The goal: A player seeing a promotional ad with Playbook messaging should think “this brand takes me seriously” – not “here’s the legal disclaimer.”

Breakpoints

Responsive rules

• Helpline strip: Collapses from full text to icon + number on mobile
• Navigation: Playbook section in hamburger menu on mobile; main nav on desktop
• CTAs: Stack vertically on mobile; inline on desktop
• Tables: Convert to card layouts on mobile

Component-level responsive behavior

Beyond the basic breakpoints, specific Playbook RG components have defined responsive behaviors.

Always test at each breakpoint. Component-level responsive behavior should be smooth – no layout jumps, no content disappearing, no touch targets shrinking below 44px at any size.

Touch target specifications

All interactive elements must meet minimum touch target sizes across breakpoints:

On mobile, if two interactive elements cannot maintain 8px spacing, stack them vertically rather than reducing their size.

Responsive image and media handling

Always serve appropriately sized image assets per breakpoint. Use srcset and sizes attributes to prevent mobile devices from downloading desktop-sized images.

Orientation handling

Account for both portrait and landscape orientations on mobile and tablet:

• Portrait (default): Standard layouts as defined above
• Landscape mobile: Reduce vertical padding, keep single-column layout, ensure helpline strip remains visible
• Landscape tablet: Can switch to desktop-style two-column layouts where appropriate
• Lock orientation only for the self-exclusion flow (portrait) to prevent accidental input errors during a critical process

Testing protocol

Before any Playbook RG implementation goes live, verify responsive behavior with the following device matrix:

Run each test scenario with assistive technologies active (screen reader, increased text size at 200%, high contrast mode) to confirm that responsive behavior does not break accessibility.

Representative renders showing how the brand applies across channels. Click the template name to view the full HTML source. See collateral/render/ for all 36 templates.

Channel	Template	Preview
Email	Welcome series
Social card	House edge
Story	Sports betting
Poster	No Fine Print
Print – brochure	Inside spread
Print – rack card	Rack card
Venue sign	Entrance sign
Digital display	Landscape
Tier 2 – support	Support page
Tier 2 – poster	Helpline poster

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