Open-source brand guidelines for gambling entertainment literacy. CC0-licensed, white-label, built for operators.
Playbook is a complete, forkable brand system for gambling entertainment literacy. It gives operators everything they need to build player-facing content that's actually worth engaging with: brand foundations, voice and tone, messaging frameworks, visual identity specs, multi-jurisdiction compliance modules, and ready-to-use collateral templates.
Playbook is a content and media brand: the educational and awareness layer that helps players understand how gambling actually works. It's anchored in the informed choice model: most people who gamble do so without problems, gambling is entertainment, and players make better decisions when they understand the math, the odds, and the tools available to them.
Playbook is built on an auditable theory of change. The core mechanism is belief recalibration: cognitive distortions are causally implicated in gambling-related harm (Philander & Gainsbury, 2020, 2022), and positively-framed, segmented literacy content shifts attitudes and subjective norms via the Theory of Reasoned Action pathway (Gainsbury, Philander, & Grattan, 2020). The intended outcome measure is the Positive Play Scale (Wood et al., 2017; Tabri, Wood, Philander, & Wohl, 2020): four sub-constructs (Personal Responsibility, Gambling Literacy, Honesty and Control, Pre-commitment) that anchor every character, scenario, and content prompt in the system. The design rationale for character-driven, segmented messaging traces to Gainsbury, Abarbanel, Philander, & Butler (2018), and the operator-culture layer that determines whether deployment actually moves player outcomes traces to Philander (2020, 2023).
Research, however, only goes so far. RG is a management practice as much as a research domain, and experience fills in the operational detail that the literature necessarily obscures: which training cadence is sustainable, which compliance translation works across jurisdictions, when a literacy module belongs at registration vs. mid-session vs. cool-down, what makes an internal RG culture stick beyond an accreditation cycle. Playbook integrates both layers. The cited theory of change is the auditable scaffolding; the practitioner record behind the design choices is the load-bearing complement.
The full theory (every claim, every cite, every open question about what isn't yet empirically tested) is in Chapter 00b: Theoretical Foundations. Read that chapter before deciding whether the rest of this repository is serious work.
Playbook is the design product of a 20-year research and consulting practice. Lead author: Kahlil Simeon-Rose, Ph.D. (publishing as Philander on the work cited above), tenured Associate Professor at Washington State University's Carson College of Business.
The practitioner record behind the framework: two decades of consulting and research across five continents, with 150+ consulting engagements and 50+ peer-reviewed publications (2004–2024). Direct engagements span North America, Europe, the Middle East, Australasia, and Asia-Pacific, with a client mix that includes integrated-resort operators in Las Vegas and Asia-Pacific, tier-1 European online sportsbook and casino operators, US tribal gaming operators, provincial Canadian Crown lottery and gaming corporations, US state gambling commissions, and gaming regulators in Europe, the Middle East, and Australasia.
Programs and instruments: co-developer of GameSense while serving as Director of Social Responsibility at the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (since licensed by multiple jurisdictions and private operators); co-developer of the Positive Play Scale (the player-side outcome measure proposed for evaluating Playbook itself); co-developer of RG Check for iGaming at the Responsible Gambling Council, and consultant on later updates to the RG Check frameworks. Recognition and active advisory roles: two NCPG Annual Research Awards (2015, 2021); current advisory positions include the Scientific Advisory Board of the Deutsche Stiftung Glücksspielforschung / German Foundation for Gambling Research, the Responsible Gambling Working Group of the Canadian Gaming Association, and the inaugural Advisory Committee of the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA).
The full provenance, with the inline disclosures attached to each cited paper, is in the About this work footer of the Foundations chapter.
- Casino operators and iGaming companies who want player education content their marketing team is proud to co-brand
- Sports betting platforms building entertainment literacy programs that retain informed players
- Gambling regulators looking for a quality baseline they can recommend to licensees
- Non-profits and advocacy organizations creating engaging outreach content
- Marketing, product, and design teams who need specs, copy frameworks, and design briefs for player-facing content
Player retention. Informed players play longer and more sustainably. They understand the games, manage their bankrolls, and enjoy the experience more. They churn less.
Brand differentiation. In a market where every operator's RG page looks the same, Playbook content stands out. It tells players: "We take you seriously."
Regulatory compliance. Jurisdictions require player-facing education and messaging. Playbook makes compliance content that actually works, not just content that checks a box.
- Fork this repository to your own GitHub account
- Edit
_brand.yml: your program name, colors, fonts, helpline numbers, and taglines. This single file drives the entire system. - Choose your jurisdictions: keep the modules you operate in (
jurisdictions/united-kingdom/), delete the rest - Customize messaging: pick from the tagline system, adapt tone examples, write your own
- Build collateral: use the HTML templates in
collateral/render/and markdown specs across all channels
A selection of the 75 ready-to-use English templates in the brand system (290 with i18n variants). Each template is available as HTML source and PNG render in collateral/render/.
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| Social card, myth-buster | Email, welcome series | Poster, Know Your Game |
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| Print, rack card | Digital display, landscape | Venue sign, entrance |
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| Tier 2, support page | Tier 2, helpline poster | Print, brochure inside |
Playbook/
├── _brand.yml # White-label configuration engine
├── README.md # You are here
├── LICENSE # CC0 1.0 Universal
├── TERMS.md # Terms of use, indemnification, disclaimers
├── CONTRIBUTING.md # How to contribute
├── CHANGELOG.md # Version history
│
├── brand-book/ # Core brand guidelines (11 chapters)
│ ├── 00-introduction.md # Purpose, the engagement gap, two-tier system
│ ├── 00b-theoretical-foundations.md # Auditable theory of change: how/why Playbook works, citations, logic model, author provenance
│ ├── 01-brand-foundation.md # Mission, vision, pillars (Open / Social)
│ ├── 02-brand-personality.md # Playbook voice, humor guidelines
│ ├── 03-visual-identity.md # Logo, color, typography, icons, photography
│ ├── 04-voice-and-tone.md # The confident myth-buster voice
│ ├── 05-messaging-framework.md # Tagline system, CTAs, interactive content briefs
│ ├── 06-accessibility.md # WCAG 2.1 AA, inclusive design
│ ├── 07-application-guidelines.md # Cross-channel rules, co-branding, integration
│ ├── 08-governance.md # Stewardship, versioning, measuring adoption
│ ├── glossary.md # Gambling terms for marketing teams
│ └── 09-cultural-adaptation.md # Cultural adaptation guide (five spectrums)
│
├── visual-identity/ # Production-ready design assets
│ ├── design-tokens.css # CSS custom properties for the full system
│ ├── logo/ # 15 SVGs: primary, secondary, favicon, helpline badge
│ │ ├── primary/ # Full-color and on-light (horizontal + stacked)
│ │ ├── secondary/ # Reversed, mono-white, mono-dark (horizontal + stacked)
│ │ ├── favicon/ # 3 favicon variants
│ │ └── helpline-badge/ # Dark and light helpline badges
│ ├── color/ # Palette and accessibility contrast matrix
│ ├── typography/ # Type specimen, CSS, self-hosted font files (woff2)
│ ├── iconography/ # 31 SVG icons, style guide, interactive preview
│ ├── photography/ # Photo direction and mood board
│ └── illustration/ # Illustration style guide
│
├── how-to-play/ # Game education content library
│ ├── README.md # Index and navigation
│ ├── _game-guide-template.md # Authoring scaffold for new guides
│ ├── odds-at-a-glance.md # Cross-game house edge comparison
│ ├── slots.md # Slots / Electronic Gaming guide
│ ├── blackjack.md # Blackjack guide
│ ├── roulette.md # Roulette guide
│ ├── sports-betting.md # Sports Betting guide
│ ├── baccarat.md # Baccarat guide
│ ├── craps.md # Craps guide
│ ├── video-poker.md # Video Poker guide
│ ├── bingo.md # Bingo guide
│ ├── lottery.md # Lottery guide
│ ├── horse-racing.md # Horse Racing guide
│ ├── diagrams/ # SVG diagrams embedded in game guides
│ └── quick-reference/ # 11 condensed single-card summaries
│
├── messaging/ # Messaging content library
│ ├── core-messages.md # 74 tagged messages by touchpoint
│ ├── tagline-system.md # Tagline hierarchy and rotation
│ ├── calls-to-action.md # CTA library by function
│ ├── myth-busting.md # Common gambling myths, debunked
│ ├── campaigns.md # Campaign frameworks
│ ├── stigma-free-language.md # Language guide
│ ├── tone-examples.md # Voice in action across scenarios
│ └── player-segments/ # 6 audience-specific profiles
│ ├── general-players.md
│ ├── young-adults.md
│ ├── sports-bettors.md
│ ├── at-risk-players.md
│ ├── friends-and-family.md
│ └── help-seekers.md
│
├── collateral/ # Templates for every touchpoint
│ ├── digital/ # Website, mobile app, email, social media specs
│ ├── print/ # Brochure, rack card, table tent, helpline card specs
│ ├── environmental/ # Venue signage and digital display specs
│ ├── video-audio/ # TV, radio, pre-roll, and hold message scripts
│ ├── customer-service/ # Conversation scripts and staff FAQ
│ ├── interactive/ # Quiz framework
│ └── render/ # 75 HTML templates + PNG renders + build pipeline (290 with i18n)
│ ├── render-cards.mjs # Puppeteer manifest (HTML → PNG)
│ ├── build-logos.mjs # Logo SVG generator
│ ├── build-icons.mjs # Icon SVG generator
│ ├── build-deck.mjs # PPTX brand deck builder
│ ├── htp-*.html/.png # 5 how-to-play cards (1080×1080)
│ ├── card-*.html/.png # 6 social cards (1080×1080)
│ ├── story-*.html/.png # 3 stories (1080×1920)
│ ├── poster-*.html/.png # 3 posters (1800×2400)
│ ├── email-*.html/.png # 4 email templates (600px wide)
│ ├── brochure-*.html/.png # 2 brochure panels (2400×1000)
│ ├── sign-*.html/.png # 5 venue signs (various sizes)
│ ├── display-*.html/.png # 2 digital displays (landscape + portrait)
│ ├── rack-card-5a.html/.png # Print: rack card (800×1800)
│ ├── table-tent-5b.html/.png # Print: table tent (800×1200)
│ ├── helpline-card-5c.html/.png # Print: helpline business card (700×400)
│ └── *-10*.html/.png # 8 Tier 2 support/crisis templates
│
├── jurisdictions/ # Regulatory compliance modules
│ ├── README.md # How jurisdiction modules work
│ ├── _template/ # Templates for new jurisdictions
│ ├── canada/ # Canada: BC, Alberta, Ontario
│ ├── united-states/ # US: Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Massachusetts, California
│ ├── united-kingdom/ # UK (UKGC)
│ ├── malta/ # Malta (MGA)
│ ├── denmark/ # Denmark
│ ├── macau/ # Macau
│ └── singapore/ # Singapore
│
├── docs/ # Player testing protocol and operational documents
│ ├── README.md # Testing overview and navigation
│ └── content-scorecard.md # Content performance surveys, scoring, and decision framework
| Area | Status | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| Brand book | Complete | 11 chapters covering foundations through cultural adaptation |
| Visual identity | Complete | 15 logo SVGs, 31 icon SVGs, design tokens CSS, typography system with self-hosted fonts, photography and illustration guides |
| How to Play | Complete | 10 game guides (slots, blackjack, roulette, sports betting, baccarat, craps, video poker, bingo, lottery, horse racing), 11 quick-reference cards, odds comparison, how-to-play card templates |
| Messaging | Complete | 74 core messages, tagline system, CTA library, myth-busting, stigma-free language guide, tone examples, 6 player-segment profiles |
| Collateral specs | Complete | 14 markdown specs across digital, print, environmental, video-audio, and customer service |
| Collateral renders | Complete | 75 English HTML/PNG template pairs (290 with i18n variants): social cards, stories, posters, emails, brochures, venue signs, digital displays, print collateral, Tier 2 support/crisis templates, how-to-play cards, and educational SVG diagrams |
| White-label config | Complete | _brand.yml with placeholder tokens throughout |
| Docs | Complete | Player testing protocol with Pulse (3-item) and Full (7-item) surveys using NPS and semantic differentials, delayed recall survey, cultural fit A/B testing, scoring guides, standard reporting format, and GitHub issue template for sharing findings |
| Jurisdictions | Complete | 7 countries (Canada, US, UK, Malta, Denmark, Macau, Singapore) with sub-jurisdiction modules, advertising rules, and collateral adaptation guides |
| Area | Description |
|---|---|
| Implementation guides | Operator adoption resources: quick-start guide, Figma design briefs, launch checklist, and measurement framework for tracking content engagement and adoption metrics. |
| Examples | Worked brand application with a fictional operator showing how to fork, configure _brand.yml, and deploy the full system. |
The _brand.yml file is the engine. It holds every customizable value: your program name, color palette, typography, helpline numbers, tagline system, and tone configuration. Throughout the repository, content files use {{PLACEHOLDER}} tokens that reference values in this config.
Fork the repo. Edit _brand.yml. Your brand identity cascades everywhere.
The adaptive identity model. Playbook is recognizable but adaptive. The structural patterns (message hierarchy, content architecture, layout principles) stay consistent across operators. The visual surface (colors, fonts, logo) adapts to each operator's brand. A player who encounters Playbook-based content at one platform will intuitively recognize the content structure at another, even though they look different.
The collateral/render/ directory contains a Puppeteer-based pipeline that renders HTML templates to PNG:
cd collateral/render
npm install
node render-cards.mjs # Render all templates
node render-cards.mjs poster # Render only poster templates
node render-cards.mjs card-1a # Render a specific templateOther build scripts:
node build-logos.mjs: Generate logo SVGs from brand confignode build-icons.mjs: Generate icon SVGsnode build-deck.mjs: Generate the PPTX brand deck
Playbook uses a two-tier system:
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Tier 1 (this repository, 95% of content): Entertainment literacy. How games work, informed play habits, myth-busting, interactive quizzes, bankroll tips. Confident, witty, engaging: content players seek out. This is what operators co-brand with.
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Tier 2 (5%): Support and crisis touchpoints. Self-exclusion flows, helpline referrals, cooldown screens, session summaries. Warm, direct, appropriately serious. See
visual-identity/tier-2/tier-2-visual-guide.mdfor the full visual specification and 8 template renders.
CC0 1.0 Universal: public domain. Copy, modify, distribute, and use this work for any purpose, including commercial, without permission or attribution.
Why CC0? Player education is too important for licensing friction. Every operator should be able to deploy quality content without legal barriers. CC0 means the entire industry can collaborate on one shared standard.
This material is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, medical, or professional advice. Gambling regulations vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Operators should verify all compliance requirements with qualified legal counsel. While we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee that jurisdiction-specific information is current or complete.
This is not a clinical resource. Playbook does not diagnose, treat, or counsel. It is not anti-gambling. It is not a substitute for regulatory compliance.
See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines on contributing jurisdiction modules, messaging content, translations, or improvements to the brand system.