The Situation

The Exclaim Recovery platform was founded by Dan Real, former Regional President of Caesars Entertainment. Drawing on 28 years in gaming—along with his own personal struggle with gambling addiction—he built the platform with one mission: to help every person battling this mental health issue find a path to recovery. Dan created a judgment-free zone and a place where you can go to find 24/7/365 support.

Before engaging GLI® Secure, Dan’s primary concern was ensuring that HOPE, the site’s Artificial Intelligence chatbot, could safely interact with users, particularly those considering self-harm. He wanted any user at risk to be immediately referred to various crisis and local emergency services, including 911and 988.

Since day one, safety and security have been top priorities. Exclaim Recovery created an advisory board including a psychiatrist, a certified psychologist specializing in addiction, and an industry expert. No matter how advanced HOPE becomes, security could never be compromised. He personally funded the project and delayed user testing until he was confident HOPE was safe. Security has been the driving force behind every decision.

The Challenge

As HOPE is the world’s first AI Responsible Gambling Assistant, it initially raised skepticism about the use of AI in the addiction recovery space. Only 8% of problem gamblers seek help, and gambling addiction is strongly correlated with mental health crisis. There is only one certified gambling therapist for every 10,000 problem gamblers in the U.S. HOPE is helping real people daily, and GLI’s assessment was crucial in earning trust from stakeholders and the community.

AI chatbots, on similar platforms like Exclaim Recovery, have faced legal scrutiny related to unsafe or inappropriate responses in high-risk situations. In one widely cited and extreme example on a comparable platform, a chatbot generated a response that appeared to validate a user’s discussion of self-harm by complimenting the construction of a noose. The focus of Exclaim Recovery wasn’t fear of litigation. One of the core goals was to ensure HOPE never mishandled a person’s vulnerability and that immediate referral to qualified professionals for anyone at risk was non-negotiable.

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The Action

There are moments in the assessment where GLI’s gaming-sector expertise stood out. Although Dan received feedback from MDs, attorneys, and other industry veterans, GLI’s team was far more focused, detail-oriented, and insightful in regard to the AI technology. Their conversations leading up to the assessment were highly specific to the gaming industry, reflecting deep expertise in both AI and Responsible Gambling. Their understanding and approach were unmatched.

The independence of GLI’s testing was key. Recognized as the gold standard in gaming testing, GLI commands credibility with regulators, legislators, and operators. Dan provided full, unrestricted access to HOPE, allowing GLI to evaluate every aspect of the system. This demonstrated his trust in their expertise and commitment to a thorough assessment.

GLI’s assessment delivered decisive clarity. Although Dan and his team believed in HOPE’s strength, the thoroughness of the final report left no room for uncertainty, giving them the confidence to deploy HOPE broadly. Since then, Exclaim Recovery has not had a single complaint. As a result, Exclaim Recovery is proud to offer a tool that is both secure and effective in helping those at risk.

This project reinforced leadership by GLI Secure in AI security for gaming applications. The team at Exclaim Recovery presented HOPE with full access, without restrictions or breakdowns of its design. GLI spent over two days stress-testing the system, identifying new opportunities, and demonstrating a deep, high-level understanding of AI security. Their rigorous approach validated GLI Secure’s position as a global leader in gaming AI security.

The Standards

Passing GLI’s rigorous testing has become a cornerstone of Exclaims Hope’s messaging. Exclaim Recovery used the assessment to improve system prompts and public communication, emphasizing safety as their core principle. The credibility of GLI’s testing has driven the most engagement with their audience over the past year.

GLI Secure went beyond testing. The team engaged deeply before and after the assessment, demonstrating genuine interest in supporting problem gamblers. Their commitment to helping Exclaim Recovery reach more users exceeded expectations. This level of partnership, combined with their gold-standard testing, reinforced GLI’s unmatched value in the industry and AI technology.

Results

GLI Secure helped Exclaim Recovery operate safely and securely, enabling HOPE to support those most at risk in the gambling community.

More information about HOPE can be found at the Exclaim Recovery site.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (in the US and Canada) or dial 911.

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