How the Office of Responsible Gambling and Sitback transformed a complex multi-stakeholder digital system into a powerful, connected platform for delivering support and reducing gambling harm across NSW.

The Office of Responsible Gambling (ORG) plays a leading role in preventing and reducing gambling harm across New South Wales. Through its GambleAware program, the agency coordinates a network of counsellors, administrators, and community partners, ensuring people can access free, confidential help whenever and wherever they need it.

In 2020, ORG launched the first phase of its new GambleAware website, built on Sitecore XP to provide information, tools, and resources to the public. While this created a strong foundation, it did not yet deliver the full client experience envisioned — one that would connect clients, counsellors, and administrators through a single, integrated digital platform.

To achieve this vision, ORG needed a trusted technical partner to extend the platform, integrate essential services, and design a system capable of managing every step of the client journey — from registration to appointment booking, service delivery, and reporting. Sitback was selected for our deep Sitecore expertise, proven track record in government digital transformation, and collaborative approach to complex, multi-stakeholder programs.

From the outset, Sitback provided continuous support and optimisation for the live GambleAware website while planning and delivering major new functionality. This parallel effort required careful coordination between development, support, and client teams to ensure each release was deployed smoothly, with no interruption to critical services.

Over multiple project phases, Sitback helped ORG evolve the platform from an information hub into a robust, end-to-end service ecosystem. This multi-year collaboration has since continued through further platform enhancements and a major Sitecore upgrade, ensuring the technology remains secure, scalable, and ready to support ORG’s vital mission for years to come.

Problem identification

When Sitback was first engaged, Phase 1 of the GambleAware program had delivered a solid Sitecore XP website focused on information and self-help. What it didn’t yet provide was a connected service platform to manage the full client journey — registration, booking, delivery, follow-up, and reporting.

ORG’s brief for Phase 2 was clear: evolve from a content site to an integrated, client-centred platform. The organisation also had a strong preference to leverage existing SaaS tools wherever practical (for speed, cost, and future flexibility), and to connect them cleanly into Sitecore.

Several constraints emerged at this starting line:

• No unified booking capability for a complex, multi-stakeholder environment (clients, counsellors, GAP admins, ORG). Off-the-shelf options looked promising, but it wasn’t clear they could handle the nuanced workflows, data rules, and security requirements.
• Limited operational visibility: reporting was fragmented, making it hard to see demand, capacity, attendance, outcomes, and statewide performance in one place.
• Identity and access needed to scale: multiple user types, MFA expectations, and role-based permissions — all within NSW Government compliance.
• Non-negotiable reliability and security: any new capability had to meet NSW Digital, privacy, and accessibility standards — without interrupting live services.
• Parallel delivery reality: major feature work had to land safely alongside ongoing support and optimisation of the live Sitecore site.

In short, ORG needed a cohesive architecture and delivery plan that could balance speed (via proven SaaS), depth (where custom was needed), and governance — setting the stage for a sustainable platform that could grow with the program.

Solution implementation

From the outset, Sitback and the Office of Responsible Gambling approached the project as a true partnership. ORG brought a clear vision for a connected, client-centred service platform, while Sitback provided the technical expertise, Sitecore experience, and delivery framework to make that vision a reality.

Phase 2a: Building the foundation

The first step was to stabilise and extend the existing GambleAware Sitecore environment. ORG’s team played a hands-on role in defining priorities and validating requirements, ensuring that the platform’s next phase directly supported the needs of clients, counsellors, and GambleAware Providers (GAPs).

Through a series of collaborative stakeholder workshops, the joint team mapped every functional requirement — from booking workflows and communication tools to identity management and reporting — before confirming the most efficient way to deliver each capability. Where suitable SaaS solutions existed, ORG’s preference was to integrate them rather than rebuild from scratch.

Working within this strategy, Sitback implemented and configured integrations between Sitecore and a number of trusted third-party systems, including:

• Appointy for appointment scheduling
• Twilio for SMS, email, and chat communication
• Okta for Single Sign-On (SSO) and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
• Power BI for data reporting and analytics
• Google Maps API for location-based services

Development was delivered through Agile sprints, with regular demonstrations, sprint reviews, and testing cycles led jointly by ORG and Sitback. Together, the teams refined user stories, prioritised releases, and ensured new features aligned with ORG’s service model. Rigorous quality assurance, accessibility, and security testing were conducted at every milestone, followed by comprehensive user acceptance testing to validate real-world performance.

Phase 2b: A custom GambleAware booking portal

As implementation progressed, ORG’s operational insight proved crucial. The organisation recognised that while Appointy had accelerated early delivery, it couldn’t fully support the complex needs of the program. With multiple user roles, reporting dependencies, and security constraints, ORG and Sitback agreed to design a custom booking platform tailored precisely to the GambleAware environment.

The result was the GambleAware Booking Portal — a bespoke, Sitecore-native system built from the ground up to meet ORG’s specifications.

Key features included:

• A centralised booking engine with configurable appointment logic
• Role-specific dashboards for counsellors, GAP administrators, and ORG staff
• Integrated messaging, reminders, and follow-ups through Twilio
• Real-time analytics and reporting powered by Power BI
• Secure authentication and MFA via Okta

By leading the design discussions, validating prototypes, and testing the new functionality across real service scenarios, ORG ensured the system delivered exactly what its providers and clients needed.

Sitecore upgrade – securing the future

Following the success of the custom platform, Sitback worked with ORG to plan and execute a major Sitecore upgrade, bringing the environment up to the latest version for improved performance, maintainability, and compliance. The upgrade involved detailed planning, regression testing, and user validation to ensure a seamless transition for all stakeholders.

Continuous Collaboration and Support

Throughout every phase, Sitback’s project and support teams worked hand-in-hand with ORG’s digital, IT, and service delivery stakeholders. Releases were carefully coordinated to avoid disruption to live services, with clear communication, shared release planning, and post-deployment validation ensuring uninterrupted access for the NSW community.

The result was a modern, stable, and fully integrated digital platform — one that reflects ORG’s leadership in using technology to make help more accessible and effective for people affected by gambling harm.

Results

The evolution of the GambleAware digital platform delivered more than just new technology — it fundamentally changed how ORG connects people with the help they need.

Through close collaboration, ORG and Sitback transformed a single-purpose website into a statewide digital service platform, built on strong governance, secure data flows, and user-centred design. The result is a system that now underpins every aspect of GambleAware’s service delivery — from initial contact through to ongoing support and reporting.

Key outcomes include:

• End-to-end service delivery
  The new GambleAware Booking Portal gives clients, counsellors, and administrators a single point of access for bookings, communication, and reporting — all within a secure, accessible platform.
• Streamlined workflows for providers
  Counsellors and GAP administrators can manage appointments, update records, and report outcomes in one place, reducing administrative effort and improving visibility across teams.
• Reliable data and insights
  Integration with Microsoft Power BI enables ORG to monitor statewide service activity in real time — supporting better decision-making, funding allocation, and program evaluation.
• Enhanced user experience
  With simplified navigation, automated reminders, and consistent authentication through Okta, users now enjoy a seamless and secure experience across all interactions.
• Resilient and future-ready technology
  The Sitecore upgrade and Azure infrastructure improvements have delivered stronger performance, enhanced security, and a scalable foundation for future growth.
• Seamless service continuity
  Throughout each phase, live operations were maintained without interruption — ensuring the NSW community continued to access support services while the platform evolved behind the scenes.

Together, these outcomes reflect ORG’s commitment to innovation and accessibility, and Sitback’s ability to deliver complex, multi-phase digital programs in partnership with government.

Conclusion

The Office of Responsible Gambling’s GambleAware platform now stands as a model for how digital technology can support public wellbeing at scale. Through collaboration, foresight, and a shared commitment to excellence, ORG and Sitback transformed an informational website into a secure, fully integrated service platform that connects thousands of people to support every year.

By combining ORG’s deep understanding of community needs with Sitback’s Sitecore expertise and disciplined delivery, the project delivered a seamless experience for clients, counsellors, and administrators alike — one that will continue to evolve with the organisation’s mission to reduce gambling harm across New South Wales.

This partnership demonstrates what’s possible when technology, strategy, and purpose align — creating a platform that doesn’t just inform, but actively empowers change.

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