Responsible gambling initiatives strive to encourage gamblers to gamble responsibly while disrupting recreational players as little as possible. Such strategies use harm reduction approaches geared toward public health.
This research examined the combined effect of an educational animation and monetary limit setting pop-up message on responsible gambling behavior. More specifically, we assessed whether exposure to both tools led to greater compliance with limits than either tool alone.
Developing a Measuring Tool
Current responsible gambling (RG) initiatives tend to be informed by an examination of problem gamblers (typically only a few hundred players out of an overall sample), however by using PPS for research in RG it offers the opportunity for greater insight into healthy gambling behaviors and beliefs among a larger sample.
Gambling operators offer tools to encourage responsible gambling among their patrons. Such tools include pre-commitment facilities that enable gamblers to set voluntary time and money limits; however, empirical evidence on their effectiveness remains scarce.
Step one in determining the effectiveness of RG initiatives is creating a measurement tool. This will enable gaming companies to establish an initial baseline of positive player experience among all of their player base, identify strengths and weaknesses of their RG strategy as well as use this quantitative basis for future evaluation of these initiatives against all player profiles.
Developing a Measurement Scale
To advance responsible gambling initiatives, gaming companies must develop a measurement scale. This will allow them to assess their current RG strategy and identify areas for improvement as well as measure its positive play impact.
Responsible gambling initiatives focus on encouraging healthy behaviors and responsible gambling practices, and supporting at-risk players with accessing support services or self-exclusion options if needed. Such tools are especially important for anyone at risk of gambling problems.
AI technology can be leveraged to identify at-risk players and offer them useful information through personalized messaging, resource lists and even temporary self-exclusion options. Businesses using this data can identify problem gambling patterns and take steps to minimize harm posed by gambling – which provides a great opportunity for safeguarding vulnerable players’ health.
Developing a Measurement Method
Responsible gambling aims to raise awareness and educate individuals on the risks of problem gambling, such as providing them with information about winning and losing odds as well as encouraging them to set limits on how much they can spend.
Additionally, several gambling operators have built tools into their platforms that enable players to initiate self-exclusion or cooling off periods from their accounts if they detect problematic gambling behaviors in themselves and need extra support. This can be particularly helpful for individuals who recognize a problem and require further help with addressing it.
However, research indicates that targeting harm minimization efforts at those exhibiting the most severe signs of risky play may not be successful. A new approach to measuring RG beliefs and behaviors could allow more targeted interventions among players who present milder issues (i.e. those with lower PPS scores). Such measures would less likely be dismissed by players as mere nuisances while providing targeted measures to mitigate gambling harms more effectively.
Developing a Measurement Report
Dr. Richard Wood (GamRes Limited), along with Michael Wohl and Nassim Tabri from Carleton University, have developed a psychometric tool that measures overall player responsible gambling beliefs and behaviour across an entire player population. Called the Positive Play Scale (PPS), this assessment includes four subscales to evaluate: Honesty & Control; Precommitment; Personal Responsibility and Gambling Literacy.
RG initiatives have historically been guided by examination of disordered gambling symptoms among small samples of players. Unfortunately, this approach overlooks the fact that most gamblers experience no discernable problems when it comes to gambling; harm minimization efforts should therefore focus on targeting the entire player population rather than simply targeting an extremely limited percentage of problem gamblers.
NAADGS conducts the only national survey of problem gambling services in the US, offering vital data such as funding sources, types of services provided, administrative structures in each state profiled and contacts provided for each service provider. They collaborate regularly with health systems to review standards of care for those suffering from gambling related problems as well as preventative services that are available.
