Responsible Gaming Online
Player Perspectives, Best
Practice and the Future
Dr. Jonathan Parke
Centre for the Study of Gambling
University of Salford
Global Online Gambler Report (eCOGRA, 2007)
Value Placed on CSR Measures by Players (N=8584)
3500
3000
Spending
Limits
3000
2500
2000
N=8584
Time
Limits
2500
2000
N=8461
1500
1500
1000
1000
500
500
0
0
No
ta
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No
tv
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No
ta
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3000
No
tv
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Qu
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Ex
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m
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Us
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fu
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4000
SelfExclusion
2500
2000
N=8198
1500
Financial
Statements
3500
3000
2500
N=8391
2000
1500
1000
1000
500
500
0
0
No
ta
ta
No
tv
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Global Online Gambler Report (eCOGRA, 2007)
Other findings
• Value placed on “social responsibility” measures related
to game preferences (except lottery)
• Those wagering more per session consider spend limits
to be less useful
• Those playing poker more frequently place less value on
responsible gaming features
• With the exception of financial statements – players who
consider themselves skilful place less value on
Responsible gaming features
Open-ended Survey Question
Global Online Gambler Report (eCOGRA, 2007)
CSR
Options - Frequency of Responses
Views on Responsible Gaming Features
Question: “As a player, is there
anything further that you like to
see done in relation to
responsible gambling online?”
300
250
200
N = 557 out 10865
150
100
50
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Global Online Gambler Report (eCOGRA, 2007)
Example 1 – Understanding Payout Percentages
I would really like to have more wins compared to the amount of money
I spend. For instance, the first year I started online gambling, I spent
about $46,000 of which I only won about $22,000, and it has only
gotten worse since then. I rarely win, winning meaning if I bet
anywhere from $50 to $100, I consider it a win of $1500 to $2500. I
would really like to win more. Last 2 years I think I only won 1-2
times where I cashed out and had my winnings sent to me. Also, I
would really like to have more clarification on when you say "Payout
Percentages". What does the casino and the powers that be
consider as “payouts”. How do you figure it and what do you base
your information on? Does payout percentages mean actual money
that people cashed out with from what they spent or what the casino
paid out over and above what was spent at the casinos? That is not
clear and therefore "payout percentages" has no meaning for me
because that could mean anything.
Female, aged 46-55, USA, Retired
Focus
- CaseReport
against
CSR:2007)
Global
Online2Gambler
(eCOGRA,
Example
2 – Case Against
Responsible
Gaming
Responsibility
Rests
with Players
If you can't control yourself, you deserve to be broke. We've sold
ourselves as a society on the idea that individuals aren't
responsible for anything that happens to them. If they're
alcoholic, it's because they were abused, or their genes dispose
them to it. If they're fat, it's not the gallon of ice cream they're
eating, it's because Kraft forced them to get fat. If they slip and
fall in a restaurant, it's not because they were walking around
blabbing on a cell phone without any clue what's going on, it's
because there was a tiny wet patch on the floor that the owner
negligently failed to clean up. Ridiculous. Will power is dead. I'm
sure these controls are useful for people that can't help
themselves, though. I just don't feel any pity for those who need
it.
Male, aged 18-25, USA, Legal profession
Top 5 ‘Basic’ Points
Responsible Gaming Online
1. Be transparent.
2. Be proactive.
3. Enable rather than restrict.
4. Responsible gaming should be promoted.
5. Research and understand players.
The Future Responsible Gaming Online
1. Trial and error may be best way forward
• For example:
• Responsible gambling newsletter
• Having responsible gambling web-space
• Live expert help
2. Independent responsible gambling teams
3. ‘The secret formula’
4. Change how we use CRM
5. Responsible gaming is inevitable
6. Self-regulation = Self-preservation
The Environment is Changing
• More pressure than ever for taking responsible
approach
–
–
–
–
Introduction and expectation of new legislation
Market saturation and fierce competition
Insurance/investment
Increased scrutiny from every possible angle
• Media
• Customers
• Industry personnel
• Mixed messages for executives?
Global
Online Gambler
Report (eCOGRA, 2007)
Important
Issues
Some Important Implications
• Players conception and acceptance of social
responsible depends on various factors (eCOGRA,
2007)
• Customer protection or customer rejection?
(eCOGRA, 2007)
– Evidence on the impact of interruptions?
– 70% of Internet Casino players have 3 or more sites
– 50% of Internet Poker players play on 3 or more sites
• Voluntary or Mandatory?