Gambling Operators Research Articles

Web-Based Communication of Socially Responsible Activities by Gambling Operators.

Application of the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is of fundamental importance for the future existence and success of gambling operators, the activity of which is linked to a risk of addiction to gambling together with the negative impacts of this on the health and wellbeing of gamblers, families and society as a whole. Gambling operators must apply and effectively communicate socially responsible activities in the economic, environmental, ethical, social and philanthropic fields and in particular in the field of responsible gambling. Nowadays, it is necessary to ensure communication via modern channels in the form of corporate websites and social networks. This study evaluates the level of web-based CSR communication by gambling operators which operate in one of the post-communist countries-the Czech Republic (114 companies). It at the same time provides an alternative method of evaluating the level of CSR communication by gambling operators which makes it possible to uncover weaknesses and room for improvement on the part of the gambling operator's CSR communication practices. The results of the study show that the level of web-based CSR communication of gambling operators operating in the Czech Republic is low, both in comparison with controversial companies and also with non-controversial companies. Economic responsibility activities, responsible gambling and philanthropic responsibility activities are communicated to the greatest extent. On the contrary, ethical responsibility activities are communicated the least.

Comparing the Twitter posting of British gambling operators and gambling affiliates: a summative content analysis

ABSTRACTThe current study aimed to assess the type of content posted on Twitter by British gambling operators and gambling affiliates; third-party firms who are financially incentivized to attract custom to gambling operators. Five thousand and twenty-nine tweets from 5 gambling operators and 8315 tweets from 5 gambling affiliates were collected over a 2-week period. A summative content analysis was carried out whereby each tweet was coded for its main content. Tweets were grouped together into content categories and the percentage of tweets in each content category was calculated for both operators and affiliates. The nine categories of content found were: direct advertising, betting assistance, sports content, customer engagement, humour, update of current bet status, promotional content, safer gambling and ‘other’. Gambling operators had a higher proportion of posts in the sports content and humorous content categories, whilst affiliates had a higher proportion of posts within the direct advertising and betting assistance categories. These findings suggest that the affiliates were more direct in their posting style whereas operators followed a more indirect approach, reflective of a branding strategy. Future research should address how interacting with different types of gambling content on social media impacts upon gambling attitudes and behaviour.

The Influence of E-Commerce in Changing Competition in Regulated Industries: An Analysis in the Italian Sports Betting Market

The effect of the Internet and e-commerce on industry competition has been widely discussed in economic-managerial literature. Most of the studies focused on the analysis of the impact of Internet technologies on specific industry structural factors – in particular on sectoral price levels –, but no sufficient empirical evidence based on overall industry change is yet available. The aim of this work is to analyze the influence of e-commerce on the transformation of the industrial structure and competition in a regulated market, that of Italian sports betting. This market, because the effect of a process of legalization of on-line sports betting that started in 2006, has been interested by a continuous shift of purchases of sport bets, ranging from the traditional sales channels to digital ones. This has contributed in creating an on-line gambling sector among the most developed and consolidated in the world. From a methodological point of view, firstly the data from a series of secondary sources was processed in order to examine the main changes in the Italian sports betting market induced by the legalization of on-line gambling. Secondly, the data and information collected through specific empirical investigations was used to examine the impact of Internet betting on gambling operators’ business models and on players’ gambling behavior in the Italian market. The results of the analysis has shown that the development of Internet technologies and of e-commerce has had, on the one hand, a positive influence on the growth of the sales in the Italian sports betting market; and on the other hand, has impacted on a series of structural factors in the sector – entry barriers, number of competitors, geographical opening of the market, levels of pricing, average profit margins – in such a way as to determine an increase in industry competition. In particular, use by foreign companies of the electronic distribution channel as a ‘mode of entry’ into different geographical markets is causing the development of competition that goes beyond national borders, reducing the strongly domestic oligopolistic structure that has always characterized the Italian sports betting industry.

Incompatibility of financial blocking measures against gambling operators with data protection law: using banks to control citizens

Incompatibility of financial blocking measures against gambling operators with data protection law: using banks to control citizens

An Analysis of Consumer Protection for Gamblers Across Different Online Gambling Operators in Ireland: A Descriptive Study

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the responsible gambling tools which are available to online gamblers at Irish online gambling websites. The present study used a similar methodology to a recent study carried out on the world’s most popular websites (Bonello and Griffiths Gaming Law Review and Economics, 21, 278–285, 2017), where 50 of the most advertised online gambling websites were evaluated in relation to their responsible gambling (RG) practices. The present study evaluated 39 gambling websites with either a “.ie” or “.com/ie” domain. Each website was evaluated by checking for a number of RG practices, including presence of a dedicated RG page; age verification; access to gambling account history; the availability of RG tools, such as limit setting facilities and exclusion settings; and links to limit-setting options on the deposit page. Descriptive statistics were then performed on the results from each website. Of the 39 online gambling operators identified, 22 redirected gamblers to a “.com” domain, while 17 operators remained as a “.ie” domain. Thirty-five websites (89.7%) visited had a dedicated RG page. Responsible gambling features were evaluated and demonstrated to be available in an inconsistent manner across online gambling websites. Irish websites were shown to perform poorly in comparison with non-Irish counterparts in the provision of RG tools. The researchers of the present study are not aware of any similar studies conducted to date in Ireland.

In-Play Sports Betting: a Scoping Study

Technology has changed the nature of gambling practices over the last decade and is continuing to do so. The online sports betting industry has become a rapidly growing sector of the global economy, with online sports betting contributing 37% of the annual online gambling market in Europe. There has been an integration of social and technological processes that has enabled the cultural saliency of contemporary online betting. One of the more newly introduced forms of online sports betting is in-play sports betting behaviour (the betting on events within a sporting event such as football and cricket). In-play sports betting features (such as ‘cash out’) are increasing in popularity amongst online gambling operators. A scoping study was carried out examining the evolution of this new form of gambling practice which included both a systematic literature review and the examination of 338 online gambling websites that offered sports betting. The present study identified a comprehensive list of what in-play betting features are currently being offered on online gambling websites as well as other information concerning in-play sports betting. A total of 16 academic papers and two ‘grey literature’ reports and were identified in the systematic review. Out of 338 online gambling websites that were visited, 26% of these offered at least on in-play betting feature. Results from the systematic review suggest that in-play sports betting has the potential to be more harmful than other ways of gambling because of the inherent structural characteristics.

Global Limit Setting as a Responsible Gambling Tool: What Do Players Think?

Many companies offer tools to help their clientele gamble more responsibly. Such tools include pre-commitment facilities where the gambler can set voluntary time and money limits. However, empirical evidence is lacking as to whether voluntary or mandatory limit setting has any positive impact on subsequent gambling behavior and whether such measures are of help to high-intensity and/or problem gamblers. In the present study, 2352 gamblers who had played games with Norsk Tipping (NT), the Norwegian Government-owned gambling operator, were surveyed after NT had introduced a mandatory global loss limit across its gaming portfolio. The survey included questions relating to whether players had heard about the new global loss limits, their attitudes towards limit setting, whether they found the global limits personally relevant, the most important reasons for setting the limits, and whether they gambled elsewhere if they reached their loss limits. Findings demonstrated that three-quarters of the sample were aware the new global loss limit had been introduced, two-thirds of the sample knew how to set limits on their gambling, and four-fifths of the sample had a positive attitude towards the global loss limit. Very few gamblers played with other operators after they had reached their spending limits. It is concluded that the introduction of a global loss limit had a positive impact among Norsk Tipping’s clientele and the implications for the present findings are discussed.

Match-Fixing: A Historical Perspective

Match-fixing has a long history, but while use of drugs in sport has a substantial secondary literature, match-fixing has only recently begun to attract the attention of historians. This essay begins with a brief overview of its global contemporary contexts, the broad range of sports where it now surfaces, increased recognition of its moral, social, and economic threat, and the varied responses of leading sports organizations, legal gambling operators, police forces, governmental departments, and regulators. The following section explores the challenges of finding any reliable evidence of match-fixing in the past. Such material can include reports of criminal trials and investigations, the decisions of national and international sporting bodies, journalistic investigations, players confessions, suspended investigations, and the many various unsubstantiated allegations of fixing. An overview shows that match-fixing has been a major and substantial long-standing historical continuity in sport usually but not always is linked to gambling and sporting materialism. Examples are brought forward to show that it could be found in Ancient Greece and Egypt, and was widespread across the early modern and modern periods in Britain, America, and Australia. The essay concludes by suggesting some key questions which a future agenda for the historical study of match-fixing might address.

I danni collaterali del gioco d'azzardo. Riflessioni per l'agenda di ricerca

So far, the study of the costs arising from the recent spread of massive industrial gambling in Italy has been neglected: this article explains the reasons why it is time to focus on this area of study. Some areas heavily impacted by gambling disorder are highlighted. They concern both gamblers and people close to them (particularly their family members), who are affected in multiple areas of their quality of life. Particular attention will be given to describe the damage suffered by minors under different conditions: some examples are minors who gamble, those who live in families where there is a problem of gambling addiction and - last but not least - children of gambling operators. Finally, the results of some research carried out abroad that have estimated such negative externalities are presented, together with their implications for Italy.

Measuring Corporate Social Responsibility in Gambling Industry: Multi-Items Stakeholder Based Scales

Macau gambling companies included Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) information in their annual reports and websites as a marketing tool. Responsible Gambling (RG) had been a recurring issue in Macau’s chief executive report since 2007 and in many of the major gambling operators’ annual report. The purpose of this study was to develop a measurement scale on CSR activities in Macau. Items on the measurement scale were based on qualitative research with data collected from employees in Macau’s gambling industry and academic literature. First and Second Order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to verify the reliability and validity of the measurement scale. The results of this study were satisfactory and were supported by empirical evidence. This study provided recommendations to gambling stakeholders, including practitioners, government officers, customers and shareholders, and implications to promote CSR practice in Macau gambling industry.

Minimum Distance Estimation of Search Costs Using Price Distribution

ABSTRACT It has been shown that equilibrium restrictions in a search model can be used to identify quantiles of the search cost distribution from observedprices alone. These quantiles can be difficult to estimate in practice. This article uses a minimum distance approach to estimate them that is easy to compute. A version of our estimator is a solution to a nonlinear least-square problem that can be straightforwardly programmed on softwares such as STATA. We show our estimator is consistent and has an asymptotic normal distribution. Its distribution can be consistently estimated by a bootstrap. Our estimator can be used to estimate the cost distribution nonparametrically on a larger support when prices from heterogenous markets are available. We propose a two-step sieve estimator for that case. The first step estimates quantiles from each market. They are used in the second step as generated variables to perform nonparametric sieve estimation. We derive the uniform rate of convergence of the sieve estimator that can be used to quantify the errors incurred from interpolating data across markets. To illustrate we use online bookmaking odds for English football leagues’ matches (as prices) and find evidence that suggests search costs for consumers have fallen following a change in the British law that allows gambling operators to advertise more widely. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.

Responsible Gambling Strategies for Internet Gambling: An Empirical Investigation into the Italian Gambling Market

The aim of this study is to analyse, in the Italian sports betting sector, the impact of Internet gambling on the level of consumption of gambling products and the responsible gambling strategies adopted by the on line gambling operators. From the methodological viewpoint the research work has been organised into two phases. In the first phase, an empirical investigation has been carried out on a sample of Italian consumers directed towards measuring the impact that the use of the Internet has on the volume of bets made on sports events. In the second phase, an analytical work has been performed on the on line gambling websites of the main operators of the Italian sports betting market, directed towards examining the measures adopted for promoting responsible gambling. The results of the empirical research indicate, on the one hand, that in the Italian market, as has happened in other national gambling markets, the legalization of on line sports betting may determine an increase in the level of consumption of gambling products and, thus, in the potential risks of excessive gambling; and, on the other hand, that the normative approach adopted in the Italian gambling market, based on a ‘concession model’ which provides for a strong public control of the gambling operators, has favoured a widespread adoption by the on line betting companies of an articulated series of measures aimed towards harm minimisation in Internet gambling. Thus, the findings of this study contribute towards the economic-managerial literature on the theme of firms’ social responsibility by providing important insights for gambling firms and public policy makers regarding the responsible gambling strategies for Internet gambling adoptable in the markets, such as the Italian one, in which on line gambling is fully regulated.

Study protocol for a transversal study to develop a screening model for excessive gambling behaviours on a representative sample of users of French authorised gambling websites

IntroductionSince the legalisation of online gambling in France in 2010, gambling operators must implement responsible gambling measures to prevent excessive gambling practices. However, actually there is no screening procedure for...

Prepared Written Statement of John T. Holden & Ryan M. Rodenberg for the Massachusetts Special Legislative Commission on Online Gaming, Fantasy Sports Gaming and Daily Fantasy Sports

Online gaming has existed in some form for slightly more than 20 years. The growth and popularity of online gaming can be partially credited to three important events: 1) in 1995, Microgaming was the first to pioneer and disseminate online gaming software; 2) software was introduced that allowed for the secure transfer of funds over the internet; and 3) the acceptance of a wager online by InterCasino, which was based in Antigua. Shortly after the emergence of online gaming sites abroad, Congress began to express concern over Americans accessing virtual casinos and sportsbooks. Early congressional concerns centered on underage access, pervasiveness of illicit material, anonymity, and the integrity of online gambling operators. Many of these concerns persist today. These issues, in addition to concerns about the integrity surrounding real-world sporting events and video game competitions (i.e. esports), should be at the forefront of the minds of state and federal legislators when developing new gaming legislation. The rise of daily fantasy sports (“DFS”) and traditional fantasy sports has demonstrated that many Americans have an interest in some forms of sports gambling. Interest in fantasy sports is dwarfed by the popularity of other forms of betting, as evidenced by the estimated $10.4 billion wagered on single events like the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament and $4.7 billion wagered on the 2017 Super Bowl. Americans are already betting on sports. Many are betting on sports through DFS contests, others are betting at Nevada sportsbooks, some are betting with neighborhood bookies, but the vast majority are betting online in a grey market. Efforts to stop or curb online sports gambling have failed. There is a need to develop a more effective and efficient plan to implement a regulatory system that protects customers, and operators. Within this statement we address four important considerations for the regulation of DFS and online gaming moving forward: 1) federal law; 2) state law; 3) virtual currencies; and 4) consumer protections.

Telecommunications Network Measurements of Online Gambling Behavior in Switzerland: A Feasibility Study

Background: Methodological shortcomings of gambling studies relying on self-report or on data sets derived from gambling operators tend to result in biased conclusions. The aim of this study was to analyze online gambling behavior using a novel network database approach. Methods: From October 13 to October 26, 2014, telecommunications network data from a major telecommunications provider in Switzerland were analyzed. Netflows between mobile devices and a poker operator were quantified to measure the gambling duration and session number. Results: Time spent gambling during night and working hours was compared between devices with longest (red group), intermediate (orange group), and shortest gambling time (green group). Online gambling behavior differed depending on overall gambling time, F (2, 3,143). Night and working hours gambling was the highest in the red group (53%), compared to the orange (50.1%) and the green groups (41.5%). Post hoc analyses indicated significant differences between the orange and green groups (p < 0.05). No differences were observed between the red and orange groups (p = 0.850), and the red and green groups (p = 0.053). Conclusions: On mobile devices, distinct gambling patterns were observed depending on the overall gambling time. This methodology could also be used to investigate online gaming, social media use, and online pornography.

Comparative Effects of Differing Media Presented Advertisements on Male Youth Gambling Attitudes and Intentions

Gambling advertisements posted on social media websites such as Facebook are subject to few regulations. This study examined the differential effects of traditional print media (newspapers), and gambling operator and peer postings on Facebook on gambling attitudes and intentions to gamble in a sample of 120 male first-year university students. Participants were randomly allocated to one of three conditions; gambling operator posting on Facebook, peer posting on Facebook, and print media. Baseline and post-advertisement exposure gambling attitudes and intentions were assessed online. Gambling attitude and intentions did not differ between averaged peer and gambling operator Facebook postings compared to traditional media. However, gambling advertisements appeared to influence gambling attitudes and medium-term gambling intentions when posted by a gambling operator compared to a peer on Facebook. Gambling advertisements in traditional media and social media are equivalent in their effects on gambling attitudes and intentions. This novel finding suggests that regulations applied to gambling advertisements presented in traditional media ought to be extended to those appearing on social media platforms.

Analyzing Consumer Protection for Gamblers Across Different Online Gambling Operators: A Descriptive Study

Gaming Law Review and EconomicsVol. 21, No. 3 ArticlesAnalyzing Consumer Protection for Gamblers Across Different Online Gambling Operators: A Descriptive StudyMaris Bonello and Mark D. GriffithsMaris BonelloSearch for more papers by this author and Mark D. GriffithsSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:1 Apr 2017https://doi.org/10.1089/glre.2017.2134AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail View articleFiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byThe Effects of Voluntary Deposit Limit-Setting on Long-Term Online Gambling Expenditure Michael Auer, Niklas Hopfgartner, and Mark D. Griffiths5 February 2020 | Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, Vol. 23, No. 2Global Limit Setting as a Responsible Gambling Tool: What Do Players Think?26 March 2018 | International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, Vol. 18, No. 1A definition and set of principles for responsible consumption of gambling1 November 2017 | International Gambling Studies, Vol. 2 Volume 21Issue 3Apr 2017 InformationCopyright 2017, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Maris Bonello and Mark D. Griffiths.Analyzing Consumer Protection for Gamblers Across Different Online Gambling Operators: A Descriptive Study.Gaming Law Review and Economics.Apr 2017.278-285.http://doi.org/10.1089/glre.2017.2134Published in Volume: 21 Issue 3: April 1, 2017Keywordsresponsible gamblingsocial responsibilityplayer protectionresponsible gambling toolsharm minimizationPDF download

Measuring Responsible Gambling amongst Players: Development of the Positive Play Scale.

The modern gambling industry has, by-in-large, assumed a duty of care to minimize the risks associated with gambling, which has manifested in responsible gambling (RG) programming (e.g., educating players about the odds of success). The current study fills a void in gambling operators, regulators, and researchers ability to measure RG beliefs and behavior in their player-base, with the development and validation of the Positive Play Scale (PPS). In Study 1, we reviewed the literature and consulted 30 players as well as 10 RG experts to help generate a definition of RG beliefs and behavior that helped guide item generation. In Study 2, regular players (N = 1,551) of a Canadian provincial gambling operator completed a positive play survey. Four components from a principal components analysis (PCA) were extracted: Honesty and Control, Pre-commitment, Personal Responsibility, and Gambling Literacy. The PPS subscales were either not associated with gambling frequency or had small-to-moderate negative relationships with frequency of play for games most often associated with disordered gambling (e.g., electronic games). In Study 3 (N = 413), the factor structure of the PPS was confirmed and refined in a new sample of players. Moreover, a 1-month follow-up session demonstrated that the PPS has high test-retest reliability. The PPS is the first validated scale that reliably assesses the extent to which a consumer base has positive beliefs about gambling and gambles in a positive manner. The PPS can be used by the gambling industry to objectively assess the efficacy of their RG strategy, pinpoint specific areas for future focus, as well as examine the utility of new RG initiatives that aim to promote healthy patterns of gambling consumption. Furthermore, by examining the PPS scores for different player segments (e.g., sex, age, games played) it becomes possible to tailor RG strategy to the needs of specific players. In this way, RG strategy can be optimized by focusing resources where they will be most effective.

Observable indicators and behaviors for the identification of problem gamblers in venue environments.

Background and aimsIn many jurisdictions, where gambling services are provided, regulatory codes require gambling operators to apply a duty of care toward patrons. A common feature of these provisions is some expectation that venue staff identify and assist patrons who might be experiencing problems with their gambling. The effectiveness of such measures is, however, predicated on the assumption that there are reliable and observable indicators that might be used to allow problem gamblers to be distinguished from other gamblers.MethodsIn this study, we consolidate the findings from two large Australian studies (n = 505 and n = 680) of regular gamblers that were designed to identify reliable and useful indicators for identifying problem gambling in venues.ResultsIt was found that problem gamblers are much more likely to report potentially visible emotional reactions, unusual social behaviors, and very intense or frenetic gambling behavior.Discussion and conclusionsThis study shows that there are a range of indicators that could potentially be used to identify people experiencing problems in venues, but that decisions are most likely to be accurate if based on an accumulation of a diverse range of indicators.

Loyalty Typologies and Consumer Choice Factors in the Online Sports-Betting Industry: An Explorative Study into the Italian Regulated Market

&lt;p&gt;The paper analyses the loyalty typologies and consumer choice factors in the regulated online sports-betting industry. From the methodological viewpoint an empirical investigation has been carried out through the administration of a questionnaire towards customers who make sports bets on online gambling sites in the Italian regulated market. We have found that, in keeping with consumers’ behaviour “regularities” which normally characterize frequently purchased consumer goods markets, the number of customers who are exclusively loyal to one gambling website is rather limited and that, therefore, online bettors mostly adopt a “multi-brand” buying behaviour. In the markets in which this behaviour pattern emerges, customer loyalty programs appear less efficacious in increasing market penetration of the companies with respect to the firms’ decisions on marketing mix-inputs that influence consumer choice of purchasing. The empirical investigation has therefore permitted us to single out the factors that influence the decision to bet at one online gambling site over another, and to show how the importance of these factors varies in relation to the different degree of the gamblers loyalty. The results are then applied to marketing strategies of the online gambling operators.&lt;/p&gt;