Australia’s largest regional university, CQUniversity, has published the results of a study that measured the efficacy of positive messages in moderating the behaviour of online gamblers.
Bankrolled by Gambling Research Australia (GRA), the study’s hypothesis revolves around the premise that online gambling presents a higher risk of gambling harm to players when compared to traditional gambling.
The study exposed over 2000 regular sports and race punters to randomised messages for five weeks. The researchers collected data on how much the players wagered, the amount of time they spent betting, and what level of gambling harm they experienced.
The participants reported that the positive messages on how to control their gambling spending were mostly useful and easy to absorb. Research Leader Professor Mathew Rockloff explained that the participants spent less time and money on gambling during the five weeks.
The study employed 27 messages created by the research team who consulted focus groups that comprised researchers, gambling-treatment providers, and regulators.
Missing Prompts
A separate study funded by the GRA discovered that consumers are not always directed to use the betting limit option. From over 3000 regular race and sports punters, only 41% said that they had put a betting limit in place with over half of those surveyed sharing that they were “unlikely” to set one.
This study ran for four weeks and featured a series of tailored messages regarding bet limits that were shown to over 1,200 regular players. Upon its conclusion, the study revealed that 32% of participants had set at least one type of limit.
These findings are likely to raise some concerns as Australian operators are obliged by law to inform consumers of the availability of deposit limits for their online gambling, and to provide constant reminders to players about creating or reviewing them.
