Practice Makes Poorer: Practice Gambling Modes and Their Effects on Real-Play in Simulated Roulette

Simulated Gambling: An Explorative Study Based on a Representative Survey

Gambling usually involves wagering real money but can also be conducted with virtual money, chips, or coins. This phenomenon is sometimes referred to as simulated gambling, social gambling, or play money gambling. This study explores correlations and transitions between simulated gambling and real money gambling with an emphasis on gambling-related harms and public health concerns. The analysis is based on a national representative survey of 46,136 German Internet users which included 5,191 real money online gamblers (RMG), 54% of whom had also participated in simulated gambling (SG). The data set is divided into subsamples based on participation in SG to carve out significant differences in these groups in regard to various socio demographics, gambling patterns, and gambling problems. Regression models are used to predict RMG frequency, participation in SG, SG participation frequency, and problem gambling. The results show a clear proximity between SG and RMG with 17% of the total sample and 54% of problem gamblers reporting being "quite sure" or "certain" that simulated gambling had led them to gambling with real money. While 7% of individuals that engaged exclusively in RMG showed gambling problems, the rate is 33% for those that engaged in both RMG and SG. Regression results provide further evidence of a relationship between SG and problem gambling, although with differing effect sizes for different game forms. We argue that SG can be both a substitute and a primer for RMG, especially for problem gamblers.

Adolescents Who Play and Spend Money in Simulated Gambling Games Are at Heightened Risk of Gambling Problems

Simulated gambling, such as playing a virtual slot machine for points rather than money, is increasingly part of the online gaming experience for youth. This study aimed to examine (1) if youth participation in simulated gambling games is associated with participation in monetary gambling; (2) if youth participation in simulated gambling games is associated with increased risk of problematic gambling when controlling for breadth of monetary gambling (i.e., number of gambling forms); and (3) if monetary expenditure and time spent playing simulated gambling games increase the risk of problematic gambling. Two samples of Australians aged 12-17 years were recruited-826 respondents through an online panel aggregator (mean age 14.1 years) and 843 respondents through advertising (mean age 14.6 years). Aim 1 was addressed using chi-square and correlation analyses. Linear multiple regression analyses were conducted to address Aims 2 and 3. The findings in both samples supported the study's hypotheses-that (1) youth who play simulated gambling games are more likely to participate in monetary gambling, and that (2) participation and (3) time and money expenditure on simulated gambling are positively and independently associated with risk of problematic gambling when controlling for the number of monetary gambling forms, impulsivity, age and gender. To better protect young people, simulated gambling should, at minimum, emulate the consumer protection measures required for online gambling.

Short-term cognitive impacts of electronic gaming machines with and without a skill-based component: A comparative laboratory study

This study aimed to compare how consumers understand the role of skill and chance, experience cognitive distortions, and experience immersion based on use of either electronic gaming machines (EGMs) or skill gambling machines (SGMs; EGMs with a skill-based component). Participants (N = 246, M _age = 34 years, 56.91% female) in a laboratory experiment were randomly assigned to play a real EGM or SGM without funds and self-reported measures including intention to gamble, understanding of the role of skill and chance, erroneous gambling beliefs, previous gambling and gaming, and problem gambling severity. Participants demonstrated different deficits in understanding of the role of skill vs. chance in determining outcomes following play. SGM players were more likely to increase their belief that a skill impacts outcomes and focused more on the game play experience. EGM players focused more on wins and personal performance. Intention to play both machines was predicted in both groups by greater experience of immersion during play and breadth of previous gambling, but breadth of previous gaming experience only predicted intent to play SGMs. The results revealed that both EGM and SGM players fail to understand how outcomes are determined, which is likely more problematic for EGM players as this reflects clear cognitive distortions. Further real-world testing is required to understand the extent to which SGMs harms may be different than EGMs, however, these initial findings suggest that their risks appear comparable to EGMs while attracting individuals with more gaming experience.

Offering small tangible rewards within social casino games increases in-play bets but does not impact real-money gambling

Many video games incorporate gambling-like elements into their design (and vice versa). Social casino games - a type of video game that mimics gambling activities-are one such example. In the current experimental research, we examined whether offering tangible rewards (i.e., rewards with value outside the game) in a social casino game was associated with increased social casino game play and subsequent gambling. Participants (N = 213, M_age = 36.5, 55.3% female) were recruited from CloudResearch. They were randomly assigned to either a reward condition (n = 109) in which, following a week of social casino game play, participants could trade in their virtual credits for a bonus, or a control condition in which the possibility of reward was not presented (n = 104). Following the week of play, all participants were then provided with an opportunity to gamble in an online roulette game with their study compensation. Participants in the reward condition placed more bets and bet higher credit amounts in the social casino game than participants in the control condition. In contrast, no differences were found between the two groups regarding their decision to gamble with their remuneration. Participants who elected to gamble reported higher problem gambling severity and gambling-related cravings. There were no differences in impulsivity. These results suggest that offering tangible rewards in social casino games may increase social casino game play but not necessarily the decision to gamble with real-world money.

Risk Factors of Problem Gaming and Gambling in US Emerging Adult Non-Students: The Role of Loot Boxes, Microtransactions, and Risk-Taking

Video gaming and gambling have increasingly converged with one another (e.g., social casino games). For emerging adults (18-25 years old), who are already at an elevated risk for addictive disorders, this overlap in these activities may increase the likelihood of problematic involvement. At the moment, Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is being considered as a future medical diagnosis by the American Psychiatric Association. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the potential comorbidity between IGD and gambling disorder (GD) in emerging adults, as well as explore if problematic engagement in gaming and gambling may be explained by recent trends in video game microtransactions (e.g., loot boxes) and risk-taking behaviors. An online survey was completed by 300 emerging adult non-students (M_age = 22.79, 49% male) from across the United States. The results revealed that compared to non-gamers, problematic gamers were 6.45 times more likely to problem gamble and compared to non-gamblers, problem gamblers were 5.62 times more likely to problem game. Microtransactions were the major mechanism for the relationship between IGD and GD. Participants with higher severity levels of either disorder demonstrated a greater likelihood of purchasing microtransactions, in addition to displaying significantly less aversion towards several domains of risk-taking. These findings suggest that emerging adults with probable IGD or GD may share common risk factors and patterns of behavior that transdiagnostic treatment approaches may better serve than syndrome-specific models.

Effects of winning cues and relative payout on choice between simulated slot machines

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Cues associated with winning may encourage gambling. We assessed the effects on risky choice of slot machine of: (1) neutral sounds paired with winning, (2) casino-related cues (such as the sound of coins dropping and pictures of dollar signs) and (3) relative payouts.

DESIGN

Experimental studies in which participants repeatedly chose between safer and riskier simulated slot machines. Safer slot machines paid the same amount regardless of which symbols lined up. Risky machines paid different amounts depending on which symbols lined up. Effects of initially neutral sounds paired with the best payout were assessed between-groups (experiment 1a) and within-participants (experiment 1b). In experiment 2, pairing of casino-related audiovisual cues with payout was assessed within participants, and cue timing was assessed between groups.

SETTING

A university research laboratory in Edmonton, Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

Undergraduate students (n = 630 across three experiments).

MEASUREMENTS

Preference for riskier over safer machines, preference between machines that differed in cues, payout recall and frequency estimates for payouts. Risky choice was calculated as the proportion of choices of the risky machine when presented with a fixed machine of the same expected value.

FINDINGS

In experiment 1a, risky choice was slightly increased by pairing a sound with the best payout compared with pairing the sound with a lower payout (P = 0.04, d = 0.28) but not compared with no sound [P = 0.36, d = 0.13, Bayes factors (BF)₁₀  = 0.22]. In experiment 1b, people did not prefer a machine with a best-payout sound over one with a lower-payout sound (P = 0.67, d = 0.03, BF₁₀  = 0.11). Relative payout affected choice: risky choices were higher for high- than low-payout decisions (P < 0.001, d = 0.53). In experiment 2, people preferred machines with casino-related cues paired with winning (P < 0.001, r²  = 0.11) and cue timing (at choice or concurrently with the win) had no effect (P = 0.95, r²  = 0.0, BF₁₀  = 0.05). Casino-related cues also enhanced payout memory (P = 0.013 and 0.006). Cue effects were not specific to risk: people also preferred fixed-payout machines with casino-related cues (P < 0.001, r²  = 0.16).

CONCLUSIONS

In a gambling simulation, student participants chose more risky slot machines when payouts were relatively higher and when casino-related cues were associated with payouts. Pairing a neutral sound with the best payout did not consistently affect slot machine choice, and the effect of casino cues did not depend on their timing. Casino-related cues enhanced payout memory.

Structural or dispositional? An experimental investigation of the experience of winning in social casino games (and impulsivity) on subsequent gambling behaviors

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

In the present research, we experimentally investigated whether the experience of winning (i.e., inflated payout rates) in a social casino game influenced social casino gamers' subsequent decision to gamble for money. Furthermore, we assessed whether facets of dispositional impulsivity - negative and positive urgency in particular - also influenced participants' subsequent gambling.

METHODS

Social casino gamers who were also current gamblers (N = 318) were asked to play a social casino game to assess their perceptions of the game in exchange for $3. Unbeknownst to them, players were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: winning (n = 110), break-even (n = 103), or losing (n = 105). After playing, participants were offered a chance to gamble their $3 renumeration in an online roulette game.

RESULTS

A total of 280 participants (88.1%) elected to gamble, but no between-condition variation in the decision to gamble emerged. Furthermore, there were no differences in gambling on the online roulette between condition. However, higher levels of both negative and positive urgency increased the likelihood of gambling. Finally, impulsivity did not moderate the relationship between experience of winning and decision to gamble.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that dispositional factors, including impulsive urgency, are implicated in the choice to gamble for social casino gamers following play.

An Examination of the Relationship Between Social Casino Gaming and Gambling: The Bad, The Ugly, and The Good

Social casino games (i.e., free-to-play online gambling-themed games) are now ubiquitous on social network platforms such as Facebook. Their popularity and similarity to gambling games has raised concern that, among other things, social casino games will normalize gambling behaviour, which may contribute to gambling participation and to a rise in the rate of disordered gambling (see Gainsbury, Hing, Delfabbro, & King, 2014; Kim, Wohl, Salmon, Gupta, & Derevensky, 2015; Parke, Wardle, Rigbye, & Parke, 2013). Herein, we review theory and research that address potentially bad (migration to gambling) and ugly (increased rate of problem gambling) consequences of social casino gaming. We also outline the limits and boundaries of this presupposition. Specifically, we outline contexts in which social casino games may yield positive consequences when played, including the use of such games as a proxy for gambling among disordered gamblers. Drawing on these discussions, we offer a path model for gambling behaviour that places social casino gaming at its core. Although we, like others, present some pessimism regarding the outcome of social casino game play, this paper points to situations and motivations that may yield positive effects.Les jeux de casino sociaux (à savoir, les jeux de hasard gratuits en ligne) se retrouvent maintenant sur les plateformes de réseaux sociaux comme Facebook. Leur popularité et leur ressemblance avec les jeux d’argent soulèvent des inquiétudes que les jeux de casino sociaux aient entre autres pour effet de normaliser les comportements de jeu, lesquels peuvent contribuer à une participation aux jeux de hasard et à une augmentation du taux de jeu compulsif (voir Gainsbury, Hing, Delfabbro, et King, 2014; Kim, Wohl, Salmon, Gupta, et Derevensky, 2015; Parke, Wardle, Rigbye, et Parke, 2013). Dans le présent article, nous analyserons la théorie et les travaux de recherche qui traitent des conséquences potentiellement néfastes (engouement pour les jeux d’argent) et horribles (augmentation du taux du jeu compulsif) des jeux de casino sociaux. Nous définissons également les limites de cette affirmation. Plus particulièrement, nous présentons une vue d’ensemble des contextes dans lesquels les jeux de casino sociaux peuvent avoir des conséquences positives lorsqu’on s’y adonne, notamment l’utilisation chez les joueurs pathologiques de ces jeux comme substitut pour les jeux de hasard. En nous inspirant de cette analyse, nous proposons un modèle de cheminement pour les comportements de jeu où les jeux de casino sociaux occupent la place centrale. Bien que nous soyons un peu pessimistes, et nous ne sommes pas les seuls, en ce qui a trait aux répercussions des jeux de casino sociaux, cet article cite des situations et des motivations qui peuvent amener des effets positifs.

Simuliertes Glücksspiel

Zusammenfassung. In internetbasierten sozialen Netzwerken, in Form von Demoversionen kommerzieller Spielangebote sowie Computer- und Videospielen erfreuen sich simulierte Glücksspiele, die aufgrund fehlender Geldeinsätze die formal-juristischen Kriterien für ein Glücksspiel nicht erfüllen und damit bspw. keinen Altersrestriktionen unterliegen, wachsender Beliebtheit. Ziel des Beitrages ist es, die mutmaßlichen gesundheitsrelevanten Gefährdungspotenziale dieser Spielformen durch eine Literaturrecherche aufzuzeigen, den aktuellen Kenntnisstand anhand der vorliegenden empirischen Befunde systematisch zusammenzufassen sowie mögliche Forschungslücken zu identifizieren. Die Datenbanken PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycInfo und Web of Science wurden anhand relevanter Schlagwörter nach peer-reviewten, empirischen Beiträgen durchsucht und um Dissertationen und Marktanalysen ergänzt. Insgesamt sind 56 Fundstellen in die Analyse eingeflossen. Querschnittbefragungen aus verschiedenen Ländern bestätigen die Attraktivität der Angebote, insbesondere für Kinder und Jugendliche. Während spielimmanente Faktoren wie gesteuerte Spielausgänge offenbar die Spiellust und kognitive Verzerrungsmuster fördern, bestätigt eine erste Längsschnittstudie den prädiktiven Wert von Mikrotransaktionen für den Umstieg von simuliertem zu klassischem Glücksspiel. Derartige Migrationsprozesse werden durch gezielte Werbung noch verstärkt. Ob von der Einbindung sozialer Komponenten risikoerhöhende Effekte ausgehen, muss zum gegenwärtigen Zeitpunkt offen bleiben. Weitere Befunde liegen zu Teilnahmemotiven, Konsummustern, Komorbiditäten und potentiellen Positiveffekten vor. Die Erhebung empirischer Daten zu psychosozialen Auswirkungen simulierter Glücksspiele stellt eine wichtige Aufgabe zukünftiger Forschung dar, um wissenschaftlich abgesicherte Forderungen zu notwendigen Präventions- und Regulierungsmaßnahmen dieser Angebote aufstellen zu können.