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Self-Generated Motives of Social Casino Gamers. J Gambl Stud 2023; 39:299-320. [PMID: 35616820 DOI: 10.1007/s10899-022-10135-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Social casino games have achieved widespread popularity, and are accessed by more than 85 million people each day. Yet, why people play social casino games is largely unknown. To address this gap, an inductive approach was taken to better understand the motives for playing social casino games, as well as the motives for transitioning from social casino gaming to gambling and vice versa. To this end, 269 social casino gamers were asked to provide a ranked list of their motives for playing social casino games. Additionally, we asked participants their motivations for transitioning from gambling to social casino gaming (n = 202) or vice versa (n = 67). A total of 795, 605, and 201 unique responses describing motives for playing social casino games, transitioning from social casino gaming to gambling, and transitioning from gambling to social casino gaming, respectively, were analyzed using a thematic content analysis. The most frequently endorsed motive for playing social casino games was for enhancement (e.g., fun, challenge). Participants also noted playing to earn rewards, including money, and for social reasons. Several motives linked social casino game play to gambling. These included: to hone gambling-related 'skills', a desire to transition to gambling to win real money, and as a gambling harm-reduction strategy. Motives for playing social casino games did not differ significantly between those who first gambled and then transitioned to social casino gaming and vice versa, suggesting that once people begin playing social casino games, they have similar motives for continued engagement. The present study contributes to understanding the immense popularity of social casino games and their links to gambling.
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Hing N, Russell AMT, King DL, Rockloff M, Browne M, Newall P, Greer N. Not all games are created equal: Adolescents who play and spend money on simulated gambling games show greater risk for gaming disorder. Addict Behav 2023; 137:107525. [PMID: 36274342 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Research reports positive associations between gaming disorder (GD) in adolescents and loot box purchasing but has not examined this relationship for other types of simulated gambling. This study examined whether greater engagement and expenditure in three types of simulated gambling were associated with meeting the criteria for GD in adolescents. A sample of Australians aged 12-17 years (N = 826) was recruited through an online panel aggregator. It included 646 gamers (57.7% male) with 89 being classified as having past-year GD, as defined and measured by the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale. Independent variables comprised past-month engagement in three simulated gambling activities (games with 'mini' gambling components, social casino games, and loot boxes), loot box purchasing, other microtransactions, impulsiveness, and demographics. Logistic regressions first examined whether engagement in each of the three simulated gambling activities was individually associated with GD, then with all three in the same model, and then controlling for demographic variables and impulsivity. Logistic regressions also examined whether microtransactions and purchasing loot boxes were individually associated with GD, then with both in the same model, and then controlling for demographic variables and impulsivity. Adolescents who had engaged in each simulated gambling activity in the past month were more likely to report meeting the criteria for GD. These relationships remained significant when controlling for common demographics and impulsiveness. Past-month engagement in social casino games increased the odds of GD 2.5 times (95% CI: 1.54; 4.02), 2.4 times for games with 'mini' gambling components (95% CI: 1.42; 3.90) and 2.0 times for engaging in loot boxes (95% CI: 1.22; 3.21), but only social casino games remained significant when controlling for engagement in all three activities. The likelihood of meeting the criteria for GD increased 3.8 times with expenditure on microtransactions (95% CI: 2.32; 6.27) and 4.6 times for buying loot boxes, and each remained significant when both were included in the model. Compared to digital games without simulated gambling elements, simulated gambling appears to attract adolescents who report GD. Implications of the results are discussed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nerilee Hing
- Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity, Australia.
| | - Alex M T Russell
- Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity, Australia.
| | - Daniel L King
- College of Education, Psychology, and Social Work, Flinders University, Australia.
| | - Matthew Rockloff
- Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity, Australia.
| | - Matthew Browne
- Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity, Australia.
| | - Philip Newall
- Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity, Australia; School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, United Kingdom.
| | - Nancy Greer
- Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity, Australia.
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Delfabbro P, King D. The evolution of young gambling studies: digital convergence of gaming, gambling and cryptocurrency technologies. INTERNATIONAL GAMBLING STUDIES 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/14459795.2023.2171469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Paul Delfabbro
- School of Psychology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Daniel King
- College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
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Kim HS, Rockloff M, Leslie D, McGrath DS, Wohl MJA, Hodgins DC. Offering small tangible rewards within social casino games increases in-play bets but does not impact real-money gambling. Addict Behav 2021; 120:106984. [PMID: 34034005 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.106984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
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, Mage = 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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyoun S Kim
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Matthew Rockloff
- Department of Psychology and Public Health, Central Queensland University, 6 University Dr, Branyan, QLD 4670, Australia.
| | - Diandra Leslie
- of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Daniel S McGrath
- of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Michael J A Wohl
- Department of Psychology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada.
| | - David C Hodgins
- of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.
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Marchica L, Richard J, Mills D, Ivoska W, Derevensky J. Between two worlds: Exploring esports betting in relation to problem gambling, gaming, and mental health problems. J Behav Addict 2021; 10:447-455. [PMID: 34437298 PMCID: PMC8997199 DOI: 10.1556/2006.2021.00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Esports betting is an emerging gambling activity where individuals place bets on an organized video gaming competition. It represents only one of several gambling activities commonly endorsed by adolescents. To date, limited research has explored the relationship between esports betting and mental health among adolescents and its convergence with both problem gambling (PG) and problem video gaming (PVG). The present study examined the relation between esports betting, PG and PVG, and both externalizing and internalizing problems among adolescents while accounting for adolescents' video gaming intensity (i.e., how often they play 2 h or more in a day) and engagement in other gambling activities. METHODS Data was collected from 6,810 adolescents in Wood County, Ohio schools. A subset of 1,348 adolescents (M age = 14.67 years, SD = 1.73, 64% male) who had gambled and played video games during the past year were included in the analyses. RESULTS Approximately 20% (n = 263) of the included sample had bet on esports during the past year. Esports betting was positively correlated with other forms of gambling, both PG and PVG, and externalizing behaviors. Mediation analyses revealed esports betting was associated to both internalizing and externalizing problems through PVG and not PG. CONCLUSIONS Esports betting may be particularly appealing to adolescents who are enthusiastic video gamers. As such, regulators must be vigilant to ensure codes of best practices are applied to esports betting operators specifically for underaged individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loredana Marchica
- International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors, McGill University, 3724 McTavish Street, Montreal, QC H3A 1Y2, Canada,Department of Psychology, The Montreal Children's Hospital, 1001 Boulevard Decarie, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada,Corresponding author. E-mail:
| | - Jérémie Richard
- International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors, McGill University, 3724 McTavish Street, Montreal, QC H3A 1Y2, Canada
| | - Devin Mills
- Department of Community, Family, and Addiction Sciences, Texas Tech University, Box 41250, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - William Ivoska
- Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board of Wood County Ohio, Bowling Green, OH, USA
| | - Jeffrey Derevensky
- International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors, McGill University, 3724 McTavish Street, Montreal, QC H3A 1Y2, Canada
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