scholarly journals The Frantic Seeking of Credit during Poker Machine Problem Gambling: A Public Health Perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (14) ◽  
pp. 5216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Oakes ◽  
Rene Pols ◽  
Sharon Lawn
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Problem Gambling ◽  
Financial Institutions ◽  
Financial Risk ◽  
Duty Of Care ◽  
Public Health Perspective ◽  
Harm Minimisation ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Public Health Burden ◽  
Problem Gamblers

(1) Background: Financial harms associated with problem gambling are substantial and result in suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety and relationship damage, causing distress for problem gamblers and their families. This paper examines Electronic Gaming Machine gamblers’ frantic use of credit during episodes of gambling as a substantial public health burden. (2) Methods: This qualitative study comprised 29 participants purposefully selected who participated in either focus groups or in-depth interviews, which were analysed using thematic, textual analysis. (3) Results: Ready access to credit in the gambling venues enabled problem gamblers to engage in desperate credit transactions to continue to gamble. Many showed frantic, repeated patterns of e-credit withdrawal, which may be typical of gambling while “in the zone”, when it is highly likely that the gamblers are not able to make informed decisions about the use of credit. This pattern of the electronic withdrawal of cash may well be recognisable electronically by financial institutions in real-time, as part of a duty of care potentially owed by banks to their customers. It would provide an opportunity for the identification of people at financial risk due to gambling and systemic intervention to limit the financial harm at a time when financial decision-making is impaired. (4) Conclusions: Although this finding needs further confirmation, there are significant implications for harm minimisation and early intervention for affected PGs. It also raises the issue of the ‘duty of care’ owed to PG customers by financial institutions.

scholarly journals The Legal Effect of Voluntary Self-Exclusion Programs for Problem Gambers

2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 169
Author(s):  
Natalia Antolak-Saper
Keyword(s):  
Problem Gambling ◽  
Problem Gambler ◽  
Electronic Gaming Machines ◽  
Harm Minimisation ◽  
Reasonable Expectation ◽  
Problem Gamblers ◽  
Reporting Requirements ◽  
Legal Effect ◽  
Problematic Gambling ◽  
Gaming Machines

The voluntary self exclusion program has been designed as one attempt to minimise the harm caused by problem gambling and electronic gaming machines. However, the program’s role as a genuine regulatory response is questionable. Few reporting requirements for gaming corporations and a reliance on an unsophisticated method of detecting self-excluded problem gamblers significantly undermine the purpose of the program. This paper considers the liability of gaming venues and corporations in circumstances where a self-excluded problem gambler has not been successfully excluded from the gaming venue. It is suggested that, in entering into the program, a problem gambler may be under a reasonable expectation that the gaming venue will assist in his or her endeavour to control the problematic gambling. Drawing primarily on the laws of Victoria, this article will discuss how the voluntary self-exclusion program is in need of reform so that it can better act as a harm minimisation mechanism. Further, the article will explore possible legal redress in contract, equity and under the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth), for problem gamblers who have participated in an ineffective voluntary self-exclusion program.

The prevalence of loot boxes means that content descriptors are important

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Zendle
Keyword(s):  
Problem Gambling ◽  
Effective Strategy ◽  
Harm Minimisation ◽  
Problem Gamblers ◽  
Limit Setting ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Initial Dataset ◽  
Disproportionate Number ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Google Play

Loot boxes are items in video games that may be bought for real-world money, but which ultimately provide players with randomised rewards. There are concerns that some loot boxes are psychologically so similar to gambling that they may create a gateway to problem gambling (1).In (2), we found that the more gamers spent on loot boxes, the more severe their problem gambling was. In a letter published in Addiction in February, Drummond et al. (3) reanalysed our data (4). They noted that a disproportionate number of high-spending gamers were problem gamblers, or at risk of becoming problem gamblers. They recommended limit setting as an effective strategy for protecting this vulnerable group.We believe that our initial dataset supports Drummond et al.’s inferences. Furthermore, investigation of related datasets reveals similar relationships. In (5) we replicate the relationship between problem gambling and loot boxes spending. Reanalysis of the data associated with this study (6) shows that the group spending the most money on loot boxes is again disproportionately composed of problem gamblers. In fact, within the top 5% of spenders, 45% are problem gamblers.However, we also note that increased availability of gambling is thought to play an important role in the development of problem gambling (7,8). If loot boxes function in a psychologically similar fashion to gambling, their prevalence should be strongly considered when discussing harm minimisation. We therefore analysed a snapshot of the current most popular games on two of the largest game distribution platforms, Google Play and Steam. The data associated with this analysis, and a detailed description of the method employed, are available as supplements to this letter at (9).For this dataset, 63 of the 100 top-grossing Google Play games contain loot boxes, corresponding to at least 1.6 billion downloads. Of games containing loot boxes, 49% are PEGI rated as suitable for children aged 7+; 93% are rated suitable for children aged 12+. The Steam store games revealed lower, but still substantial, levels of prevalence and higher age-ratings for games with loot boxes: 32% of the 50 most-played Steam games contain loot boxes (approximately 274 million installations). Of these, only 18% are PEGI rated as suitable for those aged 7+; 37.5% for those 12+. Given the prevalence of loot boxes across popular titles and the massive audiences for these titles, the opportunity to buy loot boxes may be a non-negligible risk factor for problem gambling. Further, with many parents approving in-game spending agreements (10), it seems likely that large numbers of children have the opportunity to buy loot boxes. However, in the absence of suitable content descriptors, it is extremely difficult for parents and guardians to be aware of this. We therefore argue that, in addition to Drummond et al.’s suggestion of limit-setting, regulators and ratings boards like PEGI and the ESRB urgently consider adding content descriptors for loot boxes to games.

scholarly journals Stroke in the21stCentury: A Snapshot of the Burden, Epidemiology, and Quality of Life

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric S. Donkor
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Public Health Importance ◽  
Public Health Perspective ◽  
Public Health Burden ◽  
Demographic Transitions ◽  
The Public ◽  
Annual Mortality

Stroke is ranked as the second leading cause of death worldwide with an annual mortality rate of about 5.5 million. Not only does the burden of stroke lie in the high mortality but the high morbidity also results in up to 50% of survivors being chronically disabled. Thus stroke is a disease of immense public health importance with serious economic and social consequences. The public health burden of stroke is set to rise over future decades because of demographic transitions of populations, particularly in developing countries. This paper provides an overview of stroke in the21stcentury from a public health perspective.

Gambling in Sport and Performance Psychology

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loredana A. Marchica ◽  
Jeffrey L. Derevensky
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Problem Gambling ◽  
General Public ◽  
Online Gambling ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Public Health Perspective ◽  
Performance Psychology ◽  
The Media ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Gambling Market

With the gambling market continuously shifting and evolving, one form of gambling has uninterruptedly remained a staple in most cultures. Sports wagering has been and remains one of the most popular forms of gambling, especially among males. With the increase in the gambling market, sports wagering has also grown into the online gambling and fantasy sports wagering markets. These escalations in popularity have brought substantial revenue to sports wagering operators and have influenced government officials, policymakers, legislation researchers, the media, and the general public. There are two major groups of issues that surround sports wagering: sports wagering as an economic and tax-generating entity and the integrity of the game. More recently, a concern over problem gambling from a public health perspective has evolved. It is equally important that these issues be considered when creating or changing legislation around sports wagering.

Report summary – Diabetes in Canada: facts and figures from a public health perspective

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Pelletier ◽  
S Dai ◽  
KC Roberts ◽  
A Bienek ◽  
J Onysko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Public Health Perspective

Only problem gamblers spend less money when loot boxes are removed from a game: A before and after study of Heroes of the Storm

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Zendle
Keyword(s):  
Video Games ◽  
Problem Gambling ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Real World ◽  
Complex Pattern ◽  
Problem Gamblers ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Gambling Severity ◽  
Reliable Correlation ◽  
Before And After Study

Loot boxes are items in video games that may be paid for with real-world money, but which contain randomised contents. There is a reliable correlation between loot box spending and problem gambling severity: The more money gamers spend on loot boxes, the more severe their problem gambling tends to be. However, it is unclear whether this link represents a case in which loot box spending causes problem gambling; a case in which the gambling-like nature of loot boxes cause problem gamblers to spend more money; or whether it simply represents a case in which there is a general dysregulation in in-game spending amongst problem gamblers, nonspecific to loot boxes.The multiplayer video game Heroes of the Storm recently removed loot boxes. In order to better understand links between loot boxes and problem gambling, we conducted an analysis of players of Heroes of the Storm (n=112) both before and after the removal of loot boxes.There were a complex pattern of results. In general, when loot boxes were removed from Heroes of the Storm, problem gamblers appeared to spend significantly less money in-game in contrast to other groups. These results suggest that the presence of loot boxes in a game may lead to problem gamblers spending more money in-game. It therefore seems possible that links between loot box spending and problem gambling are not due to a general dysregulation in in-game spending amongst problem gamblers, but rather are to do with specific features of loot boxes themselves.

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