scholarly journals Motives for playing social casino games and the transition from gaming to gambling (or vice versa): social casino game play as harm reduction?

2021 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha J Hollingshead ◽  
Hyoun S Kim ◽  
Matthew Rockloff ◽  
Daniel S McGrath ◽  
David C Hodgins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Harm Reduction ◽  
Clinical Utility ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Gambling Behaviour ◽  
Grand Nombre ◽  
Social Motives ◽  
Game Mechanics ◽  
Casino Gaming ◽  
Social Casino Games ◽  
Casino Game

Social casino games (i.e., online, free to play casino-like games) share many similar visual, auditory and structural game mechanics as gambling games. Given the similarities between the two activities, it is not uncommon for people to migrate from social casino gaming to gambling or vice versa. In the current work, we investigated whether motives for playing social casino games may play a role in the transition from gaming to gambling. We also assessed whether motives for playing social casino games as a way to reduce gambling cravings was predictive of self-reported changes in gambling behaviour 30 days later and whether this relationship was dependent on the activity first played. In a community sample of people who gamble and play social casino games (N=228), those who played social casino games before beginning to gamble were more likely to report playing social casino games for social motives, or as a way to reduce gambling-related cravings, than people who gambled before playing social casino games. Additionally, we found that using social casino games as a tool to moderate gambling cravings was associated with self-reported decreases in gambling behaviour one-month later, but only among those who played social casino games before beginning to gamble. Results suggest that what game was played first (social casino games or gambling games) matters, especially for the clinical utility of social casino games as a harm reduction strategy.Résumé Les jeux de casino sociaux (qui sont offerts gratuitement en ligne) partagent avec les jeux de hasard un grand nombre de caractéristiques visuelles, auditives et structurelles définissant la mécanique de jeu. Vu les ressemblances entre ces deux types de jeux, il n’est pas inhabituel pour les joueurs de passer de l’un à l’autre et inversement. Nous avons cherché à savoir trois choses : premièrement, si les raisons qui motivent la pratique des jeux de casino sociaux influent sur la transition vers les jeux de hasard; deuxièmement, si ces motivations peuvent, en tant que moyen de réduire l’envie de jouer, être un prédicteur de changements de comportement au bout de 30 jours; et troisièmement, si ce lien dépend de l’activité adoptée en premier. Notre échantillon recruté dans la collectivité comptait des adeptes des deux types de jeux (N=228). Ceux qui s’adonnaient aux jeux de casino avant d’adopter les jeux de hasard ont été plus nombreux que ceux qui avaient fait l’inverse à évoquer des motivations sociales ou la recherche d’un moyen de tempérer leur envie de jouer. Le recours aux jeux de casino dans un but de modération est associé à une diminution de la fréquence de jeu un mois plus tard, mais seulement chez les personnes qui s’adonnaient aux jeux de casino avant de passer aux jeux de hasard. Selon nos résultats, l’activité pratiquée en premier joue bel et bien un rôle, en particulier en ce qui touche l’utilité des jeux de casino sociaux en tant que stratégie de réduction des risques.

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

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J.A. Wohl ◽  
Melissa M. Salmon ◽  
Samantha J. Hollingshead ◽  
Hyoun S. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Path Model ◽  
Online Gambling ◽  
Gambling Behaviour ◽  
Disordered Gambling ◽  
Nous Proposons ◽  
Gambling Participation ◽  
Casino Gaming ◽  
Social Casino Games ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Casino Game

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.

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

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J.A. Wohl ◽  
Melissa M. Salmon ◽  
Samantha J. Hollingshead ◽  
Hyoun S. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Path Model ◽  
Online Gambling ◽  
Gambling Behaviour ◽  
Disordered Gambling ◽  
Nous Proposons ◽  
Gambling Participation ◽  
Casino Gaming ◽  
Social Casino Games ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Casino Game

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.

scholarly journals Gambling on Big Data: Designing Risk in Social Casino Games

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 116-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer REYNOLDS
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Risk Regulation ◽  
Gaming Industry ◽  
Game Mechanics ◽  
Casino Gaming ◽  
Social Casino Games ◽  
Minimum Age ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Barrier To Entry

Since 2007, a surge of new gambling opportunities, often referred to as social casino gaming, has emerged on social media platforms and mobile apps. At the present time, the social casino gaming industry is unregulated and challenges our conventional understanding of gambling and risk. Currently, the minimum age requirement to create a profile on Facebook and engage in social casino games is 13 years of age. The emergence of this new gambling frontier, and its low barrier to entry, inevitably adds a new layer of risk and raises several ethical considerations for public health and risk regulation professionals, particularly to developers’ use of game mechanics and advanced data analytics. Using findings from a virtual ethnographic case study focusing on Zynga Poker (ZP), this article will call attention to potential ethical and risk concerns about game mechanics and the use of big data to personalise players’ gameplay to optimise player engagement and monetisation.

scholarly journals The Musings of ‘Evil Bastards’: Perspectives from Social Casino Game Professionals

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-20
Author(s):  
Jennifer Reynolds
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Social Casino Games ◽  
The Social ◽  
Game Designer ◽  
Game Developers ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Player Behaviour ◽  
Casino Game

Technology has blurred the lines between gambling and gaming. While the convergence can be witnessed on many different levels, social casino games on social networking sites and mobile apps illustrate just one example. Much of what we currently know about social casino games focuses on player behaviour, with little understanding about this genre from the perspective of social game professionals. This paper aims to fill the gap in our understanding of social casino games through interviews with the professionals who design them. In-depth interviews were conducted with 14 professionals from the social casino games industry. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings illustrate tensions that exist between the two fields of gambling and gaming; however, both are trying to separate themselves from the stigmatized ‘dirty secret’ that is gambling. Further, as a result of social casino games residing, for the most part, in an unregulated ‘grey area,’ findings illustrate the ethical struggle felt by social casino game professionals. This convergence has significant consequences, not only for players, but for game developers, designers, and researchers, and highlights the importance of game designer education.

scholarly journals Verbal Comprehension Ability in Aphasia: Demographic and Lexical Knowledge Effects

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Panagiotis G. Simos ◽  
Dimitrios Kasselimis ◽  
Constantin Potagas ◽  
Ioannis Evdokimidis
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Utility ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Receptive Language ◽  
Auditory Comprehension ◽  
Word Level ◽  
Sentence Level ◽  
Comprehension Ability ◽  
Complex Motor ◽  
Test Retest Reliability ◽  
Differential Ability

Background. Assessment of sentence-level auditory comprehension can be performed with a variety of tests varying in response requirements. A brief and easy to administer measure, not requiring an overt verbal or a complex motor response, is essential in any test battery for aphasia.Objective. The present study examines the clinical utility of receptive language indices for individuals with aphasia based on the Comprehension of Instructions in Greek (CIG), a variant of the Token Test, and the Greek version of PPVT-R.Methods. Normative data from a large community sample of Greek adults aged 46–80 years was available on both measures. A word-level-independent measure of auditory comprehension was computed as the standard score difference between the two tests and used to compare patients with and without comprehension deficits as indicated by their Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination profile.Results and Conclusions. Indices of internal consistency and test-retest reliability were very good. Education and age effects on performance were significant, with the former being stronger. The potential clinical utility of differential ability indices (contrasting sentence- and word-level auditory comprehension tests) is discussed.

scholarly journals Theoretically informed gender analysis for gambling harm reduction: a New Zealand study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Palmer du Preez ◽  
Anna-Marie Paavonen ◽  
Maria E. Bellringer
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Harm Reduction ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Social Constructionist ◽  
Gambling Behaviour ◽  
Gender Analysis ◽  
Gambling Harm ◽  
And Gender

Abstract Background Gambling harm affects men and women relatively equally, and gender influences the social determinants of gambling harm. Responses to preventing and minimising women’s gambling harm have been shaped and constrained by population research identifying male gender as a key risk factor for gambling problems. Gender analysis in gambling studies is rare and has lacked theoretical underpinning and coherence, limiting possibilities for gender-responsive and gender-aware harm prevention and reduction activities. Methods Two influential qualitative studies of gambling harm in New Zealand (involving total n = 165 people who gambled, affected others, community leaders, gambling and community support service providers, policy makers and academics) neglected to explore the role of gender. This study revisited data collected in these studies, using thematic analysis informed by feminist social constructionist theory. The overarching research questions were: How do gender-related issues, notions and practices influence women’s gambling related harm? What are the implications for women’s gambling harm reduction? Results Women’s socio-cultural positioning as primary caregivers for families and children constrained their ability to access a range of recreational and support options and increased the attractiveness of local gambling opportunities as accessible and ‘safe’ outlets for stress reduction. Patriarchal practices of power and control within family contexts operated to maintain gambling behaviour, shut down alternative recreational opportunities, and limit women’s autonomy. Consideration of these themes in relation to current health promotion practice in New Zealand revealed that national programmes and strategies appear to be operating without cognisance of these gender dynamics and therefore have the potential to exacerbate or cause some women harm. Conclusions This study demonstrates the value of theoretically informed gender analysis for gambling harm reduction research, policy and practice. International guidelines for gender-aware and gender-responsive health research and practice should be engaged as a foundation for strategic and effective gambling harm reduction programmes, projects, research and policy, and as an essential part of developing and implementing interventions for gambling harm.

The rise of social casino games: Changes in the size and composition of the Android social casino market from 2012-2020, availability to children, and predictions for future growth

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Zendle
Keyword(s):  
Video Games ◽  
Practical Importance ◽  
The Past ◽  
Social Casino Games ◽  
The Social ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Casino Game ◽  
Future Growth ◽  
Key Questions

Social casino games are video games that consist of simulations of gambling products and activities. Players of social casino games may pay money to gamble. However, they are unable to ‘cash out’ their winnings, allowing these games to be commonly regulated as video games rather than gambling products.There is concern that exposure to social casino games may lead to problem gambling. However, key questions regarding the past and future growth in prevalence of social casino games remain unanswered. Furthermore, it is unclear how much innovation in terms of products on the market have occurred in recent years, and how available these products are to children. The practical importance of the relationship between social casino play and gambling is therefore unclear.In order to address this, we analysed the monthly estimated installs of all social casino games (n=2344) on Android phones from March 2012 to February 2020. Results suggested that social casino games increased in prevalence from 33.30 million estimated installs in 2012 to 1.39 billion in 2020, projected to increase to 1.73 - 2.03 billion by February 2022. This expansion appears linked to a related expansion of mobile phone gaming. Indeed, analysis of the entire Android gaming market (n=75168) indicated that the prevalence of social casino games relative to the overall market diminished during the period under test from 2.54% of all game installs to 1.56%, and projected that this metric is unlikely to rise importantly in future.Analysis suggests a high level of churn and innovation in the social casino game market, with new products continually emerging and old ones being constantly retired: For example, of the 1166 social casino games available in February 2020, only 47 were on the market in 2012. Finally, an analysis of the age ratings of social casino games currently available to download on Android reveals a market overwhelmingly available to children: Of the 1132 games whose ratings were extracted, 1107 (97.7%) bore an age rating of 12+ or younger.When taken together, these results suggest that social casino games constitute a dynamic genre of gambling-like products that are experiencing continual and important growth, are forecasted to continue growing, and are highly available to children.

scholarly journals The Social Casino Gaming-Gambling Link: Motivation for Playing Social Casino Games Determines Whether Self-Reported Gambling Increases or Decreases Among Disordered Gamblers

2016 ◽  
pp. 52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha J. Hollingshead ◽  
Hyoun S. Kim ◽  
Michael J A. Wohl ◽  
Jeffrey L. Derevensky
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Potential Harm ◽  
Reduction Strategy ◽  
Casino Gaming ◽  
Social Casino Games ◽  
Harm Reduction Strategy ◽  
The Social ◽  
Skill Building

Engagement with social casino games (i.e., free online casino-like games available on social networking sites) has been found to be a risk factor for increased gambling behaviours (Kim, Wohl, Salmon, Gupta, & Derevensky, 2015). However, this may not be true for all social casino gamers. In the current research, we tested the idea that motivation to play social casino games will predict changes in self-reported gambling behaviours among disordered gamblers. Results showed that disordered gamblers (N = 140) who were motivated to play social casino games for the social connection it provides or for skill building reported an increase in their gambling. Conversely, playing in order to cope with negative life events or for excitement was not predictive of gambling. However, gamblers who reported playing social casino games to reduce cravings to gamble reported an overall decrease in gambling. The implications of social casino games as a potential harm reduction strategy for some disordered gamblers are discussed.

scholarly journals Validation of the Gambling Perceived Stigma Scale (GPSS) and the Gambling Experienced Stigma Scale (GESS)

2015 ◽  
pp. 163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillip Donaldson ◽  
Erika Langham ◽  
Talitha Best ◽  
Matthew Browne
Keyword(s):  
Problem Gambling ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Gambling Behaviour ◽  
Perceived Stigma ◽  
Internal Reliability ◽  
Major Barrier ◽  
Stigma Scale ◽  
Survey Instruments ◽  
Large Representative

Australian research shows that stigma is a major barrier to treatment seeking (Rockloff, 2004) and may impede the accurate measurement of problem gambling prevalence. To date, no validated tool is available to assess the stigma associated with gambling. This project investigated both internally experienced and externalised (perceived) stigma associated with gambling, as measured with two new survey instruments were developed for this purpose. We reviewed existing measures of stigma associated with other non-gambling behaviours (e.g., alcohol, drug abuse, smoking, eating disorders) to construct items that were conceptually related to gambling behaviour. The scales were then validated by using a large representative community sample (N = 1366). Internal reliability analysis, factor analysis, and multivariate analysis were used to analyse the results and to explore the measurement of perceived and self-stigma in a community sample, taking into account respondents' gambling experience and relevant socio-demographic information. Results supported a model of perceived stigma along two dimensions (Contempt and Ostracism) and a unidimensional model of experienced stigma. The scales were shown to have strong psychometric properties and to differentiate well between stigmas associated with recreational and problem gambling behaviours. A scale that measures stigma related to gambling behaviour will provide researchers, policymakers, industry bodies, and clinicians with a tool that contributes to a growing understanding of the gambling experiences of individuals and the impacts of gambling on communities.

scholarly journals Gambling and Gaming in an Ontario Sample of Youth and Parents

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sasha Stark ◽  
Jennifer Reynolds ◽  
Jamie Wiebe
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Young People ◽  
Young Adulthood ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Gambling Behaviour ◽  
Gambling Problems ◽  
Jeune Adulte ◽  
Social Casino Games ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Adolescence And Young Adulthood

Despite the convergence of the gambling and gaming worlds, the majority of studies of gambling behaviour are void of gaming behaviour and vice versa. Further, many studies examine specific age ranges rather than covering the entire span of adolescence and young adulthood. The current study improves our knowledge of gambling and gaming behaviours, as well as their convergence, by examining young people aged 8 to 24 and parents of children 8 to 17 years in Ontario. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed on a survey of 2,651 Ontarians (678 adolescents, 973 young adults, and 1,000 parents who reported on themselves and their child). Young people and parents are engaging in games that combine gambling and gaming at substantial rates and frequencies, and playing these games is associated with a higher level of risk. In this sample, playing video games for money and social casino games were associated with a higher level of gambling problems among adolescents (p < .001, p =.001), young adults (p < .001, p < .001), and parents (p < .001, p < .001). Further, parent reports of their own and their child’s gambling (p < .001), social casino play (p < .001), and gambling concerns were linked (p < .001). In summary, we found that playing games that combine gambling and gaming was associated with increased risk across youth age groups. Parents who reported gambling, social casino play, and gambling concerns also tended to report these behaviours among and concerns for their children.Résumé Malgré la convergence entre les univers des jeux de hasard et des jeux vidéo, la majorité des études sur le comportement des joueurs excluent l’une ou l’autre activité. De plus, elles se limitent à une tranche d’âge précise plutôt que de couvrir la période entière de l’adolescence et de la jeune vie adulte. Notre enquête ajoute aux connaissances sur les habitudes en matière de jeux de hasard et de jeux vidéo et la convergence entre ces activités. Elle a été menée en Ontario auprès de jeunes âgés de huit à 24 ans et de parents d’enfants âgés de huit à 17 ans. 2651 Ontariens (678 adolescents, 973 jeunes adultes et 1000 parents répondant en leur propre nom et en celui de leur enfant) ont répondu à un questionnaire dont les résultats ont fait l’objet d’une analyse descriptive et bivariée. Un grand nombre de jeunes et de parents combinent fréquemment jeux de hasard et jeux vidéo, une activité liée à un niveau de risque élevé. Dans notre échantillon, la pratique des jeux vidéo pour de l’argent et des jeux de casino est associée à un risque élevé de problèmes de jeu chez l’adolescent (p < .001, p =.001), le jeune adulte (p < .001, p < .001) et les parents (p < .001, p < .001). De plus, un lien a été établi entre les habitudes de jeu déclarées par les parents à propos d’eux-mêmes et de leurs enfants (p < .001), les jeux de casino (p < .001) et les problèmes de jeu (p < .001). La pratique combinée des jeux de hasard et des jeux vidéo est associée à une augmentation du risque dans tous les groupes d’âge. Ainsi, les comportements et les problèmes de jeu observés chez les parents tendent à se refléter chez leurs enfants.

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