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

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.

A speed-of-play limit reduces gambling expenditure in an online roulette game

UK online casino games are presently not subject to any limitations on stakes or speed-of-play. Two policy recommendations have been recently put forward: One proposal is to limit the maximum bet to £2, and another is to ensure that no online casino game can be played faster than its in-person equivalent. However, any policy proposal may be ineffective or have unintended consequences. This research experimentally investigated the speed-of-play proposal, in an experiment with 1,002 UK online roulette players, incentivized payouts, and £4 endowments. Participants played on a commercial online roulette game, which was slowed-down in one condition to enforce a speed-of-play limit of one spin every 60 seconds. The preregistered analysis plan showed no effect of the speed-of-play limit on participants’ choice to gamble at all, a marginal reduction in participants’ probability to gamble everything, and a credible reduction in the proportion of endowments gambled amongst participants who gambled some of their money. Expenditure reductions occurred via a credible reduction in the number of spins played that outweighed a marginal increase in per-spin bet sizes. This research shows how speed-of-play limits for online casino games may be effective in reducing gambling expenditure, and how the structural characteristics of online gambling games can be explored via ecologically-valid online experiments.

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

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.

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

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.

Gilda: El coste de lanzar un guante a un oligopolista

Cinema is amazing, even when the sly introduces economic issues. In Gilda, what appears to be a film resource really brings back good research on issues that have nothing to do with the original plot of the film. Why is the chief protagonist tungsten cartel and not another mineral? Why the protagonist is German? Why looked for refuge in Argentina? Throughout the film are going to respond to these questions, but the writer did not intend merely to entertain with a screenplay full of one-liners, he wanted to show how to resolve economic disputes where there is big money at stake, it is not casino game though too.

The Bias of Size in Gambling Decisions: Evidence From a Casino Game

Casino operators strive to motivate gamblers to wager to maximize their gaming revenue. This motivation may be achieved by increasing gamblers’ perceived likelihood of winning, which stems from cognitive bias. Therefore, it is important for casino operators to understand the components that promote cognitive bias in gambling. This study introduces and demonstrates the existence of a bias of size in gambling decisions using a casino game referred to as Cussec. Specifically, participants are expected to bias their choice toward the option of Big (vs. Small) in the game; however, these two options are of equal chance. In the present research, a field observational study and two experimental studies were conducted. In the observational study, the bias was identified using 4,565 Cussec bets that were recorded in a casino in Macao. The bias was further demonstrated in experimental studies that involved Chinese participants (389 participants in the laboratory and 1,000 participants through an online survey platform). The bias is robust against the order of appearance (i.e., Big is displayed before or after Small). The online experiment contributes knowledge to the literature by indicating that gamblers’ bias toward Big distorts their perceived likelihood of winning. It is recommended that casino operators provide more games that feature size cues, and gaming designers incorporate these cues in the design of casino games.

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.

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.