1. Professor Alex Blaszczynski PhD The University of Sydney Gambling Research Unit Gambling prevention & research: From legislation to action The provision of player information: Its effectiveness & impact on excessive gambling Dorigny-Lausanne 1 – 2 march 2005

2. Acknowledgments Collaborators: – Professor Robert Ladouceur, Laval University, Quebec – Dr. Lia Nower, University of Missouri, St. Louis, Missouri – Australian Gaming Council

3. Questions What is responsible gambling? Industry versus Personal responsibility? What is informed choice? What player information is required? Evidence for effectiveness?

4. What is responsible gambling & what does it hope to achieve? Provision of a safe gambling product: – No exploitation – No misleading claims – Does not promote or induce excess – Does not fosters loss of control or dependence Objective: – Reduce incidence of problem gambling

5. Objective of player information: – Primary prevention: to prevent entry into problem gambling &/or change attitudes – Tertiary prevention: regain control & reduce problem gambling

6. Health & lifestyle choices

7. What are the relative responsibilities of individuals & industry in preventing problem gambling? Individuals retain responsibility over personal choices & decisions Industry must provide sufficient information for informed choices to be made

8. Cognitive models of problem gambling People gamble because of the belief in the possibility of winning – Misunderstanding crucial elements (probabilities) of games of chance leads to: An overestimate of the chance of winning Belief that personal skills can influence outcome Erroneous beliefs regarding independent events & randomness

9. What is informed choice? Capacity to choose between options given all relevant information to determine implications & consequences of choice made

10. What are requirements for informed choice? Competence Disclosure/understanding – Relevant – Accurate – Accessible – Full – Timely Voluntary

11. What specific player information is required to allow informed choice Categories of information Warning: gambling may lead to addiction/harm Counselling services Operation, characteristics & configuration of games Attitude shift: recreation versus income Tracking time & money spent

13. Is there any evidence player information influences behaviour?

14. Empirical data Hing (2004) – Survey to determine awareness, perceived adequacy & effectiveness of responsible gaming initiatives – 86% aware of responsible gaming policy – 67% aware of signs related to chance of winning – 20% reported impact on behaviour

15. Similar findings reported by: – Steenbergh, Whelan, Meyers, May & Floyd (2004) – Focal Research Nova Scotia (2004) Interaction between information & motivation to change influences attention to, & absorption of, player information

16. Does knowledge of statistics & probabilities influence erroneous beliefs? Behnsain & Ladouceur (2004) – Compared students attending statistics & non- statistics courses – Statistics group more knowledgeable – No difference in rates of erroneous perceptions during play (70% vs 61%) Implications: cognitions shift during play irrespective of player information

17. Should information be provided at school? Two studies evaluated school programs: 1.Gaboury & Ladouceur (1993) – Improved learning about gambling & coping skills – Failure to translate knowledge into changes in behaviour or attitudes

18. Should information be provided at school? 2.Williams, Connolly, Wood et al., (2004) – Statistics vs non-statistics university students – Information did not lead to differences between groups or across time in respect to: – Attitudes – Time or money gambled – Canadian Problem Gambling Index scores

19. Should information be provided at school? 2.Williams, Connolly, Wood et al., (2004) Educational program to Grades 10 & 11 Improved knowledge, awareness & resistance to gambling fallacies Reduction in time & money spent gambling

20. Summary Simple provision of information & odds is insufficient to effect change Development of negative attitudes toward gambling is best predictor of decreased gambling behaviour Education about problem gambling & erroneous cognitions contributing to gambling fallacies is the mechanism through which attitude change is achieved

21. Balance between marketing & player information Gaming machines are recreational devices on which you spend money It is possible to win in the short-term In the long term, in all but the most unusual cases & extraordinary circumstances, this outcome is virtually impossible

22. Professor Alex Blaszczynski PhD The University of Sydney Gambling Research Unit Gambling prevention & research: From legislation to action The provision of player information: Its effectiveness & impact on excessive gambling Dorigny-Lausanne 1 – 2 march 2005