an exploratory investigation into the attitudes and behaviours of online casino and poker players...
TRANSCRIPT
An Exploratory Investigation into the Attitudes and Behaviours of Online Casino and Poker Players
Dr. Jonathan Parke Centre for the Study of
Co-researchers: Dr. Adrian Parke (University of Lincoln)Dr. Richard Wood (Gamres Ltd)Jane Rigbye (IGRU, Nottingham Trent University)
Background
• The aims include exploring the following:– Basic dynamics of Internet poker and casino behaviour – Player protection and corporate social responsibility in gambling
• We did not consider:– Offline gambling– Sports betting, betting exchanges, lottery or spread betting– Problem Gambling
• There is more external pressure than ever for this information (responsible gambling in particular)– IRGCP and Gambling Act 2005– Saturation and intense competition– Scrutiny: media, customers and even themselves
Survey: Method
• Used Internet Mediated Research (IMR) – 225 items • Various sources (e-mails; portals; media and eCOGRA)
• Internet casino and poker players (“active players”)• Ethical clearance
Representation Number
Total Respondents 10865
Males 6246
Females 4517
Countries 96
Employment Sectors 37
Focus Groups: Method
• Details of participants include:
• Advertisements were placed in a variety of sources
• Sessions usually lasted 90-120 minutes
Breakdown of Participant Details and Locations of Focus Groups
Country
Participants GenderMean
AgeAge Range
USA 11 All male 31 19 - 56
UK 23 All male 27 18 - 43
Canada 18 1 female, 17 male 37 21 - 60
Germany 17 7 female, 10 male 28 20 - 45
Sweden 25 4 female, 21 male 32 17 - 60
Results - Internet CasinoModal Categories
Modal categories for various demographic and behavioural variables among internet casino players:
• female (54.8%)• aged 46-55 (29.5%) • play 2-3 times per week (37%)• visited > 6 online casinos in the preceding three
months (25%)• played for 2-3 years (22.4%)• play for between 1-2 hours per session (26.5%)• Wager $30-$60 per session (18.1%)
• Winning money is considered to be most important factor in making Internet casino play enjoyable: – It was often considered as a secondary intrinsic motivation – The least common motivation for gambling was to socialise – Some support for traditional gender differences in motivation
• Important factors in determining the where players choose to play:– Bonuses (76.6%)– Game Variety (62.1%)– Deposit Method (56.8%)– Trust (Focus Groups)
Results - Internet CasinoMotivation
• Be male (73.8%)• Be aged 26-35 (26.9%)• Play 2-3 times per week (26.8%)• Have visited > 6 poker sites in the preceding three months (25%) • Have played for 2-3 years (23.6%)• Play for between 1-2 hours per session (33.3%)• Play one (24.1%) or two (24%) poker tables at a time• Play both cash games and tournaments (34%)• Play at big-blind (minimum stake) levels of $0.50 to $2.00 (61.2%)• Play with 6-10% of their bankroll
at a table at anyone time (23%)
Modal categories for various demographic and behavioural variables among internet poker players:
Results - Internet PokerModal Categories
• Around 12% of Internet poker players gender swap– Those who do - significantly poorer financial performance
“I am male, and other players perceive females as weaker/not as good as men. Also when a woman player makes a big bet, a male player is more likely to perceive that she is bluffing, and he will call, and so when playing as a woman, I make big bets when I have it, hoping the male player will think I'm bluffing.” (Male, United States)
“…to avoid players that feel they can intimidate me with large raises because I'm female, and to avoid sexual harassment.” (Female, Canada)
“Women aren't usually respected at a table full of men. So I just want to avoid "sweetheart" and "darlin" and if I win a hand I want to avoid seeing (to the other guy) "you let a girl beat you.” (Female, United States)
Results - Internet PokerOther Findings
Value Placed on Responsible Gambling Features by Players (N=8584)
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
Spending Limits
N=8584
Financial Statements
N=8391
Time Limits
N=8461
Self-Exclusion
N=8198
Value Placed on Spending Limits According to Country (N=8584)
Country Yes No
Australia 65% 35%
Canada 62.7% 37.3%
Netherlands 59.1% 40.9%
Sweden 70% 30%
UK 65.4% 34.6%
USA 54.4% 45.6%
Spending limits useful or not?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
%
QuiteUseful
VeryUseful
ExtremelyUseful
Focus 1 - Education and Transparency: Understanding Payout Percentages
I would really like to have more wins compared to the amount of money I spend. For instance, the first year I started online gambling, I spent about $46,000 of which I only won about $22,000, and it has only gotten worse since then. I rarely win, winning meaning if I bet anywhere from $50 to $100, I consider it a win of $1500 to $2500. I would really like to win more. Last 2 years I think I only won 1-2 times where I cashed out and had my winnings sent to me. Also, I would really like to have more clarification on when you say "Payout Percentages". What does the casino and the powers that be consider as “payouts”. How do you figure it and what do you base your information on? Does payout percentages mean actual money that people cashed out with from what they spent or what the casino paid out over and above what was spent at the casinos? That is not clear and therefore "payout percentages" has no meaning for me because that could mean anything.
Female, aged 46-55, USA, Retired
Focus 2 - Case against CSR: Responsibility Rests with Players
If you can't control yourself, you deserve to be broke. We've sold ourselves as a society on the idea that individuals aren't responsible for anything that happens to them. If they're alcoholic, it's because they were abused, or their genes dispose them to it. If they're fat, it's not the gallon of ice cream they're eating, it's because Kraft forced them to get fat. If they slip and fall in a restaurant, it's not because they were walking around blabbing on a cell phone without any clue what's going on, it's because there was a tiny wet patch on the floor that the owner negligently failed to clean up. Ridiculous. Will power is dead. I'm sure these controls are useful for people that can't help themselves, though. I just don't feel any pity for those who need it.
Male, aged 18-25, USA, Legal profession
Luck in Online GamblingPerceptions of Luck
Luck in Online GamblingPerceptions of Luck
Other lucky charms reported included:Statue of Jesus; A cross; Dice; Stuffed animals (usually dogs); Lots of plastic frogs; Some had lucky music; Jewellery (mostly rings); A piece of a tree that was struck by lightning; Singing figurines; Underwear; or elephants; getting one’s partner to rub their head for luck.
Luck in Online GamblingLucky Charms (N = 617)
Results - Luck in Online GamblingPerceptions of Luck and Control
-3-2.5
-2-1.5
-1-0.5
00.5
11.5
LuckyStreaks
Gambler'sFallacy
Unbiased
CasinoPoker
Measu
re of M
on
thly F
inan
cial Su
ccess
Based on answers from the open-ended question “what is the best thing about gambling online” N = 6654
1 Convenience and Accessibility (N = 3925)2 Fun and Excitement (N = 1075)3 Winning and Financial Reward (N = 893)4 Anonymity and Privacy (N = 427)5 Relaxation (N = 329)6 Better Value and Lower Stakes (N = 186)7 Relieves Boredom (N = 157)8 Speed (N = 153)9 No Need for Staff (N = 148)10 Variety - games; blinds; players (N = 144)
Top Ten Best Things About Online Gambling
Based on answers from the open-ended question “what is the worst thing about gambling online” N = 6346
1 Losing and Financial Implications (N = 1668)2 Payment Issues (N = 1075)3 Addiction and Vulnerable Populations (N = 781)4 Cheating and Low Level of Trust (N = 646)5 Convenience and Accessibility (N = 530)6 Barriers to Playing (N = 350)7 Technological Problems (N = 345)8 Nothing [Love it] (N = 295)9 Other Irritating People (N =159)10 Poor Customer Service (N = 132)
Top Ten Worst Things About Online Gambling
Conclusions
• Methodological Limitations– Self-report
– Self-selected
– Predominance of US respondents
• Responsible gambling features: support not widespread– More support for “enabling” gamblers rather than “restricting gambling”
• At a minimum there is a need for basic provision that will not impinge on other gamblers’ rights– E.g. Education (explaining payout ratio)
– E.g. Honest Advertising (such as bonuses)
Conclusions
• At a minimum there is a need for basic provision that will not impinge on other gamblers’ rights– IRGCP progress encouraging but still long way to go
• Orientation to responsible gambling policy depends on players background– More obvious
– Less obvious
• Are some Internet responsible gambling features unfair and unrealistic?– Evidence on the impact of interruptions?
– 70% of Internet Casino players have 3 or more sites
– 50% of Internet Poker players play on 3 or more sites
• Traditional Gender Stereotypes are Changing• Poker Popularity Among Younger Players – Age or
Cohort Effect?• Internet Gamblers – Complex and Demanding Bunch
• New information regarding one of the most important stakeholders in responsible gambling
• The Evolution of Online Gambling Research – Limitations of the Research– Behavioural Data– Expect Exponential Developments in Internet
Gambling Research
Conclusions and Future Directions
End
Account Summary – Example 1
Account Summary – Example 2
Account Summary – Example 3
Account Summary – Example 4
more than 75%
41-75%21-40%11-20%6-10%2-5%less than 2%
Percentage of Bankroll Played Used at a Table at Any One Time
2.00
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.00
-0.50
-1.00Mea
n M
on
thly
Fin
anci
al O
utc
om
e fo
r In
tern
et
Po
ker
Pla
yers
(sc
ore
s b
ased
on
cat
ego
ry
mem
ber
ship
an
d p
laye
r's
ow
n e
stim
ates
)
Complex Relationship Between Percentage of Bankroll Played at Any One Table and the Estimated Monthly Financial Outcome
Results - Internet Poker (N = 5012) Bankroll Management and Financial Performance
more than 6654321
Number of Tables Played at Any One Time
4.00
2.00
0.00Mean
Mo
nth
ly F
inan
cia
l O
utc
om
e f
or
Inte
rne
t P
oke
r P
laye
rs (
sco
res
ba
se
d o
n c
ate
go
ry
me
mb
ers
hip
an
d p
laye
r's
ow
n e
sti
mate
s)
Complex Relationship Between Number of Tables Played at a Time and the Estimated Monthly Financial Outcome
Results - Internet Poker (N = 4980)Multi-tabling and Financial Performance
An Exploratory Investigation into the Attitudes and Behaviours of Online Casino and Poker Players
Dr. Jonathan Parke Centre for the Study of
Co-researchers: Dr. Adrian Parke (University of Lincoln)Dr. Richard Wood (Gamres Ltd)Jane Rigbye (IGRU, Nottingham Trent University)