M Griffiths
Social responsibility tools in online gambling: a survey of attitudes and behavior among internet gamblers
Griffiths, M; Wood, R; Parke, J
Authors
R Wood
J Parke
Abstract
To date, little empirical research has focused on social responsibility in gambling. This study examined players’
attitudes and behavior toward using the social responsibility tool PlayScan designed by the Swedish gaming
company Svenska Spel. Via PlayScan, players have the option to utilize various social responsibility control tools
(e.g., personal gaming budgets, self-diagnostic tests of gambling habits, self-exclusion options). A total of 2,348
participants took part in an online questionnaire study. Participants were clientele of the Svenska Spel online
gambling Web site. Results showed that just over a quarter of players (26%) had used PlayScan. The vast
majority of those who had activated PlayScan (almost 9 in 10 users) said that PlayScan was easy to use. Over half
of PlayScan users (52%) said it was useful; 19% said it was not. Many features were seen as useful by online
gamblers, including limit setting (70%), viewing their gambling profile (49%), self-exclusion facilities (42%), self-diagnostic problem gambling tests (46%), information and support for gambling issues (40%), and gambling
profile predictions (36%). In terms of actual (as opposed to theoretical) use, over half of PlayScan users (56%) had
set spending limits, 40% had taken a self-diagnostic problem gambling test, and 17% had used a self-exclusion
feature.
Citation
Griffiths, M., Wood, R., & Parke, J. (2009). Social responsibility tools in online gambling: a survey of attitudes and behavior among internet gamblers. Cyberpsychology & behavior, 12(4), 413-421. https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2009.0062
| Journal Article Type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Date | Aug 1, 2009 |
| Deposit Date | Oct 11, 2011 |
| Journal | Cyberpsychology & behavior : the impact of the Internet, multimedia and virtual reality on behavior and society |
| Print ISSN | 1094-9313 |
| Publisher | Mary Ann Liebert |
| Peer Reviewed | Peer Reviewed |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 413-421 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2009.0062 |
| Publisher URL | http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2009.0062 |