Session Title

Session 2-3-F: Lightning Talks

Presentation Type

Lightning Talk

Location

Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

Start Date

29-5-2019 1:45 PM

End Date

29-5-2019 3:10 PM

Disciplines

Health Psychology | Marketing | Social Psychology

Abstract

Abstract: Loyalty programs are a ubiquitous marketing strategy in the casino industry. Via members’ player accounts, many programs offer access to a money and/or time limit setting tool. Unfortunately, the rate of engagement with limit tools is exceedingly low, which is discouraging from a responsible gambling (RG) perspective. A possible route to increase limit tool use is to reward players for using them with program points. Doing so may also place the casino in a positive light, thus increasing attitudinal loyalty. To test this idea, loyalty program members who use RG tools (N=90) and who have never used RG tools (N=93) completed a questionnaire that assessed willingness to use RG tools if rewarded and perceptions of the casino if RG tool use is rewarded (i.e., attitudinal loyalty). Results showed that willingness to use RG tools if rewarded was positively associated with attitudinal loyalty. This relation was greater among those who currently do not use RG tools. Findings suggest that providing players with rewards points for using RG tools (e.g., a limit setting tool) may increase their use, which should minimize gambling-related harms. It may also improve attitudinal loyalty, particularly among those who currently do not use RG tools.

Implications: The results from the current research provide insight into a potential path to increase responsible gambling behaviors. Specifically, providing loyalty program members with rewards points for using a limit setting tool may increase players’ willingness to set a monetary limit, while also benefiting industry by fostering increased casino brand loyalty.

Keywords

loyalty programs, responsible gambling, attitudinal loyalty, limit setting

Author Bios

Samantha Hollingshead is a PhD student at Carleton University. Her research primarily focuses on assessing factors that promote responsible gambling. Recently, her work has begun to examine the potential benefits and consequences of casino loyalty program membership and its long-term impact on members’ gambling attitudes and behaviors. Samantha has published 5 peer-reviewed articles and 1 chapter in an edited volume. She currently holds a graduate fellowship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Dr. Michael Wohl is a Professor of Psychology at Carleton University. His work focuses on factors that facilitate responsible gambling, and means to overcome barriers to behavior change. Recent research includes the behavior change utility of nostalgia for the pre-addicted self, and the influence of loyalty program membership on gambling. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers. To facilitate his gambling research, Wohl has received funding from national as well as international granting agencies.

Funding Sources

None.

Competing Interests

None.

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May 29th, 1:45 PM May 29th, 3:10 PM

Rewarding Responsible Gambling May Increase Tool Use and Attitudinal Loyalty: A Survey of Members Who Do and Do Not Currently Use Responsible Gambling Tools

Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

Abstract: Loyalty programs are a ubiquitous marketing strategy in the casino industry. Via members’ player accounts, many programs offer access to a money and/or time limit setting tool. Unfortunately, the rate of engagement with limit tools is exceedingly low, which is discouraging from a responsible gambling (RG) perspective. A possible route to increase limit tool use is to reward players for using them with program points. Doing so may also place the casino in a positive light, thus increasing attitudinal loyalty. To test this idea, loyalty program members who use RG tools (N=90) and who have never used RG tools (N=93) completed a questionnaire that assessed willingness to use RG tools if rewarded and perceptions of the casino if RG tool use is rewarded (i.e., attitudinal loyalty). Results showed that willingness to use RG tools if rewarded was positively associated with attitudinal loyalty. This relation was greater among those who currently do not use RG tools. Findings suggest that providing players with rewards points for using RG tools (e.g., a limit setting tool) may increase their use, which should minimize gambling-related harms. It may also improve attitudinal loyalty, particularly among those who currently do not use RG tools.

Implications: The results from the current research provide insight into a potential path to increase responsible gambling behaviors. Specifically, providing loyalty program members with rewards points for using a limit setting tool may increase players’ willingness to set a monetary limit, while also benefiting industry by fostering increased casino brand loyalty.