Submission Title
Gambling product risk: Emerging concerns and regulatory attention in Europe
Session Title
Session 2-3-D: Policy and Regulation, Part 5
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation
Location
Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Start Date
24-5-2023 1:30 PM
End Date
24-5-2023 3:00 PM
Disciplines
Other Economics
Abstract
Abstract (max 200 words):
A wave of regulatory consultations in Europe reflects a new priority in gambling harm reduction, founded on well-intentioned but weak research. Countries like the UK, Germany, Sweden, and Greece, have sought to regulate ever more precise features of gambling products, particularly online slots, with restrictions on spin speed, autoplay, win celebrations, stake size, and more.
This paper takes a critical look at the evidence used to inform such decisions and suggests a research direction to make better use of product controls to support responsible gambling. We first summarise the recent regulatory consultations and decisions before situating the trend in its academic context, with early efforts to systematise product risk through the ASTERIG framework and the GamGard product.
We discuss how stakeholders and researchers have analysed the problem, differentiating risks in increasing levels of precision driven by platform/environment features (such as payment methods), by product verticals (such as slots vs sports betting), by product features (such as game speed or volatility), and by specific games. Empirical evidence on UK online slots players is used to illustrate three methods for linking products to player risk, before exploring the pros/cons of the full range of methods, from theory-driven and qualitative to quantitative methods.
So what / implications statement (max 50 words):
Product risk research is often described as weak and inconsistent, but despite this is being used to inform regulatory decisions. It is important to understand and scrutinise this trend, while also making constructive suggestions both for making decisions in the present under uncertainty and developing better evidence for the future.
Keywords
Harm reduction, Product risk, Feature risk, Regulation
Funding Sources
The author is contracted by Playtech Plc to conduct research to support safer gambling, including this research. Playtech Plc is a gambling services provider, with both B2B with B2C offerings.
Competing Interests
The author is contracted by Playtech Plc to conduct research to support safer gambling, including this research. Playtech Plc is a gambling services provider, with both B2B with B2C offerings.
Gambling product risk: Emerging concerns and regulatory attention in Europe
Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Abstract (max 200 words):
A wave of regulatory consultations in Europe reflects a new priority in gambling harm reduction, founded on well-intentioned but weak research. Countries like the UK, Germany, Sweden, and Greece, have sought to regulate ever more precise features of gambling products, particularly online slots, with restrictions on spin speed, autoplay, win celebrations, stake size, and more.
This paper takes a critical look at the evidence used to inform such decisions and suggests a research direction to make better use of product controls to support responsible gambling. We first summarise the recent regulatory consultations and decisions before situating the trend in its academic context, with early efforts to systematise product risk through the ASTERIG framework and the GamGard product.
We discuss how stakeholders and researchers have analysed the problem, differentiating risks in increasing levels of precision driven by platform/environment features (such as payment methods), by product verticals (such as slots vs sports betting), by product features (such as game speed or volatility), and by specific games. Empirical evidence on UK online slots players is used to illustrate three methods for linking products to player risk, before exploring the pros/cons of the full range of methods, from theory-driven and qualitative to quantitative methods.
So what / implications statement (max 50 words):
Product risk research is often described as weak and inconsistent, but despite this is being used to inform regulatory decisions. It is important to understand and scrutinise this trend, while also making constructive suggestions both for making decisions in the present under uncertainty and developing better evidence for the future.