Digital Scholarship@UNLV

Submission Title

Predicting Gambling Intention of Social Casino Game Players: Reasoned Action Approach and Social Casino Gaming Advertisements

Session Title

Session 3-1-B: Behavioral Analysis

Presenters

Paul Andrew Gorgonio, Golden Gate UniversityFollow
Blodwen Tarter, Golden Gate UniversityFollow
Jeffrey Derevensky, McGill UniversityFollow
Kerry Curtis, Golden Gate UniversityFollow

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation

Location

Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV

Start Date

25-5-2023 9:00 AM

End Date

25-5-2023 10:30 AM

Disciplines

Advertising and Promotion Management | Experimental Analysis of Behavior

Abstract

Abstract

Using the reasoned action approach, we explored whether gambling attitudes, perceived norms, perceived behavioral control, and exposure to social casino gaming ads can predict the gambling intention among non-gambling social casino game players. A total of 568 non-gambling social casino game players completed a survey. The data collected included respondents’ demographic characteristics, social casino gaming behaviors, motivations in playing social casino games, gambling attitudes, perceived norms, perceived behavioral control, and gambling intentions. In addition, the experimental group (N=281) was exposed to social casino gaming ads, but the control group (N=287) was not exposed to these ads. The hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that gambling attitudes, perceived norms, and perceived behavioral control, if treated exclusively, can predict gambling intention. However, the inclusion of exposure to social casino gaming ads significantly predicts gambling intention and moderates gambling attitudes and perceived behavioral control. Both moderating effects of ad exposure are also significant predictors of gambling intention. Other significant predictors of gambling intention include frequency of social casino gameplay, microtransactions within social casino games, skill-building motive, and social motive. This study offers a springboard to understand better how the migration from social casino gaming to casino gambling begins through the formation of gambling intention.

Implication Statement

The researchers found that one-time exposure to a few social casino gaming (SCG) ads could change players’ intention to gamble. With the common practice of SCG ads that glamorize and normalize gambling being persistently sent to the players, it is important to determine if gambling intention leads to subsequent gambling.

Keywords

reasoned action approach, gambling intention, social casinos, social casino gaming ads, migration from social casino gaming to casino gambling

Author Bios

1. Paul Andrew Gorgonio, DBA

Paul Andrew Gorgonio teaches statistics and college algebra at Golden Gate University and is a small business consultant at Bank of America. He was also a lecturer at Hult International Business School and San Francisco State University.

Dr. Gorgonio earned degrees from the University of the Philippines – Diliman (BA), Hult International Business School (MBA), International Technological University (MBA Finance), and Golden Gate University (DBA).

2. Blodwen Tarter, PhD

Blodwen Tarter is a professor emerita of marketing at Golden Gate University, an award-winning teacher and case writer. She earned degrees from Stanford University (BA, MA), the University of Chicago (MBA), and Golden Gate University (PhD).

Prior to her academic career, Dr. Tarter held management and consulting positions in marketing, product and systems development, strategic planning, and operations management, with an emphasis on financial services and information technology, for startups, start-overs, and Fortune 500 companies.

3. Jeffrey Derevensky, PhD

Jeffrey Derevensky is a James McGill professor of the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology and the director of the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High Risk Behaviors at McGill University. He is actively involved in various research, treatment, and prevention products. He has worked internationally and provided expert testimony before legislative bodies in several countries and his work has resulted in significant social policy and governmental changes.

4. Kerry Curtis, PhD

Kerry Curtis is a professor emeritus of marketing at Golden Gate University. He now advises students in their dissertation work. He earned degrees from the University of California Berkeley (BA and MBA) and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (PhD).

Dr. Curtis worked for 20 years at Bank of America in various roles involving marketing research, locations planning, social policy, and public affairs.

Funding Sources

The authors have no sources of funding to disclose.

Competing Interests

The authors have no competing interests to report.