Applied research
At bwin.party we set a high value on reliable evidence and scientific evaluation.
Online gaming-related research has relied primarily on information provided by questionnaires and self-reports. Self-reported information is susceptible to many problems, such as memory effects, deception and misinterpretation. Moreover, researchers have not had access to reliable actual online gambling information appropriate for empirical investigation. This made the available scientific information about the nature of online gaming speculative.
An evidence-based approach
As pioneers, we have always aimed to understand our customers and to be able to provide evidence-based information about online gaming. During 2005 we initiated a close collaboration with the Division on Addiction, Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching Affiliate ("DOA"). The Division on Addiction has recognised the possibilities the internet offers, utilising precise data about each individual gaming transaction to launch a stream of research documenting actual online gaming behavior and creating new opportunities to develop safer online gaming environments. Using the principle of transparency, the Division on Addiction publishes all of its research after a strict peer review process in recognised international scientific journals. In addition, the data upon which the results were based are made available online as part of the Transparency Project. This process allows other scientists to verify the findings and to complete their own independent research.
Our collaboration with the Division on Addiction has made important contributions to the science of online gaming and this will enable bwin.party to offer a portfolio of player protection tools that are scientifically-based and proven to protect our players effectively.
Evaluation of the games
"And what we learned in our epidemiologic research is that internet poker playing, internet casino playing and internet sports betting is all a much more moderate behavior than the speculators suspected."
Howard J. Shaffer, Ph.D., C.A.S., Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School;
Director, Division on Addiction, Cambridge Health Alliance
The Division on Addiction was the first group of researchers to investigate online gaming behavior using actual online gaming data instead of basing their research on what people remembered or were willing to say. In one of their first analyses, they investigated how people play different games and determined that although there are exceptions, the average gamer plays in a very moderate way, and thereby incurs only minor costs.
Evalutation of responsible gaming tools
"bwin’s self-limit program is one of the first of its kind and, as the findings from this study show, might be a promising option for subscribers experiencing or at risk for gambling problems. This type of program appears to help subscribers reduce their betting activity and in some cases possibly cease their gambling behavior."
Nelson, LaPlante, Peller, Schumann, LaBrie & Shaffer (2008)
The Division on Addiction has evaluated two of the central elements of our responsible gaming tools.
Self-limitation
First they evaluated self-limitation, which is a voluntary pre-commitment by the player to limit his or her gaming expenditure over the period of a month, week or day. By doing so, the player is protected against losing control over their gambling. The Division on Addiction showed that this approach is superior to imposed limits (by the company or the regulatory authority) and is able to actually change gaming behavior towards a significantly more moderate fashion.4, 5
Self-exclusion
Another tool that they evaluated was self-exclusion, which enables players to ban themselves from gambling as a protective measure. The Division on Addiction analysed the gaming patterns of players who excluded themselves and found that such players showed a gradually more rational way of reacting to wins and losses, which suggests that players might use self-exclusion as a method of preventing problems before they may arise.6
1 LaBrie, R. A.; LaPlante, D. A.; Nelson, S. E.; Schumann, A.; & Shaffer, H. J. (2007). Assessing the Playing Field: A Prospective Longitudinal Study of Internet Sports Gambling Behavior. "Journal of Gambling Studies", 23,347-363.
2 LaPlante, D. A.; Kleschinsky, J. H.; LaBrie, R. A.; Nelson, S. E.; & Shaffer, H. J. (2009). Sitting at the virtual poker table: A prospective epidemiological study of actual Internet poker gambling behavior. "Computers in Human Behavior", 25, 711-717.
3 LaBrie R. A.; Kaplan, S. A.; LaPlante, D. A.; Nelson, S. E.; & Shaffer, H. J. (2008). Inside the virtual casino: A prospective longitudinal study of actual Internet casino gambling. "European Journal of Public Health", 18, 410-416.
4 Broda, A.; LaPlante, D. A.; Nelson, S. E.; LaBrie, R. A.; Bosworth, L. B.; & Shaffer, H. J. (2008). Virtual harm reduction efforts for Internet gambling: effects of deposit limits on actual Internet sports gambling behaviour. "Harm Reduction Journal", 5, 27-36.
5 Nelson, S. E.; LaPlante, D. A.; Peller, A. J.; Schumann, A.; LaBrie, R. A.; & Shaffer, H. J. (2008). Real limits in the virtual world: Self-limiting behavior of Internet gamblers. "Journal of Gambling Studies", 24, 463-477.
6 Xuan, Z.; & Shaffer, H. J. (2009). How Do Gamblers End Gambling: Longitudinal Analysis of Internet Gambling Behaviors Prior to Account Closure Due to Gambling Related Problems. "Journal of Gambling Studies", 25, 239-252.