Scientific & healthcare network
As a leading digital entertainment company we need to provide a gaming line-up that is as safe as it is entertaining.
This approach requires us to understand our customers, to meet their real needs and to offer scientifically-developed responsible gaming measures based on empirical evidence.
Scientific cooperation
As a pioneer of addiction-related research, the Division on Addiction ("DOA"), Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate, entered into a cooperation with bwin during 2005. This cooperation, in part, focuses on examining actual gaming behaviour in sports betting, casino, poker and other online games. The scientific analysis and results of the studies have brought about a paradigm shift in addiction research. The unique character of these studies is described by Howard J. Shaffer, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School, Director, Division on Addiction, The Cambridge Health Alliance, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, as follows:
"For the first time ever the studies conducted in cooperation with bwin use the accurate records from computer-based internet gaming to study actual gaming rather than what people remembered or were willing to say."
bwin.party is now continuing this successful collaboration. An ongoing goal is to create a scientific evidence base for the development of a safe and entertaining gaming environment.
The collaborative research carried out by the DOA has provided seminal scientific results, which have been published in peer-reviewed international scientific journals:
- Online gaming is used by the majority of players in moderation and in a responsible manner. The risk potential is therefore similar to offline gaming. There is no evidence, to date, to support the contention that online gaming is an especially powerful enticer.
- The first markers for the early recognition of problem gambling are available. Although a high intensity of gaming by itself is no indicator for an increased risk, a combination of high intensity and high variability of gaming is a predictor for future gambling-related problems.
- Responsible Gaming measures are proven to be effective, and are therefore a significant factor in the prevention of gaming addiction.
The continuing results of this research collaboration provide the international scientific community with an empirical evidence base that has long been lacking. We also benefit from the cooperation with the DOA. It ensures that we can fulfil our vision of a "safe and entertaining gaming environment" on the basis of scientifically developed Responsible Gaming measures.
Building bridges to healthcare providers
Although we provide gamers with broad variety of scientifically evaluated tools to help players maintain a moderate and responsible attitude towards gaming, in some cases gambling-related problems can occur. In these cases – to prevent harm to the player – a self-exclusion is arranged, blocking the player from continuing to game with us.
However, some players need further assistance that we cannot provide. Therefore we entertain an international network of collaborations with renowned national and international healthcare providers. Contact addresses to counseling services in the player’s own mother tongue are available on the Responsible Gaming website or by direct contact to Customer Services.
