Raschkowan Lecture Series: Gambling in the Digital Age
Presenter: Dr. Michael Wohl
Talk Title: The Changing Face of Responsible Gambling: Positive Play and How to Harness it
Abstract
Most people who gamble do so without experiencing any gambling-related harm. Yet, the focus of the field of gambling studies and responsible gambling efforts have been on minimizing risk factors associated with problem gambling. In this webinar, I will discuss the negative consequences of this focus for responsible gambling programming and the downstream impact on players, and how this focus has begun to change. Specifically, recent theory and research has begun to direct attention toward positive play, which is not merely an absence of risky or problematic play, but a set of beliefs and behaviours that exist independently of problematic beliefs behaviours. Although positive play increases player satisfaction whilst minimizing the harms associated with gambling, the gambling industry continues to struggle with how to achieve and maintain positive players. To address this situation, I have (with some controversy) proposed that rewards programs are well positioned to facilitate positive play by rewarding engagement with responsible gambling tools. The net effect being an increase in the current low rate of tool use. This webinar concludes with a call for empirical research on the antecedents and consequences of rewards program membership, and particularly on whether membership can be leveraged to advance positive play.
Speaker Bio
Dr. Michael Wohl (Ph.D. Univ. of Alberta, 2003) is a Professor of Psychology at Carleton University. Work in his Carleton University Gambling Laboratory (CUGL) focuses on, among other things, factors that predict disordered gambling (e.g., erroneous beliefs, financial focus), facilitators of responsible gambling (e.g., monetary limit setting and adherence), and means to overcome barriers to behaviour change (e.g., nostalgia for life lived before the addiction behavior hold). Members of CUGL also examine the potential pitfalls and possible harm-minimization utility of loyalty program membership.
Dr. Wohl has published over 160 peer-reviewed papers. He is the receipt of, among other recognitions, the International Center for Responsible Gambling’s Research Achievement Award, National Council on Problem Gambling’s Research of the Year Award, Carleton’s Research Achievement Award, and Carleton University’s Graduate Mentorship Award. To facilitate his research, Wohl has received research funding from, among other organizations, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, Gambling Research Exchange, International Center for Responsible Gambling, and Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
The Raschkowan webinar series is free to attend, but registration is required. For more information or to register, see www.ncpgambling.org/Raschkowan
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