Millions of people enjoy gambling each year – whether it’s a bet on the football or a few spins on their favourite casino game – and much of this is now done through mobile devices, such as smartphones. While many people enjoy this type of gaming without problems, the fact that gamblers can bet at any time and anywhere means it has the potential to lead to devastating financial loss and even suicide.
While it is important to recognise that not all people who use mobile casinos will experience gambling-related issues, the convenience and accessibility of mobile technology has led to an increase in gambling habits among young people, with some experts concerned that this could be a problem. The development of mobile betting apps has been particularly concerning, with users able to access their accounts and place bets at any time, regardless of where they are in the world.
In a recent study, researchers at the University of Nottingham tested mobile gambling behaviours by exposing participants to a simulated gambling app on their smartphones. They found that participants showed a great deal of persistence, even during a pre-programmed extinction period of unavoidable losses. They also showed greater latencies between their gambles as the magnitude of reinforcement increased, and that this was associated with sub-clinical problem gambling, impulsiveness and sensation-seeking.
The results of the study suggest that gambling-app designers may be using similar tactics to those used by social media sites, betting apps and sports-betting companies to keep people hooked. These techniques are known as variable reward, which relies on intermittent rewards to encourage people to continue engaging with the app. For example, Instagram notifications that show when someone has received a like or a worthwhile post coax people into scrolling; push alerts from sports betting apps about fantastic parlays entice people to place another bet; and free gambles offered by casinos lure people back for more.
As a result, mobile gambling has the potential to be harmful, especially for young people who have little experience with risk-taking and decision making. It is therefore important to develop strategies that can help prevent the emergence of mobile gambling-related harm, such as treatment provision and prevention campaigns targeting vulnerable populations.
One way to tackle the issue is to make it harder for gambling apps to collect personal data. For instance, most reputable casinos will require players to use SSL encryption when accessing their account, ensuring that their data cannot be intercepted by unauthorized parties. This is a crucial step in preventing underage gambling and other forms of online fraud, such as identity theft. In addition to this, reputable casinos will have strict privacy policies that outline how their customer data is used and stored. This ensures that the company is doing everything possible to protect its players. In order to combat the dangers of mobile gambling, it is vital to keep the debate alive and make sure that the risks are always brought to light.