I just came across this article on tackling problem gambling in a newsletter I receive from the Canada Foundation for Innovation. Researchers have been trying to encourage responsible gambling – i.e. an individual setting limits on how much money they will gamble in one session and adhering to it. They’ve found that giving the gamblers simple information to debunk false beliefs about the likelihood of winning, can have positive impacts.
“We explain why persistence at a slot machine does not pay off,” says Wohl. “The odds are, you will lose your money.”
While providing this information in the format of an animated video does appear to influence gambling behaviours, it is reported that its impact wanes after 30 days. I’m interested to see how they might extend this influence for longer-term positive effects.