TY - JOUR
T1 - Illusory Control, Gambling, and Video Gaming
T2 - An Investigation of Regular Gamblers and Video Game Players
AU - King, Daniel L.
AU - Ejova, Anastasia
AU - Delfabbro, Paul H.
PY - 2012/9
Y1 - 2012/9
N2 - There is a paucity of empirical research examining the possible association between gambling and video game play. In two studies, we examined the association between video game playing, erroneous gambling cognitions, and risky gambling behaviour. One hundred and fifteen participants, including 65 electronic gambling machine (EGM) players and 50 regular video game players, were administered a questionnaire that examined video game play, gambling involvement, problem gambling, and beliefs about gambling. We then assessed each groups' performance on a computerised gambling task that involved real money. A post-game survey examined perceptions of the skill and chance involved in the gambling task. The results showed that video game playing itself was not significantly associated with gambling involvement or problem gambling status. However, among those persons who both gambled and played video games, video game playing was uniquely and significantly positively associated with the perception of direct control over chance-based gambling events. Further research is needed to better understand the nature of this association, as it may assist in understanding the impact of emerging digital gambling technologies.
AB - There is a paucity of empirical research examining the possible association between gambling and video game play. In two studies, we examined the association between video game playing, erroneous gambling cognitions, and risky gambling behaviour. One hundred and fifteen participants, including 65 electronic gambling machine (EGM) players and 50 regular video game players, were administered a questionnaire that examined video game play, gambling involvement, problem gambling, and beliefs about gambling. We then assessed each groups' performance on a computerised gambling task that involved real money. A post-game survey examined perceptions of the skill and chance involved in the gambling task. The results showed that video game playing itself was not significantly associated with gambling involvement or problem gambling status. However, among those persons who both gambled and played video games, video game playing was uniquely and significantly positively associated with the perception of direct control over chance-based gambling events. Further research is needed to better understand the nature of this association, as it may assist in understanding the impact of emerging digital gambling technologies.
KW - Convergence
KW - Illusion of control
KW - Problem gambling
KW - Technology
KW - Video games
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84866083423&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10899-011-9271-z
DO - 10.1007/s10899-011-9271-z
M3 - Article
C2 - 21927806
AN - SCOPUS:84866083423
SN - 1050-5350
VL - 28
SP - 421
EP - 435
JO - Journal of Gambling Studies
JF - Journal of Gambling Studies
IS - 3
ER -