TY - JOUR
T1 - Practice Makes Poorer
T2 - Practice Gambling Modes and Their Effects on Real-Play in Simulated Roulette
AU - Bednarz, Jana
AU - Delfabbro, Paul
AU - King, Daniel
PY - 2013/6
Y1 - 2013/6
N2 - The aim of this study was to examine the role of free-play modes on gambling behaviour in computer-based roulette. Eighty participants were randomly allocated to one of four pre-exposure conditions: no exposure (control group), a loss condition, a break-even and a profit condition in which the return to player was greater than 100 %. Behavioural persistence and betting behaviour was subsequently monitored in a period of regular roulette play. The results showed that players given opportunities for free-play sessions bet significantly more per spin and wagered more credits in total than the control group, although no significant group differences in behavioural persistence were observed. The results suggest that the role of free-play modes, as they commonly appear on some Internet gaming sites, may need to be investigated further because of their potential role in altering player perceptions of the activity and their influence on risk-taking behaviour.
AB - The aim of this study was to examine the role of free-play modes on gambling behaviour in computer-based roulette. Eighty participants were randomly allocated to one of four pre-exposure conditions: no exposure (control group), a loss condition, a break-even and a profit condition in which the return to player was greater than 100 %. Behavioural persistence and betting behaviour was subsequently monitored in a period of regular roulette play. The results showed that players given opportunities for free-play sessions bet significantly more per spin and wagered more credits in total than the control group, although no significant group differences in behavioural persistence were observed. The results suggest that the role of free-play modes, as they commonly appear on some Internet gaming sites, may need to be investigated further because of their potential role in altering player perceptions of the activity and their influence on risk-taking behaviour.
KW - Online gambling
KW - Persistence
KW - Practice modes
KW - Risk-taking
KW - Roulette
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84878285763&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11469-012-9422-1
DO - 10.1007/s11469-012-9422-1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84878285763
SN - 1557-1874
VL - 11
SP - 381
EP - 395
JO - International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction
JF - International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction
IS - 3
ER -