Richard Wood & Miss Laura Da Silva's presentation "Understanding Positive Play: An Exploration of non-Problematic Playing Experiences and Practices". Presented at the New Horizons in Responsible Gambling conference, January 28-30, 2013 in Vancouver, BC.

2. Dr. Richard Wood & Miss Laura Da Silva
Understanding Positive Play:
An Exploration of Non-Problematic
Playing Experiences and Practices.

3. Understanding positive play:
An exploration of
non-problematic playing
experiences and practices
Dr Richard Wood, Director, GamRes: Montreal
www.GamRes.org
Laura Da Silva, Corporate Responsibility Manager, Camelot: London

4. Study aims
 What does positive play look like?
 How can positive playing experiences be maximised?
 How can we more effectively communicate that RG is
for all players?
 What strategies do positive players employ to keep
their playing at desired level?

5. What did we do?
 A two part study with both qualitative & quantitative parts
 Lie/Bet screen to exclude any problem or at-risk players
 Phase one: Semi-structured interviews with 20 regular
players from the UK
 Phase two: Online questionnaire using themes and previous
literature, completed by 1484 players from the UK

6. Games played
100
90
80 Lotto
70 Scratch
60 Sports
50 EGM
40 Bingo
30 Casino card
20
Casino table
10
0
Pos play study UK Prev 2010

7. What motivates positive play?

8. Entertainment Fun
(68.4%) (65.5%)
Upset Win prize
4.3% (96% large, 91.4% small)
Excitement
(60.8%)
Depressed
7.6%
Relax Social
Bored (30.6%) (36.5%)
21.2%

9. Two sub-groups of positive players
Responsible
Thrill
Casual dreamers 63%
Spnd Seekers 28%
limit
Win big prize Small
Play more
Less likely to gamble prize Enjoy experience
Less likely to use RG tools Indiv More RG tools
Average age 49 resp Average age 41

10. Balancing gambling with other
leisure interests
Gardening Movies
Reading Walking
Crafts Sports
Cooking Voluntary work
Gambling Photography

11. Positive players RG strategies
90
80
Spend-limit
70 Work out afford
60 Time-limit
Take cash out
50 Leave cards home
40
30
20
10
0
Always Mostly Sometimes Never

12. Internet gambling
93% had done this
65.5% every week

13. Would you consider setting spend-limit?
90
80
70
Lotto
60 Scratch/instant
50 Sports
40 Bingo
30 EGM
Casino card
20
Casino table
10
0
Would consider Not sure Would not consider

14. Would you consider setting time-limit?
90
80
70
60 Lotto
Scratch/instant
50 Sports
Bingo
40
EGM
30 Casino card
Casino table
20
10
0
Would consider Not sure Would not consider

15. Sticking to spend-limits online
60
50
Lotto
40
Scratch
30 Sports bet
Bingo
20 EGM
Casino card
10 Casino table
0
Easier Neither Harder
easier/harder

16. Whose responsibility is it that players don’t
spend more than they can afford?
3% Individual 1%
Gaming company 5.2 Govt/Regulator 5.6
8.7 7.8
21%
29.5 37.2
56.6 49.4
75%
Entirely Mostly Partly Not at all

17. Some conclusions
 Apart from winning, +ve players gamble for the
entertainment experience
 Positive players who play the most use RG strategies the
most – Good message!
 Internet gambling does not appear to be inherently riskier for
pos players
 Need to consider specific game characteristics & RG tools
when considering Internet game risks

18. Some conclusions
 Pos players may be receptive to the idea of setting personal
limits online
 Pos players balance gambling with other leisure interests
 Playing socially may not be a protective factor
 Pos players value personal responsibility but see gaming
companies and govt/regulators as playing a supporting role

19. Positive play messages
Ten tips for positive play:
1. Positive players work out what they can afford and want
to spend before they ever start playing a game.
2. Positive players set their own limit for each play
session and stick to it. Once that limit is met, then it’s
game over and time to do something else.
3. Positive players say, “that if you happen to win more
than you spend then that’s a bonus, but most times you
are simply buying some fun.” Never try and win back lost
money.

20. 4. Positive playing can also be about playing for the
right amount of time. Set yourself a time-limit and have
a watch or clock on hand.
5. If you are going out somewhere to gamble, consider
taking only as much cash as you want to spend and
leave bank cards at home. Don’t forget your bus or cab
fare though!
6. When playing on the Internet, use the tools supplied
to make setting and sticking to limits easier. This really
helped our positive players to manage what they
wanted to spend.

21. 7. Positive playing is a balance between gambling and
other entertainment options. Positive players did lots of
different things in their spare time.
8. Positive players gamble for fun, excitement and
entertainment. Playing when depressed or upset is not
good for you or your wallet.

22. 9.Those who play the most, also use the most
strategies to help them (e.g., set limits, review
spending, leave cards at home etc.). Take active
control of your gambling and stay on track.
10. Positive players believe that it is mostly up to
them to ensure that they play within their limits, but
also that gaming companies should provide tools and
support to help them.

23. Thanks!
Now over to Laura…………

24. Lottery: Positive play, positive
business
New Horizons - 2013
24

26. Today
1. An entertainment business for Good
2. Whose Responsibility?
3. Example: Internet
4. What now? – What next?

27. An entertainment business
01 for Good
27

28. This is why we exist

29. 29

30. Business of Dreams NOT ASPIRATIONS
30

31. Why do we care?
02 Responsibility
31

32. Selling to adults making own informed decisions
32

33. Because it is more than the right thing to do…
Happy, proud, productive employees Reduces the risk of damage to reputation (and sales)
33

34. Licence to operate – Licence to grow
Stakeholder Bidding Operating Extending
Engagement
•Influencing •Influencing •Public Reputation •Influencing
Government Government •Influencing Government
Stakeholders Stakeholders Government Stakeholders
Stakeholders
Licence to Operate Freedom to Grow
Confidence & Trust
Consumer Protection / Community Investment
Conduct Reputation Strategy
34

35. What do we do?
36

36. Consumer Protection
Help Keep
Drive
playing our
Awareness
games fun

37. Throughout the lifecycle of the products
38

38. Example: Internet
03 How you do it is key

39. Use the good of technology to protect players
“You can spend all day playing
online and waste all your time
and money ”
“When playing on line, it is
easier to manage my spend.”
40

40. Positive research done using Social Media
41

41. Lotteries’ examples
42

42. Lotteries’ examples
43

43. Lotteries’ examples
44

44. Lotteries’ examples - Française des Jeux
45

45. Lotteries’ examples
46

46. What now? – What next?
04
47

47. Behaviour tracking – targeted prevention
48

48. Playing Our Part beyond the Good Causes
Consumer Protection - Community - Environment
49

49. Laura Da Silva
Corporate Responsibility Manager
Camelot
laura.dasilva@camelotgroup.co.uk

50. We’re on Twitter @HorizonsRG
Join the conversation by using
#HRGC13