Awareness and impact of casino responsible gambling/harm minimization measures among Canadian electronic gaming machine players

Figures & data

Table 1. Gambling and demographic categories.

Category		%	N
PPGM	Recreational	52.3	1468
	At Risk	22.7	638
	Problem/Pathological	25.0	702
Gender	Male	45.7	1283
	Female	54.3	1525
Age	Between 18 and 24	5.0	141
	Between 25 and 34	15.2	428
	Between 35 and 44	15.8	443
	Between 45 and 54	19.2	539
	Between 55 and 64	21.9	615
	Between 65 and 74	17.6	493
	75 or older	5.3	149
Highest Education	Primary	3.1	84
	Some Secondary	5.0	138
	Completion of Secondary School	15.8	436
	Some Vocational Training	3.1	86
	Completion of Vocational Training	7.9	218
	Some Post Secondary	16.2	445
	A post-secondary Certificate	18.5	510
	Bachelor’s Degree	20.9	574
	Professional Degree	3.4	93
	Master’s or Doctorate	6.1	168
Household Debt	No debt	30.1	739
	Less than $39,000	29.0	712
	$40,000 - $79,000	10.1	248
	$80,000 - $119,000	6.6	161
	$120,000 - $159,000	5.7	140
	$160,000 - $199,000	4.8	117
	$200,000 - $239,000	3.8	94
	$240,000 - $299,000	3.6	88
	>$300,000	6.5	159
Marital Status	Single	21.0	581
	Married	63.1	1741
	Separated	2.5	69
	Divorced	7.8	216
	Widowed	5.6	154
Household Income	Less than $20,000	6.8	168
	$20,000 - $39,000	15.7	388
	$40,000 - $59,000	18.4	457
	$60,000 - $79,000	17.3	430
	$80,000 - $99,000	13.4	333
	$100,000 - $119,000	10.1	251
	$120,000 - $139,000	6.7	165
	>$140,000	11.6	287
Born in Canada	No	13.3	370
	Yes	86.7	2407

Table 2. Awareness.

	PPGM recoded into three categories
	Recreational				At Risk				Problem/Pathological
	Average	SD	Y	N	Average	SD	Y	N	Average	SD	Y	N
‘Responsible gambling information terminals’ and/or ‘gambling information centres’	0.55	0.50	801	665	0.67	0.47	426	210	0.68	0.47	475	226
Limits on casino hours of operation	0.57	0.50	831	635	0.65	0.48	412	224	0.69	0.46	484	217
Prohibition of casino employees from gambling at the casino	0.62	0.48	913	553	0.68	0.47	433	203	0.69	0.46	485	216
Smoking bans	0.88	0.33	1290	176	0.87	0.34	552	84	0.76	0.43	533	168
Prohibition of gambling while intoxicated	0.42	0.49	623	843	0.46	0.50	292	344	0.55	0.50	383	318
Ability to receive statements of gambling spending and frequency for reward/loyalty card members	0.28	0.45	414	1052	0.39	0.49	249	387	0.44	0.50	307	394
Limits on cash payouts for winnings (i.e. receiving a cash voucher or cheque instead)	0.43	0.49	626	840	0.53	0.50	340	296	0.56	0.50	391	310
A limit on the maximum bet on electronic gambling machines	0.50	0.50	734	732	0.61	0.49	390	246	0.65	0.48	459	242
A limit on the maximum number of betting lines on slots or VLTs	0.41	0.49	606	860	0.53	0.50	335	301	0.61	0.49	430	271
Ability to put preset limits on time, money or frequency of slot or VLT play	0.27	0.45	399	1067	0.39	0.49	246	390	0.51	0.50	358	343
Clocks on electronic gambling machines	0.26	0.44	379	1087	0.40	0.49	252	384	0.55	0.50	386	315
Responsible gambling messaging on electronic gambling machines	0.62	0.49	902	564	0.69	0.46	442	194	0.69	0.46	483	218
Casino self-exclusion (ability to ban yourself from the casino)	0.58	0.49	845	621	0.65	0.48	416	220	0.66	0.47	466	235
Other	0.01	0.08	10	1456	0.02	0.14	13	623	0.03	0.16	19	682

Average = average score.

SD = Standard deviation.

Y/N = Number of respondents with a ‘Yes’ (1) or ‘No’ (0) aware endorsement.

Bold indicates significant chi-square test of independence, the lowest proportion across categories, p<0.0025.

Number of significant differences: at risk vs. problem pathological (n=5).

recreational vs. at risk (n=10), recreational vs. problem/pathological (n=14)

Table 3. Gambling expenditure.

	PPGM recoded into three categories
	Recreation					At Risk					Problem/Pathological
	Average	SD	Inc	No	Dc	Average	SD	Inc	No	Dc	Average	SD	Inc	No	Dc
‘Responsible gambling information terminals’ and/or ‘gambling information centres’	0.07	0.30	8	725	68	0.10	0.41	16	350	60	0.01	0.65	97	277	101
Limits on casino hours of operation	0.09	0.30	5	750	76	0.13	0.46	20	320	72	0.03	0.70	112	244	128
Prohibition of casino employees from gambling at the casino	0.05	0.26	7	851	55	0.05	0.37	19	374	40	−0.01	0.60	90	309	86
Smoking bans	0.04	0.35	53	1133	104	0.04	0.40	34	461	57	0.04	0.65	101	308	124
Prohibition of gambling while intoxicated	0.08	0.31	8	559	56	0.08	0.49	24	221	47	−0.02	0.75	113	166	104
Ability to receive statements of gambling spending and frequency for reward/loyalty card members	0.06	0.33	10	368	36	0.03	0.49	26	189	34	0.01	0.77	89	127	91
Limits on cash payouts for winnings (i.e. receiving a cash voucher or cheque instead)	0.08	0.30	6	565	55	0.07	0.45	23	270	47	0.01	0.70	94	199	98
A limit on the maximum bet on electronic gambling machines	0.11	0.34	6	642	86	0.17	0.49	19	284	87	0.07	0.71	100	229	130
A limit on the maximum number of betting lines on slots or VLTs	0.13	0.38	9	510	87	0.15	0.48	18	250	67	0.01	0.71	104	216	110
Ability to put preset limits on time, money or frequency of slot or VLT play	^a0.14	0.41	10	324	65	0.14	0.53	20	171	55	^a−0.02	0.74	100	164	94
Clocks on electronic gambling machines	^a0.15	0.40	7	310	62	^b0.18	0.51	14	178	60	^a,b0.00	0.72	100	187	99
Responsible gambling messaging on electronic gambling machines	0.07	0.29	8	821	73	0.11	0.43	20	355	67	0.01	0.65	100	279	104
Casino self-exclusion (ability to ban yourself from the casino)	0.06	0.27	6	779	60	0.09	0.38	13	353	50	0.01	0.66	97	266	103
Other*	0.06	0.24	0	17	1	0.35	0.75	3	7	10	−0.06	0.79	17	20	14

Average = average score.

SD = Standard deviation.

Number of respondents scoring: Inc = increase (−1), No = no change (0), Dc = decrease (1)

Bold indicates significant chi-square test of independence, the lowest average score across categories, p< 0.0025.

Superscript indicates significant differences between pairs, p<0.0025.

*The fewer responses to this question likely resulted in the non-significant results (n = 89).

Number of significant differences:recreational vs. at risk (n = 0), recreational vs. problem/pathological (n = 2), at risk vs. problem/pathological (n = 1).

Table 4. Enjoyment.

	PPGM recoded into three categories
	Recreational					At Risk					Problem/Pathological
	Average	SD	Dc	No	Inc	Average	SD	Dc	No	Inc	Average	SD	Dc	No	Inc
‘Responsible gambling information terminals’ and/or ‘gambling information centres’	0.00	0.29	33	736	32	0.02	0.40	30	357	39	0.03	0.63	89	285	101
Limits on casino hours of operation	−0.02	0.29	43	759	29	0.00	0.42	35	341	36	0.05	0.69	104	250	130
Prohibition of casino employees from gambling at the casino	0.00	0.26	33	849	31	0.02	0.35	23	379	31	0.07	0.62	77	298	110
Smoking bans	0.13	0.51	93	930	267	0.11	0.57	62	370	120	0.05	0.72	125	259	149
Prohibition of gambling while intoxicated	0.03	0.38	35	534	54	0.09	0.49	23	219	50	0.09	0.74	88	172	123
Ability to receive statements of gambling spending and frequency for reward/loyalty card members	0.03	0.35	19	362	33	0.08	0.49	20	189	40	0.12	0.76	72	126	109
Limits on cash payouts for winnings (i.e. receiving a cash voucher or cheque instead)	−0.04	0.31	42	564	20	−0.03	0.48	44	262	34	−0.02	0.73	108	184	99
A limit on the maximum bet on electronic gambling machines	0.01	0.30	29	669	36	0.01	0.46	39	308	43	0.01	0.68	104	246	109
A limit on the maximum number of betting lines on slots or VLTs	−0.01	0.31	34	546	26	−0.01	0.47	38	262	35	0.03	0.70	98	222	110
Ability to put preset limits on time, money or frequency of slot or VLT play	−0.01	0.35	25	351	23	0.02	0.50	28	185	33	0.06	0.74	88	160	110
Clocks on electronic gambling machines	−0.01	0.35	25	332	22	0.00	0.48	28	195	29	0.06	0.70	84	194	108
Responsible gambling messaging on electronic gambling machines	^a0.00	0.28	35	831	36	0.00	0.44	43	358	41	^a0.09	0.64	81	279	123
Casino self-exclusion (ability to ban yourself from the casino)	0.00	0.25	25	793	27	0.01	0.35	24	364	28	0.07	0.63	78	277	111
Other*	0.00	0.34	1	16	1	−0.15	0.67	6	11	3	0.22	0.83	13	14	24

Average = average score.

SD = Standard DeviationNumber of respondents scoring: Dc = decrease (−1), No = no change (0), Inc = increase (1)

Bold indicates significant chi-square test of independence, the lowest average score across categories, p<0.0025.

Superscript indicates significant differences between pairs, p<0.0025.

*The fewer responses to this question likely resulted in the non-significant results (n=89).

Number of significant differences:recreational vs. problem/pathological (n=1),recreational vs. at risk (n=0), at risk vs. problem/pathological (n=0).

Table 5. Odds ratios.

	Awareness			Expenditure			Enjoyment
	AR vs R	PP vs R	N	AR vs R	PP vs R	N	AR vs R	PP vs R	N
‘Responsible gambling information terminals’ and/or ‘gambling information centres’	1.684	1.745	2803	1.180	0.710	1702	1.136	1.189	1702
Limits on casino hours of operation	1.405	1.704	2803	1.239	0.821	1727	1.098	1.500	1727
Prohibition of casino employees from gambling at the casino	1.292	1.360	2803	0.986	0.666	1831	1.144	1.676	1831
Smoking bans	0.897	0.433	2803	1.017	1.065	2375	0.914	0.752	2375
Prohibition of gambling while intoxicated	1.149	1.630	2803	1.031	0.652	1298	1.291	1.384	1298
Ability to receive statements of gambling spending and frequency for reward/loyalty card members	1.635	1.980	2803	0.903	0.823	970	1.205	1.561	970
Limits on cash payouts for winnings (i.e. receiving a cash voucher or cheque instead)	1.541	1.692	2803	0.985	0.746	1357	1.015	1.022	1357
A limit on the maximum bet on electronic gambling machines	1.581	1.892	2803	1.362	0.894	1583	1.007	1.019	1583
A limit on the maximum number of betting lines on slots or VLTs	1.579	2.252	2803	1.099	0.647	1371	1.016	1.226	1371
Ability to put preset limits on time, money or frequency of slot or VLT play	1.687	2.791	2803	1.046	0.592	1003	1.098	1.343	1003
Clocks on electronic gambling machines	1.882	3.515	2803	1.171	0.605	1017	1.046	1.369	1017
Responsible gambling messaging on electronic gambling machines	1.425	1.385	2803	1.226	0.718	1827	0.968	1.732	1827
Casino self-exclusion (ability to ban yourself from the casino)	1.390	1.457	2803	1.165	0.763	1727	1.048	1.656	1727
Other	3.038	4.056	2803	2.486	0.747	89	0.689	1.905	89

R= Recreational, AR = At Risk, PP=Problem/Pathological.

N = Number in analysis.

Figure 1. Average plots of awareness, gambling expenditure, enjoyment total scores.

Table 6. GLM main effects and 2-way interactions.

		Awareness			Expenditure			Enjoyment
Main Effects		WCS	df	Sig.	WCS	df	Sig.	WCS	df	Sig.
	(Intercept)	525.568	1	0.000	0.654	1	0.419	5.972	1	0.015
Problem Gambling Severity	PPGM	7.498	2	0.024	14.741	2	<.001	5.915	2	0.052
Demographics	Please indicate your sex	13.568	1	<.001	0.569	1	0.451	0.798	1	0.372
	How old are you?	22.414	6	0.001	27.816	6	<.001	19.585	6	0.003
	What is your highest level of education?	3.257	9	0.953	7.633	9	0.571	6.902	9	0.647
	What is your best estimate of your household debt?	9.532	8	0.299	12.461	8	0.132	8.058	8	0.428
	What is your current marital status?	6.581	4	0.160	3.689	4	0.450	1.665	4	0.797
	What is your best estimate of your household income?	8.033	7	0.330	21.249	7	0.003	24.616	7	<.001
	Were you born in Canada?	0.206	1	0.650	1.886	1	0.170	0.699	1	0.403
EGM Play	EGM spend per month	1.535	1	0.215	0.010	1	0.921	0.113	1	0.737
	EGM hours played per month	3.384	1	0.066	2.542	1	0.111	0.174	1	0.677
	EGM Frequency	13.392	5	0.020	2.072	5	0.839	6.676	5	0.246
	Net Monthly EGM Win(-) Loss (+) per Annual Household Income	0.170	1	0.680	0.024	1	0.876	0.007	1	0.932
Limit Setting	How often did you limit the amount of time playing?	8.449	4	0.076	7.303	4	0.121	16.351	4	0.003
	How often did you limit how often you play to control your gambling?	16.336	4	0.003	2.846	4	0.584	3.685	4	0.450
	How often did you set a predetermined spending limit?	9.151	4	0.057	5.284	4	0.259	3.936	4	0.415
Gambling Motivations	What is your primary reason that you gamble?	24.832	9	0.003	28.678	9	<.001	16.088	9	0.065
	How important to you is gambling as a leisure or recreational activity?	17.305	3	<.001	2.018	3	0.569	1.058	3	0.787
	How important is money to you?	2.725	3	0.436	11.443	3	0.010	10.010	3	0.018
Gambling Fallacies	Gambling Fallacies	0.043	1	0.836	4.794	1	0.029	7.644	1	0.006
2-way Interactions
Problem Gambling Severity	PPGM * Preset spending Limit	16.399	8	0.037	13.170	8	0.106	8.024	8	0.431
	PPGM * Limit time playing	2.836	8	0.944	6.162	8	0.629	7.199	8	0.515
	PPGM * Limit Frequency	12.119	8	0.146	16.183	8	0.040	3.848	8	0.871
	PPGM * EGM Frequency	15.912	10	0.102	16.392	10	0.089	11.394	10	0.328
	PPGM * Net Monthly EGM Win(-) Loss (+) per Annual Household Income	0.579	2	0.749	0.265	2	0.876	5.178	2	0.075
	PPGM * EGM Spend per month	6.522	2	0.038	0.546	2	0.761	2.002	2	0.368
	PPGM * EGM Hours	12.164	2	0.002	3.551	2	0.169	3.861	2	0.145
Preset Spending limit	Preset Spending limit * Limit Time playing	39.796	16	<.001	15.137	16	0.515	19.064	16	0.265
	Preset Spending limit * Limit Frequency	36.054	16	0.003	26.013	16	0.054	21.228	16	0.170
	Preset Spending limit * EGM Frequency	35.358	20	0.018	31.566	20	0.048	30.635	20	0.060
	Preset Spending limit * Net Monthly EGM Win(-) Loss (+) per Annual Household Income	7.601	4	0.107	3.080	4	0.544	2.709	4	0.608
	Preset Spending limit * EGM Spend per month	11.145	4	0.025	5.315	4	0.257	3.147	4	0.534
	Preset Spending limit * EGM Hours	5.442	4	0.245	9.026	4	0.060	3.724	4	0.445
Limit Time playing	Limit Time playing * Limit Frequency	8.954	16	0.915	28.737	16	0.026	14.767	16	0.542
	Limit Time playing * EGM Frequency	15.147	20	0.768	20.374	20	0.435	37.712	20	0.010
	Limit Time playing * Net Monthly EGM Win(-) Loss (+) per Annual Household Income	11.379	4	0.023	3.709	4	0.447	2.276	4	0.685
	Limit Time playing * EGM Spend per month	5.909	4	0.206	9.030	4	0.060	5.076	4	0.280
	Limit Time playing * EGM Hours	3.804	4	0.433	14.911	4	0.005	9.724	4	0.045
Limit Frequency	Limit Frequency * EGM Frequency	13.572	20	0.852	34.206	20	0.025	37.634	20	0.010
	Limit Frequency * Net Monthly EGM Win(-) Loss (+) per Annual Household Income	7.803	4	0.099	17.722	4	0.001	6.698	4	0.153
	Limit Frequency * EGM Spend per month	7.820	4	0.098	25.793	4	<.001	20.547	4	<.001
	Limit Frequency * EGM Hours	1.483	4	0.830	16.694	4	0.002	8.841	4	0.065
EGM Frequency	EGM Frequency * Net Monthly EGM Win(-) Loss (+) per Annual Household Income	2.046	5	0.843	18.371	5	0.003	17.118	5	0.004
	EGM Frequency * EGM Spend per month	2.529	5	0.772	19.019	5	0.002	12.459	5	0.029
	EGM Frequency * EGM Hours	3.301	5	0.654	15.209	5	0.010	11.172	5	0.048
Win Income	Net Monthly EGM Win(-) Loss (+) per Annual Household Income * EGM Spend	2.427	1	0.119	1.923	1	0.166	3.093	1	0.079
	Net Monthly EGM Win(-) Loss (+) per Annual Household Income * EGM Hours	1.445	1	0.229	0.639	1	0.424	0.000	1	0.982
EGM Spend	EGM Spend * EGM Hours	0.861	1	0.353	0.002	1	0.964	0.270	1	0.603

Bold indicates p<.0025.

Data availability statement

The data used in this study is available from Gambling Research Exchange Ontario. Please contact them for more details. See: https://www.greo.ca/en/index.aspx.