An experiment on the perceived efficacy of fear-based messages in online roulette

ABSTRACT

The current study examined the emotional and cognitive evaluations as well as the perceived efficacy of fear-based, text-only pop-up messages. The pop-up messages were presented when viewing a 3-minute prerecorded video of online roulette play. Fifty-nine people who gamble online viewed both low- and high-threat messages that reflected, by random assignment, either the financial (n= 27) or social (n= 32) consequences of gambling. Participants then reported their emotional and cognitive evaluations of the messages, as well as their perceived efficacy to facilitate responsible gambling. Eye-tracking was used as an objective measure of attention to the message. A 2 (message theme: social, financial) x 2 (threat level: low, high) mixed-model ANOVA was used to examine the evaluations and efficacy of the messages. The main effects of message theme/threat level were not significant. The 2 × 2 interaction for the outcome of overall effectiveness was significant, whereby the high-threat and social message combination was rated more effective than other combinations. For eye-tracking, there were no significant findings. The results suggest that fear-based social messaging may be more effective than non-fear inducing or financially-oriented messages. Further research can explore if messages that are perceived to be effective likewise lead to lower-risk gambling.

KEYWORDS:

• Warning messages
• responsible gambling
• online gambling
• harm minimization
• pop-up messages

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Funding sources

This research was funded by the Alberta Gambling Research Institute Major (AGRI) Grant Competition (#83).

Constraints on publishing

No constraints on publishing were declared by the authors in relation to this manuscript.

Competing interests

S M-P has no conflicts of completing interests to declare.

HSK has received research funding from Alberta Gambling Research Institute (Canada), Gambling Research Exchange Ontario (Canada), and International Center for Responsible Gaming (US). HSK has received speaker/travel honorarium from Alberta Gambling Research Institute (Canada), New Horizons (Canada), and the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling.

DM has been supported in part by the AGRI. DM also discloses a speaker’s honorarium from Spectrum Therapeutics.

EVR has no conflicts of completing interests to declare.

MW has received research funding from Alberta Gambling Research Institute (Canada), British Columbia Lottery Corporation (Canada), Carleton University (Canada), Gambling Research Exchange Ontario (Canada), Manitoba Gambling Research Program (Canada), International Center for Responsible Gaming (US), Ontario Lottery and Gaming (Canada), and Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (Canada). MW has received speaker/travel honorarium from Alberta Liquor Gaming Commission (Canada), National Association for Gambling Studies (Australia), International Center for Responsible Gaming (US), and Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling (US). He has received fees for academic services from Atlantic Lottery and Gaming Corporation (Canada), Gambling Research Exchange (Canada), National Center for Responsible Gaming (US), New South Wales Government (Australia), Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation (Canada), Manitoba Gambling Research Program (Canada), Massachusetts Gambling Commission (US), and Ontario Lottery and Gaming (Canada). MW has also received consulting fees from Alberta Liquor Gaming Commission (Canada), Atlantic Lottery and Gaming Corporation (Canada), British Columbia Lottery Corporation (Canada), GamRes (Canada), Massachusetts Gaming Commission (US), Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation (Canada), and Ontario Lottery and Gaming (Canada).

MR has received research funds from Gambling Research Australia, Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, Queensland Treasury, Victorian Treasury, NSW Responsible Gambling Fund, NSW Office of Liquor & Gaming, Tasmanian Department of Treasury and Finance, New Zealand Ministry of Health, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Alberta Gambling Research Institute and the First Nations Foundation. He declares no conflicts of interest in relation to this manuscript.

DCH has received research funds from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Health Canada, Alberta Gambling Research Institute, and the Ministry of Health, New Zealand. He has received consulting fees from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. He is a member, but receives no compensation from, the National Centre for Responsible Gaming Scientific Advisory Board, UBC Centre for Gambling Research, various journal editorial boards, WHO Committee on the Public Health Implications of Addictive Behaviours, International Scientific Advisory Board of the Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming (CERG) at the University of Gibraltar. He has received conference travel funds from New Horizons, Health Management Systems of America, Gambling International Symposium, Switzerland, V Congresso Clinca Psiquitria, Brazil, NCRG, Las Vegas, Responsible Gambling Council, Toronto.

Preregistration statement

No preregistration was declared by the authors in relation to this manuscript.

Data availability statement

Please contact the corresponding author (SM-P) for access to data on which the manuscript is based.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Seema Mutti-Packer

Seema Mutti-Packer, Ph.D., completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Calgary in the Department of Psychology. Her research focused on the etiology of gambling behavior, as well as population-level public health interventions that have the potential to impact behavior change.

Hyoun S. Kim

Hyoun S. Kim, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in Clinical Psychology in the Department of Psychology at Ryerson University. His research focuses on trans diagnostic processes of substance and behavioral addictions as well as concurrent disorders.

Daniel S. McGrath

Daniel S. McGrath, Ph.D., is an associate professor at the University of Calgary and a Senior Research Fellow with the Alberta Gambling Research Institute (AGRI). His research is focused on the behavioral pharmacology of addiction, cognitive biases in disordered gambling, and the role of personality in addiction.

Emma V. Ritchie

Emma V. Ritchie, M.Sc., is a clinical psychology student at York University. Her research interests include comorbid gambling and substance use disorders and attentional biases in addictions.

Michael J. A. Wohl

Michael J. A. Wohl, Ph.D., is a Professor and Graduate Chair in Psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. His work focuses on factors that facilitate responsible gambling and means to overcome barriers to behavior change. Recent research includes the behavior change utility of nostalgia for the pre-addicted self, and the influence of loyalty program membership on gambling behavior.

Matthew Rockloff

Matthew Rockloff, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at Central Queensland University in Australia. His research focuses on gambling harm, structural characteristics of gambling games, and psychological risk factors for problem gambling.

David C. Hodgins

David C. Hodgins, Ph.D., is a professor in the Program in Clinical Psychology in the Department of Psychology, University of Calgary and a coordinator with the Alberta Gambling Research Institute. He is registered as a Clinical Psychologist in Alberta. His research interests focus on various aspects of addictive behaviors including relapse and recovery from substance abuse and gambling disorders.