The customer-brand relationship in the gambling industry: positive play predicts attitudinal and behavioral loyalty

ABSTRACT

This research draws on the model of positive play (i.e. responsible gambling) to investigate whether positive play beliefs (e.g. accurate understanding about the odds of success on games of chance) and behavior (e.g. setting a limit on gambling expenditures) are associated with attitudinal loyalty and behavioral loyalty. Results from Study 1 indicated that among American casino loyalty program members (N = 188), positive play was predictive of attitudinal loyalty when controlling for disordered gambling symptomatology. In Study 2, using survey and player-account data from 383 members of a Canadian casino loyalty program, we found that positive play was negatively associated with behavioral loyalty, but that this association was eliminated after accounting for disordered gambling symptomatology. These results suggest that fostering positive play may help increase positive perceptions of a casino and its loyalty program without undermining the amount of money a player spends at that casino.

KEYWORDS:

• Attitudinal loyalty
• behavioral loyalty
• casinos
• responsible gambling

Ethical approval

Carleton University 105492

Acknowledgements

The Responsible Gambling Dataset used in Study 2 was collected and provided by Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG); however, the author(s) take full responsibility for the results and conclusions drawn from the Dataset and acknowledge that they do not necessarily represent the views of OLG. We would like to thank OLG for providing us with the player account data for Study 2.

Funding sources

Study 1 was self-funded research. Study 2 was supported by Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and the National Institutes of Health [#442, 2017] and Ontario Lottery and Gaming (2020).

Constraints on publishing

There are no constraints on publishing this paper. As noted below, however, OLG has not granted us permission to share the player-account data used in Study 2.

Competing interests

SH and CD have no conflicts of interest to declare. MW has received research funding from Alberta Gambling Research Institute (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 National Association for Gambling Studies (Australia), International Center for Responsible Gaming (US), Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling (US), New York Council on Problem Gambling (US). He has received fees for academic services from Atlantic Lottery and Gaming Corporation (Canada), Gambling Research Exchange (Canada), International Center for Responsible Gaming (US), New South Wales Government (Australia), Massachusetts Gambling Commission (US), and Ontario Lottery and Gaming (Canada). MW has also received consulting fees from Atlantic Lottery and Gaming Corporation (Canada), GamRes (Canada), Massachusetts Gaming Commission (US), and Ontario Lottery and Gaming (Canada).

Preregistration statement

https://osf.io/e9gu5/?view_only=842c7fc0ff4b4abebe0eddc3647afcd0

Data availability statement

Materials and data used in Study 1, as well as materials and survey data used in Study 2 are publicly available via the Open Science Framework (OSF): https://osf.io/e9gu5/?view_only=842c7fc0ff4b4abebe0eddc3647afcd0. The player account data used in Study 2 (and provided by Ontario Lottery and Gaming) are proprietary and thus cannot be posted (i.e., we request permission to post the data and this request was denied).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2022.2086992

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Samantha J. Hollingshead

Samantha J. Hollingshead is a recent graduate of the PhD program in Psychology at Carleton University. Her research focuses on factors that promote responsible gambling. In part, this work examines the potential benefits and consequences of casino loyalty program membership and its long-term impact on members’ gambling attitudes and behaviors.

Christopher G. Davis

Christopher G. Davis (Professor of Psychology) examines the psychological processes through which people adjust to life-changing circumstances. He also conducts research on psychological factors that cause and exacerbate gambling and substance use problems. A third line of research investigates the psychological consequences of secret-keeping.

Michael J. A. Wohl

Michael J. A. Wohl (Professor of Psychology) examines factors that lead to excessive play and means to increase responsible gambling. Recently, attention has been paid to the promotion of positive play and the influence loyalty program membership can have on gambling behavior. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed papers.