Attendees of the National Conference on Gambling Addiction and Responsible Gaming later this week in Boston will be issued an anonymous and voluntary survey, designed by PointsBet Massachusetts in collaboration with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health.
The survey is part of a new research initiative launched by PointsBet and NCPG “centered around responsible gambling decision-making for online gambling operators,” according to a news release.
Massachusetts sports betting has not been legalized, but other New England states — Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island have thriving sports betting markets.
Six lawmakers in Massachusetts — three from the Senate and three from the House — are trying to work out differences in sports betting bills passed by both chambers before the session ends on July 31.
What Action Should An Operator Take?
The survey, according to the release, will feature three fictional bettors demonstrating problematic gambling behavior. Those partaking in the survey will act as an operator and decide the appropriate course of action for the customer, based off his or her betting behavior.
“"With the rapid expansion of legalized sports betting across the U.S., a commitment to responsible gambling today will have a direct impact on the future health of players and sustainability of the industry," PointsBet USA CEO Johnny Aitken said in the release. "Navigating how to identify and address problem gambling is a complex and sensitive issue, and operators are regularly faced with how to best respond to customers who are exhibiting problematic gambling behavior.
“Through this research project, we're aiming to gain more insights on the thought process that goes into finding solutions for those impacted by problem gambling as well as better help inform operator decision making on this matter."
‘Survey Will Spark Dialogue’
The initiative’s objective is to understand how various industry, government and clinical stakeholders would “respond to various scenarios in which a fictitious online betting customer demonstrates potentially problematic gambling behavior.”
An analysis of the survey will be available to each conference attendee and to the general public in September.
"Online gambling operators are required to provide various responsible gambling tools. These tools should be regularly reviewed and evaluated by stakeholders to ensure they are adequately serving customers," NCPG Executive Director Keith Whyte said in the release. "Our hope is that the results of this survey will spark dialogue amongst operators as well as regulators, treatment providers, researchers, and problem gambling advocates to help inform the responsible gambling decisions that online gambling operators face."
