IAGR 2019 to focus on gambling behaviour research

Research into gambling behaviour will feature as part of the keynote sessions at the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR)’s annual conference to be held in Jamaica, from 30 September to 3 October.  

IAGR 2019 is the key annual event for gaming regulators, advisors and industry stakeholders. Regulatory thought-leaders, academics and industry experts participate in keynote sessions, presentations and panel discussions over the conference’s four-day program.  

Aisling Ni Chonaire from the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) and Jack Wilson from 2CV Research will be presenting at the event to share up-to-date research on the role of behavioural biases in online gambling, as well as what motivates people to gamble.  

Ni Chonaire leads BIT's research into gambling behaviour, advising regulators, government departments, and non-government organisations on designing evidence-based policy. Her session will summarise BIT’s work to date and share recommendations for regulators, governments and practitioners. 

“Behavioural biases impact our lives daily, from our food choices to our savings habits (or lack thereof),” Ni Chonaire said. “Our e-lives are no exception with these biases manifesting in rapidly evolving ways in online environments. As a result, we are acting more impulsively, taking more short-cuts, and spending less time reflecting on our decisions online.”  

She added: “While online gambling has grown exponentially over the past decade the same cannot be said of the evidence base outlining what works to protect gamblers online. Over the past two years, BIT has been building this evidence base. As experimental and behavioural science experts, BIT has identified the risky practices that appear on online platforms, mapped the behavioural biases that people are exposed to, and run experiments with operators to increase safer play.’  

Jack Wilson is Head of Digital at 2CV Research, working extensively in the gaming sector – both for commercial clients and in the regulatory space. He is currently leading a three-year qualitative research project on behalf of the UK gambling regulator. 

“What motivates people to gamble and how does gambling fit into the day to day life of the average person? This is the key question we set out to answer on behalf of the UK Gambling Commission,” Wilson said. “Over the last few months we’ve conducted an extensive program of qualitative and digital research with over 100 people across the UK, exploring what motivates people to gamble and the role it plays in their lives.”

“We know that asking people ‘why they gamble’ is never simple. A key part of our research involved using digital research tools to capture motivations and triggers for gambling at the point of play,” he added.