Longitudinal Study of Online Casino Gambling
Gambling addiction is becoming the cause of the decade as more and more reports
of increased problem gambling from around the globe hit the mainstream news.
Online casinos and gambling groups are asked to do their part by implementing
measures and protocols that are aimed at protecting problem gamblers while
regulatory requirements mandate that advertising efforts do not exploit underage
and problem gamblers. But with all of that attention, only a handful of
companies are truly willing to go the extra mile to combat gambling addiction.
The Bwin gambling group announced a five-year agreement with a Teaching
Affiliate for the Harvard Medical School for the specific purposes of a
longitudinal research and study of online gaming.
This new announcement is actually a continuation of the previous three-year
cooperation agreement between the Bwin online casino gambling group and
Cambridge Health Alliance’s Division of Addictions. Bwin has worked with the
Division of Addictions for three years now, allowing the researchers valuable
insight into problem gambling habits, warning signs, and a wealth of additional
information that will eventually for a basis for new land and online casino
gambling industry standards and regulations.
Bwin, listed out of Vienna and a giant in the European online casino betting
industry, has a stellar reputation for corporate social responsibility. The CEO
at Bwin, Manfred Bodner, outlined the precise reason outcome that Bwin and the
researchers are hoping for. He notes, “Ultimately, we are interested in creating
behavioral models capable of predicting certain outcomes. Therefore, we are
working towards establishing the scientific foundation that will yield
algorithms capable of identifying risk patterns associated with disordered
gambling so that we can prevent them.” The five year study will be the longest
of its kind for the online casino gambling industry and at its conclusion, it is
anticipated that the global industry will have a much better understanding off
the pathology of gambling habits and addictions. |