Responsible Gaming: Measuring Progress

For most people, gambling is an enjoyable leisure and entertainment activity. For a small percentage of people, it can become a problem. No longer enjoyable for them, gambling becomes the focus of their life at the expense of all that is important to them. Similar to individuals addicted to alcohol or drugs, people addicted to gambling may engage in devastating behaviors that threaten their families, finances, careers and health.

The interactive gaming industry has stepped up to the plate and advanced responsible gaming measures, policies and procedures. Just how boldly have they stepped up to the plate? Let's look at some exceedingly unscientific measurements.

Some Things are Easier to Measure than Others

Economic development, personal income, unemployment, and gross national product come under the category of easy to measure. You compile the numbers, compute the math, compare them to the numbers you had before, and you can see if the new numbers have gone north or south.

Measuring social costs can be similar to trying to pick up mercury; it appears to be simple until you try it. If a person develops a gambling problem and as a result neglects his/her family, performs poorly at work and suffers health-related consequences, there are unquestionably associated social costs.

Since the most frequently cited social cost for the interactive gaming industry is problem gambling, let's take a daring, yet unscientific, step toward measuring the advancement of responsible gaming.

Measurement by Search Engine Results

About four years ago (give or take a year) I did a search for sites using the words "responsible gaming." The results were on par for the level of interest at the time--a full page, plus two on the next page for a total of 12 references to responsible gaming.

Today, the same search finds 532 site references to responsible gaming. Web sites from exotic parts of the globe that now have gambling also boldly alert the universe that they:

• support responsible gaming;
• are actively committed to responsible gaming;
• are strong advocates for responsible gaming; and
• endorse responsible gaming.

No doubt about it, this is measurable progress.

Measurement via the Conference Placement Theory

A second unscientific way to measure the advancement of responsible gaming is via the theory of conference placement. A conference topic can be considered persona-non-grata if it is placed on the last day of a conference just after lunch and before the moderator says, "Adieu." A few years back, responsible gaming barely made this unenviable spot, having come from no spot at all a few years before that.

A quick survey shows that most of the interactive gaming conferences worldwide now include a presentation which addresses responsible gaming. An even greater show of progress is that responsible gaming is now generally placed on gaming conference day two and just before lunch.

No doubt about it, this is measurable progress.

Responsible gaming programs implemented by interactive gaming operators and vendors assists in mitigating the social costs associated with problem gambling; of this fact there is no question. Progressive operators and vendors are well aware of social obligations and are increasingly becoming committed to the provisions and ideals of advancing responsible gaming.

No doubt about it, this is measurable progress.

Advancing responsible gaming. . . It's the right thing to do.