The eCOGRA Global Online Gambler Survey, which arrived with a bang earlier this year, marked the very first time that academics and the industry interlocked to perform a substantial research project in the field of online gaming. With almost 11,000 responses from players across 96 different countries, the survey has become the world's largest piece of e-gaming research. James Walker takes a closer look at the findings...

The eCOGRA Global Online Gambling Survey, which was first unveiled at the ICEi exhibition in January, was intended to be the first real effort to ascertain exactly what players want and what they are concerned about.

One of the main reasons why such a large-scale study into player behaviour had not been conducted up until this point was largely due to the medium: internet populations and communities are extremely hard to research. “Gamblers are notoriously very difficult to investigate for all sorts of reasons,” said Jonathan Parke, a psychologist at Nottingham Trent University, UK, and chief investigator in the study. “It’s very difficult to find their motivation, usually because gamblers cannot really verbalise why they are gambling themselves. They tend to be very private and very cynical - particularly the online participants, mainly because they are used to aggressive market research.”

Before the eCOGRA survey, not a great deal was known about player profile. Although the global study focused solely on internet casino and poker players, it threw up some interesting findings, and these proved to be a useful platform from where one can begin to generate a greater understanding of web gamers’ motivations behind gambling.

The study challenges the presumption that gambling is necessarily detrimental to one’s self-interest. Indeed, those who espouse this idea usually focus their concern on highly unconventional modes of gambling, such as the criminal rings that use the revenue from gambling to support their illegal activities. Taking a far less radical standpoint, we need to acknowledge the fact that many individuals consider gambling to be a leisure activity; and most psychologists agree that leisure is essential in living a well-balanced life.

The simple fact that gambling games are frivolous to a certain degree is precisely what makes them enjoyable to a gambler. The idea of betting money is, of course, tempting and exhilarating to some, but this feeling is not exclusive to all gamblers. What became apparent from the eCOGRA survey is that although ‘winning’ came out on top of motivational factors behind why people gamble online, many respondents also said that for playing a few hours online one could spend the same amount of money going down to the pub or pursuing different hobbies; but here, at least, one has got the chance to win something back.

Las Vegas casino-goers find ‘entertainment value’ to be an essential part of their gambling ventures. In a similar vein, the entertainment value of online gambling sites - including graphics, sound effects, and other ambient features - is also extremely important.

Online gaming is restricted principally to two senses: sight and hearing. For this reason, developers must not overlook the importance of making their games look and sound impressive. We should, however, also note that different colours evoke different reactions in individuals. And while it may initially seem logical to design online gambling software in accordance with the colours they traditionally associate with wealth and power, we must remember that an individual’s response to a particular colour can often be culturally specific.

For example, in many parts of the western world, brides often wear white as a symbol of purity, and widows wear black as a symbol of mourning. Yet, in many Asian cultures, brides wear black. Rather than viewing this as a problem, however, operators who are intent on focusing upon specific geographical regions can use the fact that colours are interpreted differently between different cultures to their advantage. In India, for example, blue is positively associated with Krishna, green with Islam, red with purity and white with mourning. In many Asian cultures, yellow is the imperial colour, with many of the same cultural associations as purple in the west.

The power of sound and music in online games should also not be underestimated. Research conducted in 2006 identified a link between gambling behaviour and music, and many games now contain extremely realistic sound effects, such as a crowded bingo hall or the sound of a ball bouncing around a roulette wheel. Such value-added features serve to heighten players’ online experiences and will, in turn, help retain their custom. Interestingly, it has been suggested that gamblers are likely to place more bets and take more risks when listening to up-tempo dance music.

Although the outward appearance of an online game is extremely important, the eCOGRA survey also found that players place a tremendous amount of importance on other features that relate to issues of finance or security, including good bonuses, a good variety of games and a solid reputation. Player preferences for bonuses arise for three reasons: first, they may improve their chances of performing better financially; second, they can help extend play time; and third, there is other anecdotal evidence across various forms of gambling that players are attracted to the idea of getting ‘something for nothing.’

As with many aspects of contemporary consumer culture, branding is key to the success of an online gambling site. Just as a large proportion of traditional fruit machines bear some reference to money, so a great deal of internet gambling sites allude to power and affluence (Titan Poker, Mansion Poker and Paradise Poker, to name but a few). An ‘acoustically attractive’ name can also help generate traffic and having an easy-to-remember URL will also help, with one of the best examples of this being 888.com.

“There is a strong overlap between the psychology of familiarity and the psychology of persuasion,” commented professor Mark Griffiths of Nottingham Trent University, UK. “In very simple terms, a gambler must be exposed to the product and be aware of its presence before they can even make the decision to gamble. Once a gambler’s attention has been gained, the product must be likeable and familiar enough for them to think about gambling and wanting to interact further. Immediately familiar images and sounds are likely to lead to a much quicker decision to gamble.”

Threaded through the eCOGRA report was the issue of gender, and it soon becomes apparent that there are profound differences between how and why men and women gamble online. Importantly, when it comes to web gambling, many automatically assume that male gamers dominate the industry. With regard to internet casino sites, however, the eCOGRA survey challenges these assumptions, as it found that players in this category were most likely to be female (54.8 per cent of respondents), aged 46-55.

Women were found to gamble more frequently and for longer periods of time online, but spent lower amounts of money than men, who play at higher stake levels for shorter periods. These findings are consistent with psychologists’ views surrounding gender differences in motivations for gambling. For example, as ‘thrill seekers,’ the fact that men gamble for excitement and arousal is consistent with their short, high-risk casino gambling sessions. As ‘escape artists,’ meanwhile, women’s preferences to relax and take their minds off other things through gambling is consistent with their long, lower-risk sessions.

Although the eCOGRA survey focused purely upon online poker and casino sites, this deep-seated cognitive difference between male and female motivations for gambling can easily be transposed onto other web gambling formats, such as bingo. Tyler Schwartz, communications specialist for Parlay Entertainment, commented: “In general, women have always preferred games that are low-risk, easy to play, and that have a degree of social interaction. Bingo answers all of those needs. Anyone can play and it doesn’t take any particular skill. And while they’re playing bingo, they can chat away with their friends. In the future, we’ll see online bingo as the anchor for entire social networking communities.”

In terms of internet poker, players were indeed most likely to be male (73.8 per cent of respondents), aged 26-35. Again, consistent with the gender differences for motivations for casino play as discussed above, men cited their principal motivation to play poker was for financial reasons and excitement, while women reported higher levels of motivation for social reasons or to relieve boredom.

Evidence suggests that the gender gap across all online gaming formats is closing, and many believe that more and more women are now beginning to play poker, which is traditionally a male-dominated game. There are several possible reasons for this, the main one being the idea that gambling today holds fewer stigmas among the general population, and in particular for women, owing in part to gradual introduction and acceptance of various forms of gambling such as lotteries and casino and, more recently, the increased media profile of various forms of gambling, most notably poker.

“There are a number of both male and female professional poker players whose celebrity status afforded through television shows such as the World Series of Poker may add to the credibility and acceptance of poker as a pastime,” noted Parke in the eCOGRA survey. “Poker has also attracted celebrities to the game, endorsing it as an acceptable pastime even further. Therefore, as gambling continues to become more socially acceptable, with less stigma attached to it and more media coverage, we should expect to see participation rates rise more generally, but at a faster rate among women.”

The eCOGRA survey acts as a useful tool when considering issues of age within a psychological framework. In terms of internet casinos, the study found that players were more likely to be older in comparison to internet poker players. Possible reasons for this may include the fact that younger people are more exposed to the media surrounding poker and being more likely to identify with the celebrity poker players.

It has been suggested that older people may prefer gambling activities that require less concentration and complex decision-making. In addition, older people may often be less likely to play poker due to the fact that they have more responsibilities and less time available, particularly when considering the protracted length of time it takes to participate in online poker tournaments.

One of the key and most successful aspects of online bingo is, without question, the ubiquitous message board, which enables players to talk freely to each other while playing. It is important to note that similar community features carry through to online poker and casinos. Almost 40 per cent of respondents in the eCOGRA survey stated they visited message boards or forums, with the top five being Two Plus Two, Casinomeister, Casino Crush, GoneGambling.com and EZboard.

The two main reasons for visiting message boards and forums were to find out about bonuses and promotional offers (64.6 per cent), and to get information about the best and worst sites at which to play (53.4 per cent). Those who visited message boards or forums did so quite frequently, mostly one to three times per day (39.3 per cent). Slightly fewer respondents visited between once and three times per week.

The fact that players are spending more time thinking about how to play, developing their skills and engaging in conversations about behaviour is a reflection of the way in which online gambling is becoming a more bona fide pastime. And as the online gambling market continues to mature, it is also apparent that players are actively seeking control and information that empowers them.

It is interesting to note how certificates such as eCOGRA have been embraced by the gambling public. One possible reason for this could, again, be due to the medium itself. The internet is a truly modern phenomenon and one that reflects a fast-paced level of consumerism that has never before been witnessed. Online gaming is no different and it has been suggested that the assurance provided by regulatory symbols allows consumers to sidestep having to research into a particular portal to make sure it is reputable and up to the required standard.

One thing is clear: web gamblers place an extremely high amount of importance upon trust. When questioned over the issue of responsible gaming, Parke said: “Players tend to be quite cynical; they want the responsibility to rest with them. We found that they were definitely in favour of less restrictive options and 75 per cent said that they would rather have information that empowers them.

“They want upfront information about how much they are spending and winning or losing, each month. They don’t want to be told how much they can spend or when they can spend it because they think they are losing a lot of control there.” Requesting self-set timing limits and regular financial statements were much more highly favoured than operator-imposed sanctions, as were numerous other ‘soft-touch’ features, such as hospitality emails and other forms of information sharing.

The eCOGRA survey acts as a great starting point for those wishing to gain a deeper understanding of online gamblers. One of the most interesting findings of the study centres on the issue of gender. A number of reasons may be offered which might explain the shifting participation rates among the sexes. Firstly, women may be more willing to play online because of privacy; this is supported by the frequency of claims made by women in the report.

Parke continued: “In particular, as poker has traditionally been a male dominated game, online play has allowed women to learn to play poker without feeling embarrassed should they make mistakes. Players of casino and card games can now learn online for free or for very low stakes, encouraging new players to engage at their own pace. Before the advent of internet gambling, such a learning environment was not possible.”

Pioneering research such as that conducted by eCOGRA often throws up more questions than answers. However, the very fact the study was conducted in the first place is a clear indication that the online gambling sector is maturing. And just as more and more operators are beginning to realise the importance of the female side of the business, so the players themselves are craving a greater degree of transparency within the sector.

Self-regulation and trust remains a key factor, especially when we note that just over half of respondents in the eCOGRA study felt that online gambling software was fair and random, and over a third of respondents thought there was an on/off switch that could turn the software in favour of the operator. It does, however, remain clear that as online gaming continues to grow, more research will follow. And gaining a greater understanding of gamblers’ wants and needs will, ultimately, not only prove to be beneficial for operators, but also to the players themselves.