New Study Unveils Game-Changing Tool for Promoting Responsible Gambling

A groundbreaking study led by Dr. Nassim Tabri and Dr. Michael Wohl (Department of Psychology, Carleton University), in collaboration with Dr. Richard Wood of Gamres, has been published in Addiction, the leading journal in addiction science. Their research introduces the Positive Play Quiz—a cutting-edge tool developed by Gamres to revolutionize the promotion of responsible gambling.

Funded by an International Center for Responsible Gaming Seed Grant, the study tested the power of personalized and normative feedback to improve Gambling Literacy (i.e., accurate knowledge about gambling), intentions to use responsible gambling tools, self-confidence to use those tools, and responsible behaviours. In a large-scale randomized controlled trial involving over 4,000 Canadian adults with recent gambling experience, the findings were clear: participants who received feedback through the Positive Play Quiz showed significant improvements in gambling insight as well as intentions and confidence to adopt responsible gambling practices that explore game mechanics, understanding odds, and use of management tools compared to those who did not receive feedback.

These results are a game-changer in supporting the increasing number of players, globally, who are gambling online. By tackling common misconceptions about game odds and mechanics—key drivers of disordered gambling—the Positive Play Quiz empowers players to make more well-informed decisions and helps them to avoid high-risk behaviors.

Although modest changes in gambling behaviours were observed over three months, the study marks a major step forward in addiction prevention and Gambling Literacy. The findings underscore the potential of innovative feedback tools to drive meaningful behaviour change, offering new hope for tackling a growing public health issue.

This open-access publication ensures the research is accessible to policymakers, researchers, and the public. Read the full study: https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16722.

Congratulations to Drs. Tabri, Wohl, and Wood on this significant achievement, which breaks new ground for responsible gambling interventions!