From the laboratory to the casino: Using psychological principles to design better responsible gambling tools

With the increased expansion of legalized gambling comes a need to develop responsible gambling tools, initiatives and programs to minimize the potential harms associated with excessive gambling. Over the years, the Carleton University Gambling Lab (a state of the art laboratory casino, which contains both a real-world casino environment in addition to a highly realistic virtual reality casino) has developed and scientifically tested an array of responsible gambling tools that have shown to promote responsible play. The purpose of this paper is to provide a concise yet comprehensive overview of the responsible gambling tools and interventions that have been developed at the Carleton University Gambling Lab. To this end, we provide summaries of previously tested tools and interventions, including (a) educational videos, which reduced erroneous cognitions, (b) pop-up message tools, which helped gamblers set and adhere to pre-set monetary and time limits and (c) innovative ways to reduce craving and persistence in gambling via everyday activities such as eating. We, like others, believe that for responsible gambling tools and interventions to be maximally effective, they should be guided in scientific research and empirically tested before being implemented onto casino floors.