Gambling's forgotten responsibility

Anders Bergman, Founder of QuitGamble.com, asks why there is so much focus on the responsibility of operators – yet so little emphasis on the responsibility of game developers

Anders Bergman

In 2021, we've seen casino a er casino getting fined for “not caring enough” about the regulations regarding responsible gambling. But haven’t we forgotten the responsibility of one part of the gambling industry?

If gambling is addictive, then isn’t it the games that are addictive? So why is nobody talking about the responsibility of game developers?

How do you build a successful game? I don’t claim to be an expert, but here are three elements I’d incorporate: 1. Very near wins 2. Creating visual illusions 3. Using false wins

Let me explain these elements further. Have you ever bought a scratch ticket? I’ve done it many times, and I’ve been so close to winning millions (or was I?) yet I’ve never won. Statistically, I should have won. But the game is designed so it looks like I am close to winning. For example, I needed three icons to win a million, and I got multiple twos.

Developers have taken “very near wins” to the next level on slot machines by adding sound e ects. To make it extra e ective, they use the same sound e ect as when a person actually wins.

Another way to add excitement to a game is the use of visual illusions. Jackpot wheels are a typical example. e player has reached the jackpot wheel and, visually, there is a 1:20 chance to win. But that’s not the case. In reality, the game is rigged, so the real chance of winning is perhaps 1:1,000,000.

Players quickly get bored when they don't win. To solve that problem, developers can add "false wins." What is a false win? Let's say you bet €5 ($6.12) and win €2. e screen is blinking, and remember the sound e ects? Yes, those are also at full e ect, screaming to the player 'YOU WON!' Some might call that a win, but I don’t, and if anybody wants to exchange a €5 bill with me for a €2 coin, let me know. ese elements create excitement, and the players have fun. So what is the problem? One problem games exploit is that our brain can’t separate wins and near wins. e dopamine rush is not created by the win. Instead, it’s the excitement leading up to the win. If the build-up ends in a loss, it does not matter. Using near wins, visual illusions and false wins, the games trigger these dopamine rushes X times (depending on which game) more o en than if it only happened when the player truly won.

It does not matter if you believe a compulsive gambler uses gambling to escape pain or is addicted to these dopamine rushes. A game that exploits how our brain works by ooding it with extra dopamine isn't out of liability when it comes to responsible gambling and gambling addiction. So is it fair to place all responsibility for problem gambling on operators?

One could argue the casinos put the games on their platforms. e casinos contact the customers, and it's the casinos who try to keep them for as long as possible. But who is really using whom?

Few casinos create their own games. Instead, they rely on game developers to supply them with slots, bingo and live games. ese games even run on the developers' servers. e biggest jackpots, so-called network jackpots, the casinos have no control over at all. It's the game developers who collect the money and pay out the jackpots.

Don't get me wrong; I don't say that online casinos aren't partly responsible for helping people stay safe while gambling. But they are not alone; the game developers also have a responsibility to ensure people aren't negatively a ected by their games.

With this article, I want to shed light on one part of the gambling industry that so far has own under the radar of the regulatory authorities. Perhaps it's time for regulators to take a closer look at how games are developed, to ensure the safety of the players?

Anders Bergman, enthusiastic high-fiver, motivational speaker, and padel nerd. Founder of QuitGamble.com, a platform directed to help people with gambling problems. After five years as an affiliate, I wanted to do something different. Challenging the status quo of addiction felt like the perfect way to make the world a better place. Today, 2.5 years later, I’m proud to present QuitGamble.com to you.