As the federal government prepares to roll out voluntary pre-commitment technology, researchers are hoping to get to the bottom of the growing issue of problem gambling. A new study will examine the effects, if any, that loyalty programs have on problem gambling rates across the country. As voluntary pre-commitment is rolled out, players who wish to set betting limits will have to carry cards that will allow them to do so.

Clubs and game operators will most certainly take advantage of the situation by offering loyalty programs to go along with the new card technology. As such, the Victorian Department of Justice wants to ensure that these types of programs will not have detrimental effects for players. In casinos and at online gambling websites, loyalty programs are quite popular.

At Crown Casino, for example, many of its patrons belong to the Signature Club which awards players with perks as they spend more money on pokies and other casino games. Players can earn hotel accommodation and free meals by playing pokies, so concerns have been raised about whether or not players feel compelled to gamble in order to claim these bonuses.

Are players who are prone to compulsive behaviour being take advantage of, or are casino operators simply awarding players for being loyal to their brand? "The study seeks to understand the role that loyalty programs play in gamblers' relationship to venues,” reads the abstract for the study. “Is it 'loyalty' or an 'incentive' to gamble?” Researchers will cover these questions and many others when they carry out the new study.

They will determine the potential risks that loyalty programs have for problem gamblers and devise new ways to regulate these types of programs in order to ensure that players are not being taken advantage of.

About the Author

George Anderson
Author George, has over 25+ years’ experience in the Pokies and Casinos industry throughout Australia and New Zealand. Loves to research new Pokies games on the block and follows announcements from top industry providers about their upcoming releases. As soon as a new interesting pokie game appears on his radar, George is there to check it out and give you the scoop before anyone else and tell you about all casino sites where can play the latest game. Before this gig, George worked as Pokie game tester, making him an ideal candidate for this genre of work. He is also an animal lover and a proud owner of three dogs.