Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Hierarchy of Gambling Choices: A Framework for Examining EGM Gambling Environment Preferences

  • Review Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Gambling Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper presents the Hierarchy of Gambling Choices (HGC), which is a consumer-oriented framework for understanding the key environmental and contextual features that influence peoples’ selections of online and venue-based electronic gaming machines (EGMs). The HGC framework proposes that EGM gamblers make choices in selection of EGM gambling experiences utilising Tversky’s (Psychol Rev 79(4):281–299, 1972). Elimination-by-Aspects model, and organise their choice in a hierarchical manner by virtue of EGMs being an “experience good” (Nelson in J Polit Econ 78(2):311–329, 1970). EGM features are divided into three levels: the platform—including, online, mobile or land-based; the provider or specific venue in which the gambling occurs; and the game or machine characteristics, such as graphical themes and bonus features. This framework will contribute to the gambling field by providing a manner in which to systematically explore the environment surrounding EGM gambling and how it affects behaviour.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abarbanel, B. L. (2013). Mapping the online gambling e-servicescape: A conceptual model. UNLV Gaming Research and Review Journal, 17(2), 27–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Gaming Association (2006). State of the states 2006: The American gaming association survey of casino entertainment. Retrieved April 30, 2014, from http://www.americangaming.org/sites/default/files/uploads/docs/sos/aga-sos-2006.pdf.

  • Amir, O., & Ariely, D. (2007). Decisions by rules: The case of unwillingness to pay for beneficial delays. Journal of Marketing Research, 44(1), 142–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, G., & Brown, R. I. (1984). Real and laboratory gambling, sensation-seeking and arousal. British Journal of Psychology, 75, 401–410.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bernhard, B. J., Dickens, D. R., & Shapiro, P. D. (2012). Gambling alone? A study of solitary and social gambling in America. UNLV Gaming Research and Review Journal, 11(2), 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, S., & Coventry, L. (1997). Queen of hearts: The needs of women with gambling problems. Melbourne: Financial and Consumer Rights Council.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, D., Tse, S., Abbott, M. W., Townsend, S., Kingi, P., & Manaia, W. (2007). Reasons for starting and continuing gambling in a mixed ethnic community sample of pathological and non-problem gamblers. International Gambling Studies, 7(3), 299–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, A. (1998). Sexuality and the Internet: Surfing into the new millennium. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 1, 181–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delfabbro, P. (2008). Evaluating the effectiveness of a limited reduction in electronic gaming machine availability on perceived gambling behaviour and objective expenditure. International Gambling Studies, 8(2), 151–165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delfabbro, P., Lahn, J., & Grabosky, P. (2005). Adolescent gambling in the ACT. Centre for Gambling Research, Australian National University.

  • Department of Justice (2009). A study of gambling in Victoria: Problem gambling from a public health perspective. State of Victoria.

  • Dixon, M. J., Harrigan, K. A., Santesso, D. L., Graydon, C., Fugelsang, J. A., & Collins, K. (2013). The impact of sound in modern multiline video slot machine play. Journal of Gambling Studies. doi:10.1007/s10899-013-9391-8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Donaldson, P., Langham, E., Best, T., & Browne, M. (2015). Validation of the gambling perceived stigma scale (GPSS) and gambling experienced stigma scale (GESS). Journal of Gambling Issues. doi:10.4309/jgi.2015.31.8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dowling, N., Jackson, A., Thomas, S., & Frydenberg, E. (2010). Children at risk of developing problem gambling. Melbourne, VIC: The Problem Gambling Research and Treatment Centre.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finlay, K., Marmurek, H.H.C., Kanetkar, V., & Londerville, J. (2007). Assessing the contribution of gambling venue design elements to problem gambling behaviour. Report for the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre.

  • Fisher, S. (1993). The pull of the fruit machine: A sociological typology of young players. Sociological Review, 41, 446–474.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedman, B. (2000). Designing casinos to dominate the competition. Reno, NV: Institute for the Study of Gambling and Commercial Gaming.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garlin, F. V., & Owen, K. (2006). Setting the tone with the tune: A meta-analytic review of the effects of background music in retail settings. Journal of Business Research, 59, 755–764.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths, M. D. (1991). The observational analysis of adolescent gambling in UK amusement arcades. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 1, 309–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths, M. D. (1999). Internet addiction: Internet fuels other addictions. Student British Medical Journal, 7, 428–429.

    Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths, M. D. (2003). Internet gambling: Issues, concerns, and recommendations. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 6(6), 557–568.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths, M., & Parke, J. (2005). The psychology of music in gambling environments: An observational research note. Journal of Gambling Issues, 13. doi:10.4309/jgi.2005.13.8.

  • Griffiths, M. D., & Wood, R. T. A. (2001). The psychology of lottery gambling. International Gambling Studies, 1, 27–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hare, S. (2009). A study of gambling in Victoria: Problem gambling from a public health perspective. Victoria: Department of Justice.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hébert, S., Beland, R., & Dionne-Fournelle, O. (2005). Physiological stress response to video-game playing: The contribution of built-in music. Life Sciences, 76, 193–198.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hing, N. & Haw, J. (2010). The influence of venue characteristics on a player’s decision to attend a gambling venue. Centre for Gambling Education Research: Southern Cross University: Lismore, NSW.

  • Iwamiya, S. (1994). Interaction between auditory and visual processing when listening to music in an audio visual context. Psychomusicology, 13, 133–154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, A., Dowling, N., Thomas, S., Bond, L., & Patton, G. (2008). Adolescent gambling behaviour and attitudes: A prevalence study and correlates in an Australian population. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 6, 325–352.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jørgensen, K. (2008). Left in the dark: Playing computer games with the sound turned off. In K. Collins (Ed.), From Pac-Man to pop music: Interactive audio in games and new media (pp. 163–176). Aldershot, Hampshire: Ashgate Publishing Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kranes, D. (1995). Play grounds. Journal of Gambling Studies, 11, 91–102.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lipscomb, S. D., & Zehnder, S. M. (2004). Immersion in the virtual environment: The effect of a musical score on the video gaming experience. Journal of Physiological Anthropology and Applied Human Science, 23, 337–343.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Livingstone, C. H., Woolley, R., Zazryn, T. R., Bakacs, L., & Shami, R. G. (2008). The relevance and role of gaming machine games and game features on the play of problem gamblers. Melbourne, Australia: Australian Institute for Primary Care and Ageing (La Trobe). Report prepared for the Independent Gambling Authority of South Australia.

  • Lombard, M., & Ditton, T. (1997). At the heart of it all: the concept of presence. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. doi:10.1111/j.1083-6101.1997.tb00072.x.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lucas, A. F. (2003). The determinants and effects of slot servicescape satisfaction in a Las Vegas hotel casino. Gaming Research and Review, 7(1), 1–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manrai, A. K. (1995). Mathematical models of brand choice behavior. European Journal of Operational Research, 82(1), 1–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, D. (2005). The gambling environment and gambler behaviour: Evidence from the Richmond-Tweed, Australia. International Gambling Studies, 5(1), 63–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, K. J., & Johnson, L. (2003). A customer-based assessment of casino atmospherics. UNLV Gaming Research and Review Journal, 7(1), 21–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • McMillen, J., Marshall, D., & Murphy, L. (2004). The use of ATMs in ACT gambling venues. An empirical study. Canberra: ACT Gambling and Racing Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nacke, L. E., Grimshaw, M. N., & Lindley, C. A. (2010). More than a feeling: Measurement of sonic user experience and psychophysiology in a first-person shooter game. Interacting with Computer, 22, 336–343.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, P. (1970). Information and consumer behavior. Journal of Political Economy, 78(2), 311–329.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parke, J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2007). The role of structural characteristics in gambling. Research and Measurement Issues in Gambling Studies, 9, 211–243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Productivity Commission. (1999). Australia’s gambling industries (report No. 10). Canberra, Australia.

  • Productivity Commission (2010). Gambling (report no. 50) Canberra, Australia.

  • Quester, P., Pettigrew, S., Kopanidis, F., Rao Hill, S., & Hawkins, D. (2014). Consumer behaviour: Implications for marketing strategy. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rockloff, M. J., & Dyer, V. (2007). An experiment on the social facilitation of gambling behaviour. Journal of Gambling Studies, 23, 1–12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rockloff, M., Greer, N., & Fay, C. (2011). The social contagion of gambling: How venue size contributes to player losses. Journal of Gambling Studies. doi:10.1007/s10899-010-9220-2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rockloff, M., Hing, N., Donaldson, P., Li, E., Browne, M., & Langham, M. E. (2014). The impact of electronic gaming machine jackpots on gambling behaviour. Report for Gambling Research Australia.

  • Schüll, N. D. (2012). Addiction by design: Machine gambling in Las Vegas. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Surgey, D., & Seibert, A. (2000). Playing for time: Exploring the impacts of gambling on women. Melbourne: Department of Human Services.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, A. C., Bates, G., Moore, S., Kyrios, M., Meredyth, D., & Jessop, G. (2011). Gambling and the multidimensionality of accessibility: More than just proximity to venues. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 9, 88–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, J., Mora, K., & Rive, G. (2010). An investigation of the influence of gambling venue characteristics on gamblers’ behaviour. Lower Hutt: Opus International Consultants Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tversky, A. (1972). Elimination by aspects: A theory of choice. Psychological Review, 79(4), 281–299. doi:10.1037/h0032955.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, M. A., Mun, P., Kauffman, N., Whelan, C., Regan, M. & Kelly, J. E. (2006). Electronic gambling machines and problem gambling. Responsible Gaming Council. Prepared for the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority.

  • Wood, R. T. A., & Griffiths, M. D. (2008). Why Swedish people play online poker and factors that can increase or decrease trust in poker web sites: A qualitative investigation. Journal of Gambling Issues, 21, 80–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wood, R. T. & Williams, R. J. (2009). Internet gambling: Prevalence, patterns, problems, and policy options. Final Report prepared for the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre, Guelph, ON, Canada. January 5, 2009.

  • Young, K., Griffin-Shelley, E., Cooper, A., et al. (2000). Online infidelity: A new dimension in couple relationships with implications for evaluation and treatment. In A. Cooper (Ed.), Cybersex: The dark side of the force (pp. 59–74). Philadelphia: Brunner Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Human, Health and Social Sciences, CQUniversity, 120 Spencer St, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia

    Hannah Briony Thorne

  2. School of Human, Health and Social Sciences, CQUniversity, Locked Bag 3333, Bundaberg, QLD, 4670, Australia

    Matthew Justus Rockloff

  3. School of Human, Health and Social Sciences, CQUniversity, PO Box 7815, Cairns, QLD, 4870, Australia

    Erika Langham

  4. School of Business and Law, CQUniversity, Bruce Highway, North Rockhampton, QLD, 4702, Australia

    En Li

Authors
  1. Hannah Briony Thorne
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Matthew Justus Rockloff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Erika Langham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. En Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hannah Briony Thorne.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

No conflicts of interest are declared.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Thorne, H.B., Rockloff, M.J., Langham, E. et al. Hierarchy of Gambling Choices: A Framework for Examining EGM Gambling Environment Preferences. J Gambl Stud 32, 1101–1113 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-016-9601-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-016-9601-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation