Other factors and dimensions (external to the person themselves) (2) include :

* stake size (e.g., including issues around affordability, perceived value for money)
* event frequency (i.e., time gap between each gamble)
* amount of money lost in a given time period (which is important in chasing)
* prize structures (i.e., number and value of prizes)
* probability of winning (e.g. 1 in 14 million on the lottery)
* size of jackpot (e.g. over £1 million on some lottery products)
* skill and pseudo-skill elements (whether actual or perceived)
* "near miss" opportunities (i.e., the number of near winning situations)
* light and colour effects (e.g., the use of red lights on slot machines)
* sound effects (e.g., use of buzzers or musical tunes to indicate winning)
* social or asocial nature of the game (i.e., whether gambling is an individual and/or group activity and how social faciliatation an play a role)
* accessibility (e.g., opening times, membership rules, number of outlets etc.)
* location of gambling establishment (e.g., out of town, next to workplace etc.)
* type of gambling establishment (e.g., betting shop, amusement arcade etc.)
* advertising (e.g. television commercials)
* the rules of the game (i.e., are they simple or difficult)

Each of these differences may (and almost certainly does) have implications for the gambler¹s motivations and as a consequence the social impact of gambling. It is also the case that technological advance could influence almost every one of these characteristics.

Further examination of structural characteristics demonstrates that for many of the categorisations (e.g. the near miss, light and colour effects, sound effects, skill levels etc.) it is difficult to separate the gambler’s individual psychology from the situation. For instance, the success of a slot machine’s structural characteristics (where success is defined as an increase in gambling due to the structural characteristic) depends upon the psycho-structural interaction. The importance of a structural characteristic approach to gambling is the possibility to pinpoint more accurately where an individual’s psychological constitution is influencing gambling behaviour.

Such an approach also allows for psychologically context specific explanations of gambling behaviour rather than global explanations such as "addictive personality". Although many of the gambling-inducing structural characteristics are dependent on individual psychological factors (e.g. reinforcement) they are a direct result of the structural characteristics and could not have influenced gambling behaviour independently. It is for this reason above all others that a structural approach could be potentially useful particularly in the area of product safety issues.

References

(1) Horbay R. Gambling technology out of control - product safety concerns.BMJ, 25 Nov 2004. (2) Griffiths MD. Gambling technologies : Prospects for problem gambling.Journal of Gambling Studies 1999; 15: 265-283.Référence : British Medical Journal, 21 novembre 2004, article PDF , HTML

Professor Mark Griffiths (Director)

Mark’s main areas of interest are the psychology of gambling and computer gaming. He has a particular interest in adolescent gambling, and the relationship between technology and gambling. He has published papers in many areas including slot machine gambling, lottery and scratchcard gambling, internet gambling, gambling treatment, and online computer gaming. A full list of publications can be found on his individual website. Mark.Griffiths@ntu.ac.uk

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