The Physical and Psychological Measurement of Gambling Environments

The Physical and Psychological Measurement of Gambling Environments
Karen Finlay, University of Guelph
Vinay Kanetkar, University of Guelph
Jane Londerville, University of Guelph
Harvey H. C. Marmurek, University of Guelph

Categories: Social/enviromental factors Treatment

ABSTRACT

The current research examines the influence of the design of gambling venues on problem gambling behaviour. The research identifies two competing views of effective casino design. According to the "playground" design (Kranes, 1995), casino design features should include elements that induce security, intimacy, freedom and vitality. For example, warm colours, green space and moving water would enhance the appeal of a casino. In such a casino, one could envisage spending a lot of time gambling because it feels comfortable and healing. In contrast, Friedman (2000) has collated a set of design principles that are intended to yield high player counts. Successful casinos, according to Friedman, highlight the gaming equipment as the dominant decorative feature. A maze layout and low ceilings are intended to promote a focus on gambling. Casinos have been categorized according to their design (Kranes, Friedman, mixed/Casino Niagara) and, in a pilot test, measured emotional reactions of respondents to the various designs. Kranes- type casinos yielded higher ratings on pleasure, restoration (relief from stress) and control. Friedman-type casinos led to higher estimates of arousal.

To establish a stimulus set amenable to experimental manipulation, researchers created videotape renderings of prototypical casinos designed according to the competing sets of principles. The validity of those renderings was confirmed by Kranes. One potentially significant additional variable that distinguishes the casinos is the amount of information to be processed in the environment. Respondents rated the Kranes videotape higher on information rate than they did the Friedman and mixed/Casino Niagara designs. Moreover, ratings of intention to gamble were lower for the Kranes-prototype video than for the Friedman- and mixed/Casino Niagara-prototype video. In some conditions, researchers substituted a music soundtrack in the videos for the natural soundtrack taken inside the casinos. The music soundtrack increased estimates of information present in the environment for the Kranes-prototype video, but lowered estimates for the Friedman-prototype. A critical implication is that the impact of introducing a design change will depend on the existing macro design. More importantly, changes in design that alter information rate impact directly on estimates of intention to gamble. Specifically, as information rate increased, the intention to gamble increased for each of the prototypical designs. Thus, introduction of design elements intended to influence the rate of gambling must be tempered by an analysis of the casino's design category and specific macro design elements. What is clear, however, is that an individual’s intention to gamble either by altering information rate or by changing restorative feeling (the extent to which one feels psychologically rejuvenated in a setting).

These effects hold for all types of gamblers (those under low and moderate risk) as well as problem gamblers. According to the findings of this study, moderate risk and problem gamblers are devoting large portions of their income annually to gambling. Casino design changes involving perceived information rate have the potential to influence the psychological pressures on these individuals and reduce the intention to gamble.

Full report included on link.