Use of Consumer Protection Tools on Internet Gambling Sites: Customer Perceptions, Motivators, and Barriers to Use.

Internet gambling has been widely legalised in recognition of its capacity to, and the importance of, providing consumer protection tools to prevent and minimise gambling-related harms. Most licensed Internet gambling sites are required to provide consumer protection tools, including activity statements, deposit limits, and time-outs (temporary self-exclusion). However, few Internet gambling customers engage with the tools. An online survey of 564 customers of Australian Internet gambling sites aimed to understand the extent to which consumer protection tools are used, characteristics of those using these tools, and the perceptions and attitudes towards tool use, including barriers to use. Most participants were aware of the tools and had accessed activity statements; few had used deposit limits (24.5%) or time-outs (8.1%) but use of these restrictive tools was higher among those at-risk of gambling problems. Satisfaction with tools was generally high among users and tools were mostly used as intended; however, only moderate changes in behaviour were reported. Participants predominately did not use the restrictive tools as they did not see these as relevant for them, and they were perceived to be intended for people with gambling problems. The findings are important to drive necessary improvements to consumer protection efforts including efforts to encourage perception that tools are relevant for all customers. Changes to current practice, including terminology and promotion of tools, are needed by Internet gambling operators and policy makers to improve the utilisation and effectiveness of consumer protection tools to enable sustainable gambling among the broader cohort of Internet gamblers.

Understanding use of consumer protection tools among Internet gambling customers: Utility of the Theory of Planned Behavior and Theory of Reasoned Action.

Consumer protection tools such as activity statements, deposit limits, and temporary self-exclusion are provided by most Internet gambling websites to minimise gambling related harms through the prevention of problems and enhancement of controls for those at risk of disordered gambling. However, customer engagement with these tools is very low. Developing a theoretical framework to understand the reasons individuals use consumer protection tools is important to design strategies to increase uptake. Customers of Australian online wagering sites (N = 564) completed an online survey with a follow-up (N = 193) to assess whether the Theory of Planned Behaviour explained intention to use tools and actual behaviour with additional consideration of past tool use. Results showed that past tool use, attitudes and subjective norms, but not perceived behavioural control, were positively correlated with intention to use consumer protection tools. Intention to use the tools prospectively predicted actual tool use. The study validates past behaviour as a predictor of intention, and intention representing a significant predictor of future behaviour. The Theory of Reasoned Action (without the inclusion of perceived behavioural control), rather than Theory of Planned Behaviour, appears to be a suitable conceptual model to understand consumer protection tool use for Internet wagering websites. Use and application of consumer protection tools on gambling websites is not perceived as effortful, but under volitional control and straightforward. Positively influencing individual attitudes, perceived views of others and past tool use could increase online wagering customers' use of consumer protection tools.