The Online Bingo Boom in the UK: A Qualitative Examination of Its Appeal - PubMed (original) (raw)

The Online Bingo Boom in the UK: A Qualitative Examination of Its Appeal

Martine Stead et al. PLoS One. 2016.

Abstract

Online bingo has seen significant growth in recent years. This study sought to increase understanding of this growth by exploring the appeal of online bingo. Our aim was to examine the content of ten online bingo websites in the UK and analyse a qualitative secondary dataset of 12 female bingo players to investigate the appeal of online bingo. Using two distinct data sources allowed us to assess how the key messages online websites are trying to convey compare with actual players' motivation to play bingo. Our analysis of bingo websites found a common theme where websites were easy to navigate and structured to present a light-hearted, fun, reassuring, social image of gambling. In addition, the design decisions reflected in the bingo sites had the effect of positioning online bingo as a benign, child-like, homely, women-friendly, social activity. Comparison of the website content with our participants' reasons to play bingo showed congruence between the strategies used by the bingo websites and the motivations of bingo players themselves and the benefits which they seek; suggesting that bingo websites strive to replicate and update the sociability of traditional bingo halls. Online bingo differs from traditional forms of bingo in its ability to be played anywhere and at any time, and its capacity to offer a deeply immersive experience. The potential for this type of online immersion in gambling to lead to harm is only just being investigated and further research is required to understand how the industry is regulated, as well as the effects of online bingo on individual gambling 'careers.'

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The Institute for Social Marketing at the University of Stirling received financial support from the European Union for conducting the research on which the paper is based. MS, KA, RP and LM state no competing interests other than the institutional funding. FD has received funding for her research from a range of organisations including the Economic and Social Research Council, the Scottish Government and the Responsibility in Gambling Trust. All her research is independent, and the views expressed in this article are her own. GR has received funding for her research from a range of organisations including the Economic and Social Research Council, the Scottish Government and the Responsibility in Gambling Trust. All her research is independent, and the views expressed in this article are her own. In the past five years, she has been a member of The Responsible Gambling Strategy Board: the independent body that advises the Gambling Commission on policy and research issues related to gambling.

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Grants and funding

The website analysis was conducted with funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no 266813 - Addictions and Lifestyle in Contemporary Europe – Reframing Addictions Project (ALICE RAP). Participant organisations in ALICE RAP can be seen at http://www.alicerap.eu/about-alice-rap/partners.html. The qualitative gambling research was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Responsibility in Gambling Trust (Ref No: ESRC RES 164-5). The funders had no involvement in the study design, data collection and analysis, the writing of the paper or the decision to submit for publication.

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