What is the problem gambling status metric?

While gambling and betting can offer harmless entertainment, they also have the potential to disrupt professional relationships and transform lives into nightmares. Let's explore ways to identify and address these issues promptly.

In the countries where iGaming is regulated, dedicated commissions evaluate not only the well-being of players but also closely analyze market dynamics.

Utilizing specialized questionnaires, one can promptly and quickly assess whether individuals, including yourself, loved ones, or customers, may be grappling with a gambling-related problem.

What is the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)?

The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) was developed as part of the Canadian National Prevalence Study of Gambling 2001. This tool was created by a team of researchers led by Jackie Ferris and Harold James Wynne, to assess and measure the level and severity of gambling problems among the adult population.

PGSI has become a widely used tool for measuring the severity of gambling problems in Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, and Europe, providing essential data for various research initiatives and programs addressing gambling dependencies. This method is used by market researchers, iGaming operators, regulatory commissions, and clinical studies, making it a versatile tool for international research.

What are the PGSI questions?

PGSI contains only 9 questions and assumes 4 answer options for each: never, sometimes, most of the time, almost always. Each answer represents a score from 0 to 3, respectively.

Here are the PGSI questions:

Thinking about the last 12 months…

1. Have you bet more than you could really afford to lose?
2. Have you needed to gamble with larger amounts of money to get the same feeling of excitement?
3. When you gambled, did you go back another day to try to win back the money you lost?
4. Have you borrowed money or sold anything to get money to gamble?
5. Have you felt that you might have a problem with gambling?
6. Has gambling caused you any health problems, including stress or anxiety?
7. Have people criticized your betting or told you that you had a gambling problem, regardless of whether or not you thought it was true?
8. Has your gambling caused any financial problems for you or your household?
9. Have you felt guilty about the way you gamble or what happens when you gamble?

Count the final score and look at the interpretation:

• 0 — the person is completely healthy and rational and has no negative consequences;
• 1-2 — minimal problems without negative consequences;
• 3-7 — players are experiencing a moderate level of difficulties with some negative consequences;
• 8 or more — there are significant negative consequences and a considerable risk of losing control.

What is the short-form Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI mini-screen)?

The little brother of PGSI was developed in 2012 by Dr. Rachel Volberg to quickly determine the status of players in online surveys and phone calls.

The short-form version is convenient in its format — it is easy to ask just three questions and especially easy to discreetly insert them into a conversation so that the person does not suspect what they are being tested on. However, it is unsuitable for clinical diagnosis and may miss important nuances. This method is ideal for rapidly identifying problem gamblers to analyze their behavior in more detail with more extended and in-depth questionnaires. Nevertheless, the PGSI mini screen is suitable for the needs of iGaming brands.

What are the PGSI mini-screen questions?

The basis of the method is identical. The same 4 answer options from "never" to "almost always" are assumed, and 0 to 3 points are scored for them. The only difference is the number of questions; now, there are only 3:

1. Have you bet more than you could really afford to lose?
2. Have people criticized your betting or told you that you had a gambling problem, regardless of whether or not you thought it was true?
3. Have you felt guilty about how you gamble or what happens when you gamble?

The risk is assessed on the following scale:

• 0 — zero risks, absolutely healthy gambler;
• 1 — low risk;
• 2-3 — moderate risk;
• 4 or more — problem gambler.

What are the consequences of being a problem gambler?

Gambling and betting are activities that require money. It's not necessarily wrong to allocate some of your income towards entertainment, and there's a possibility that you may even win a large sum of money. However, there are cases where this hobby can become excessive and problematic.

Problem gamblers often find themselves in debt, sacrificing time with loved ones, skipping work or school, selling valuable possessions, and even risking homelessness. The desire to turn one's living situation into multiple properties can be alluring, but the possibility of losing one's only home may seem insignificant to some.

Such behavior harms individuals and their loved ones, iGaming operators, and the betting and gambling industry. There is a whole range of consequences here:

• Reputational losses for the brand and the industry. The stronger the negative associations, the less chance for sustainable development.
• Financial losses. A steady, small income from a regular player will outweigh the immediate profit from a high-risk problem gambler who sold his car to try to break even in the long run.

What should you do if your brand has a lot of problem gamblers?

Several methods will allow you to improve this situation with existing players.

• Inform problem players that you suspect unhealthy behavior. Sometimes, this is enough for a person to pay attention to their problem and act independently. You can also give problem gamblers the contacts of professionals who specialize in gambling addiction.
• Give players the option to limit gambling and betting on their own. This can be either deposit or time limits or the ability to block access to games for some time.

Blocking or restricting accounts of problem gamblers may not help address their issue. These players may use a friend's account, switch to another betting company, or engage in other illegal ways. Thus, it is crucial to communicate with the player about their problem and provide assistance by conversing with them.

If your brand faces a lot of high-risk players, you should change your advertising strategy.

• Analyze the general characteristics of your problem gamblers and limit ad impressions to such audiences. You may have previously targeted those who are more prone to addiction due to age or social status.
• Revise your advertising creatives. You may be talking too confidently about the inevitable win, creating false expectations.

It's essential to foster stable and sustainable brand development in the iGaming industry, and this can only be achieved when people play responsibly.