Professor Sally Gainsbury

Standard, static responsible gambling messaging generally fails to influence consumer’s thoughts or behaviours. Consumer protection tools (e.g., deposit limits, activity statements, time-outs) can minimise harm, but their effectiveness is limited through low voluntary uptake. The University of Sydney Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic has worked with numerous online gambling companies to analyse customer data and study the most effective way to deliver messages (timing, content, delivery method) to encourage uptake of tools. This presentation will discuss how using behavioural insights to nudge consumers towards safer gambling behaviours can increase voluntary uptake of consumer protection tools and reduce risky gambling. Data analysis can drive the use of AI to automatically detect markers of risky-gambling and drive responsible gambling interventions. The findings are relevant for online gambling and venues with tracking technology (e.g., through account-based play or cashless payments). The presentation will consider how research can drive innovation towards encouraging safer gambling and harm minimisation.