Operator-based approaches to harm minimisation in gambling: summary, review and future directions

In this report we give critical consideration to the nature and effectiveness of harm minimisation in gambling. We identify gambling-related harm as both personal (e.g., health, wellbeing, relationships) and economic (e.g., financial) harm that occurs from exceeding one’s disposable income or disposable leisure time. We have elected to use the term ‘harm minimisation’ as the most appropriate term for reducing the impact of problem gambling, given its breadth in regard to the range of goals it seeks to achieve, and the range of means by which they may be achieved. The extent to which an employee can proactively identify a problem gambler in a gambling venue is uncertain. Research suggests that indicators do exist, such as sessional information (e.g., duration or frequency of play) and negative emotional responses to gambling losses. However, the practical implications of requiring employees to identify and interact with customers suspected of experiencing harm are questionable, particularly as the employees may not possess the clinical intervention skills which may be necessary. Based on emerging evidence, behavioural indicators identifiable in industryheld data, could be used to identify customers experiencing harm. A programme of research is underway in Great Britain and in other jurisdiction

Gambling Alone? A Study of Solitary and Social Gambling in America

In his acclaimed 2000 book Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam documents a disturbing social trend of the broadest kind. Putnam cites a wide variety of data that indicate that over the past fifty years, Americans have become increasingly socially disengaged. In developing this theme, Putnam specifically cites the increase in casino gambling (and especially machine gambling) as evidence in support of his argument. Building on the empirical and theoretical work of Putnam, this exploratory article examines the subphenomenon of gambling alone by exploring sample survey data on solitary and social gambling behavior among adults who reside in Las Vegas, Nevada. Specifically, to further understand these phenomena, a number of demographic, attitudinal, and behavioral variables are examined for their explanatory power in predicting solitary vs. social gambling behavior

Behavioral and psychological involvement of online video gamers: Building blocks or building walls to socialization?

Video gaming has often been associated with negative outcomes such as aggression and social isolation, particularly for those who spend significant amounts of time playing. However, advances in video game technology have enabled online, multi-player experiences which may facilitate social relationships. Recent literature suggests that meanings ascribed to video gaming may be more important in determining social outcomes than gaming behaviors alone. This study examined the relationship of both behavioral and psychological involvement in video gaming to perceived friend-based social support among a sample of multi-player, first-person shooter gamers. Results indicated that behavioral involvement (e.g., time spent playing, dollars spent) was unrelated to perceived social support. Enduring (i.e., psychological) involvement with video games had varied relationships with the measure of social support. Gamers who perceived video gaming to be a forum for social bonding were more likely to perceive higher levels of social support, while gamers who appeared to centralize their lifestyle around gaming were less likely to report positive social support levels

Eye quietness and quiet eye in expert and novice golf performance: an electrooculographic analysis

Quiet eye (QE) is the final ocular fixation on the target of an action (e.g., the ball in golf putting). Camerabased eye-tracking studies have consistently found longer QE durations in experts than novices; however, mechanisms underlying QE are not known. To offer a new perspective we examined the feasibility of measuring the QE using electrooculography (EOG) and developed an index to assess ocular activity across time: eye quietness (EQ). Ten expert and ten novice golfers putted 60 balls to a 2.4 m distant hole. Horizontal EOG (2ms resolution) was recorded from two electrodes placed on the outer sides of the eyes. QE duration was measured using a EOG voltage threshold and comprised the sum of the pre-movement and post-movement initiation components. EQ was computed as the standard deviation of the EOG in 0.5 s bins from –4 to +2 s, relative to backswing initiation: lower values indicate less movement of the eyes, hence greater quietness. Finally, we measured club-ball address and swing durations. T-tests showed that total QE did not differ between groups (p = .31); however, experts had marginally shorter pre-movement QE (p = .08) and longer post-movement QE (p < .001) than novices. A group × time ANOVA revealed that experts had less EQ before backswing initiation and greater EQ after backswing initiation (p = .002). QE durations were inversely correlated with EQ from –1.5 to 1 s (rs = –.48 - –.90, ps = .03 - .001). Experts had longer swing durations than novices (p = .01) and, importantly, swing durations correlated positively with post-movement QE (r = .52, p = .02) and negatively with EQ from 0.5 to 1s (r = –.63, p = .003). This study demonstrates the feasibility of measuring ocular activity using EOG and validates EQ as an index of ocular activity. Its findings challenge the dominant perspective on QE and provide new evidence that expert-novice differences in ocular activity may reflect differences in the kinematics of how experts and novices execute skills

Changing Grass Roots Culture in Australian Rugby League

As a result of the changing political landscape within Rugby League in Australia, and the change in position and importance of the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) within that landscape, the NSWRL Board wished to determine the current state of the game within New South Wales. The Board wished to plot a course in order to grow the game for both the elite level and participation within the state. This thesis addresses the overarching aim of attempting to move the NSWRL forwards as an organisation, identifying areas of weakness and development for the organisation and its members. The purpose of this was to create a culture and environment for participation throughout grass roots Rugby League that would allow talent to develop and their love of the game to flourish in a safe, challenging and appropriate environment. For the purpose of this thesis, ‘grass roots’ is defined as covering all areas of participation from Junior League football through to the Elite Level of New South Wales Cup. Specifically, the thesis aimed to address four objectives: - 1. To identify best practice and theory according to the literature, identifying and assessing any issues with current practice within NSWRL 2. Determine the current status and conditions of grass roots Rugby League within Australia in general and NSWRL in particular. 3. Propose and pilot specific, applied initiatives to address the issues identified. 4. Determine appropriate measures to assess the success of those initiatives. The objectives are addressed through a series of studies conducted within Australian Rugby League in general and New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) specifically. Accordingly, Chapter 2 revealed both the need for an organisational health check of NSWRL through a comparison of the current situation of the sport of Rugby League and the overall sporting landscape throughout Australia, as well as comparing current sporting systems and policies within NSWRL with successful systems and policies in other countries. Chapter 3 provided empirical evidence of the need for refinement and improvement of the player development pathway within NSWRL. The limitations of the current performance pathway were recognised in Chapter 4 and reasons behind those limitations were investigated through a mixed methods approach. Possible solutions for some of those limitations were proposed in Chapter 5, 6 and 7. Chapter 5 documents the implementation of alternate formats of the game that are designed to improve the retention and recruitment of participants to the game, with participants tracked to their end point in order to determine the success of the formats. Chapter 6 outlines the processes associated with developing an environment monitoring tool for both Junior League clubs and the Elite through a two-step process of design and implementation. Chapter 7 implements a Respect campaign designed to improve participant and spectator behaviour through the implementation of sporting policy. The thesis concludes with Chapter 8 and a summary of the investigation and the related initiatives. This study is novel in its attempt to adapt sporting policies, structures and measurement tools designed to deliver international sporting success and apply them to sport at a local and State level of organisation. It has identified a number of cross-sport applications or uses, including the importance of making evidence based decisions, developing alternate formats of the game that address previously identified issues rather than just scaling down an adult version of the game, and the advantages of a single administrative pathway alongside that of the participation and talent development pathway

EVERYDAY GAMING INDUCES AMATEUR ESPORTS PARTICIPATION THROUGH COMMITMENT

Electronic sports (esports), as a professionalized form of organized video game competition, enjoys incredibly high popularity worldwide. Its current limitation necessitates the emergence of amateur esports, a specific form of esports designated for mass gamer participation. As amateur esports is in the initial developmental stage, mass gamers’ transformation into amateur participants is the current focus. However, we know little about this transformation due to scant research. Thus, this study attempts to understand the transformation of mass gamers into amateur esports participants by investigating the relationship between mass gamers’ everyday gaming behaviors and their amateur esports participation. Specifically, relying on use and gratification theory, this study learns what everyday gaming behaviors impact amateur esports participation intention. Furthermore, this study also explains the mechanism of these influences through the lens of commitment. This study contributes to research and practice regarding amateur esports development

Gaming for Post-Work Recovery: The Role of Immersion

Playing digital games can be an effective means of recovering from daily work strain. However, limited research has examined which player experiences contribute to this process, limiting the ability of players to select games and play them in a manner which helps them recover effectively. Hence, this paper reports a mixed-methods survey study investigating how a recent post-work recovery episode was impacted by immersion: a player experience which has been implicated in theoretical accounts relating games and recovery. We found that particular dimensions of immersion, such as cognitive involvement, support specific post-work recovery needs. Moreover, participants report not only experiencing benefits in a passive manner, but actively optimising their levels of immersion to achieve recovery. This study extends previous research by improving our understanding of how digital games support post-work recovery and by demonstrating that immersion is key in determining the restorative potential of digital games

Online-only friends, real-life friends or strangers? Differential associations with passion and social capital in video game play

The present study tests a recently proposed model in which social video game play supports wellbeing by contributing to a harmonious type of engagement with the game. Players (N = 2030) of the online-only multiplayer first-person shooter game, Destiny, reported the frequency they played with real-life friends, online-only friends and strangers, their type of engagement with the game – measured as harmonious and obsessive passion, and completed a wellbeing measure of social capital. \ud \ud Telemetry data also recorded their total time playing over the duration of the study. A structural equation model supported the prediction that harmonious – but not obsessive – passion would mediate the positive association between playing with others and social capital. \ud \ud The findings also supported a supplementary hypothesis that the three types of social relationships would be differentially associated with two forms of social capital – bridging versus bonding – as a function of the closeness of social ties. Real-life friends was positively associated with bonding, strangers with bridging, and online-only friends with both. \ud \ud Overall, these results emphasise that social interactions in (and around) online multiplayer video games are effective for building social capital, and do so by ensuring game play is in harmony with other goals and values

Social Virtual Reality as a Mental Health Tool: How People Use VRChat to Support Social Connectedness and Wellbeing

Social virtual reality (VR) platforms have increased in popularity with many people turning to these platforms to experience social connection, including a rapid influx of users during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is limited understanding of how people appropriate and use emerging social VR applications to actively support their mental health and wellbeing in daily life. Through an online questionnaire and exploratory interviews conducted within the social VR app VRChat during the COVID-19 pandemic, we document how social VR is being used explicitly as a mental health support tool. Participants reported positive wellbeing benefits, mostly attributed to the anonymity provided by avatars and perceived safety within digital worlds and communities of practice. We also report how people use social VR to practice social interaction, reduce negative thoughts and form strong social bonds and connections with others