What is a Mobile Gambling Game?
A mobile gambling game is a type of gaming software that allows users to wager on sports events and casino games on their phone. This type of game is one of the fastest growing segments of the online gambling industry. Mobile gambling games are available in many countries around the world and are a popular way to gamble for real money.
The emergence of mobile gambling has been facilitated by advances in cell phone technology and high-speed data networks. The newest cell phones are essentially mini-PCs, with full operating systems, heavy-duty processor power and high-resolution color screens. These technologies are well suited to gambling, which requires fast access to information and quick decision-making. In addition, mobile devices offer a convenient alternative to desktop computers and laptops, allowing people to play games on the go.
This trend towards mobile gaming has resulted in the growth of a new industry known as mobile casino games, or mobile slots, as well as a growing number of apps that allow users to place bets on sporting events and other popular wagering options. However, the proliferation of mobile gambling has raised ethical concerns. In light of underage gambling, problem gambling and the risk of death due to gambling debt, it is important for marketers to tread carefully when using mobile gambling to promote their brands.
A recent study designed to observe mobile gambling behaviour in a laboratory setting found that mobile device use engenders a pattern of behavior that differs from that observed with other forms of gaming, although there is some convergence between mobile and online games. Participants were asked to complete a series of questionnaires (including the Gambling Questions, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, GRCS and Beck Depression Inventory), a computerised contingency judgement task that probed the illusion of control and a simulated gambling app on their mobile phone. Observations of gambling behaviour were made during the experiment, and at regular intervals afterwards.
Results showed that participants were able to maintain perseverative behaviour when the rate of reinforcement was adjusted, and that this behaviour was accelerated by longer inter trial intervals. This suggests that mobile gambling applications are particularly vulnerable to the effects of associative learning, and that designers of such apps should consider the consequences of varying the rate and interval at which reinforcement is delivered. Furthermore, the results suggest that mobile gambling apps may have a particular vulnerability to the associative processes underlying problem gambling, and it is therefore prudent to treat these as a distinct category from other interactive games. This is especially true when considering the design of mobile gambling apps that are intended for social interaction, such as simulated poker and other card games. It is also a reason for caution with regard to the use of bonus abuse in such apps. Fraudsters can exploit the reliance on rewards for mobile gambling by using device farms to sign up for multiple accounts and then systematically scamming the game app out of bonus money.