Product risk: Implications for regulatory action
Article provided by IAGR partner, Greo Evidence Insights
Product risk refers to the features of gambling products that may increase their likelihood to cause harm. These features can be related to the game itself or how it is delivered.
Higher-risk gambling products are usually fast-paced, repetitive, and are available 24 hours a day.
Features like speed and activities that allow for high-frequency participation are more likely to be associated with harm and related problematic behaviour, like chasing losses.
Modifying the riskier features of gambling products is an important part of harm minimization.
In the past, efforts to reduce harm from gambling products have largely focused on risk assessments of individual products. The two main evidence-based risk assessment tools currently used are Gamgard and ASTERIG.
More recent work proposes a broader approach to reducing harm based on product risk.
How might regulators prevent and address the harms associated with a product’s design?
Recently published gambling research
Below is a selection of plain-language summaries of studies that may help to inform regulatory approaches to reduce harm from gambling products:
- The use of behavioural markers of harm to profile the riskiness of online gambling products
- The limitations of ASTERIG as a risk assessment tool for gambling products
- Using pictograms to identify the addictiveness of gambling products
- Innovative safer gambling campaigns to challenge harmful gambling products and industry practices: A description of ‘Odds Are: They Win’
- Australian adults’ views of harm for nine popular gambling products
Evidence-informed action
Below are examples that offer insights into strategies for mitigating gambling-related harms that stem from gambling products.
France
In France, the regulator l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux requires that operators evaluate the addictive potential of gambling games before and after the game is made available. The evaluation needs to include risk factors for the game’s ability to contribute to a person’s loss of control, problem gambling behaviour, and the impact on minors. The regulator recommends that operators use evidence-based risk assessment tools, such as ASTERIG. The evaluation also needs to identify ways to mitigate the risks and increase consumer protection.
Netherlands
In the Netherlands, the regulator Kansspelautoriteit requires that operators create a scientifically justified problem gambling risk assessment for each type of game they offer. The assessment needs to include provisions aimed at recognizing signals that indicate the development of problem gambling as early as possible.
New Zealand
The New Zealand government commissioned an industry-independent assessment of Gamgard, a gambling product risk assessment tool, in the New Zealand context. It concluded that Gamgard appeared to be an adequate preliminary screen for gambling product design features. However, Gamgard and similar tools need to be used together with other harm minimization initiatives and tools (both provider and community-based), as well as appropriate regulation.
United Kingdom
In 2024, the UK government’s response to public consultations stated that “Improving understanding of what affects products’ risk of harm should be a priority.” It also stated that a process for testing product safety should be developed and incorporate new research as it emerges. In the meantime, operators should consider what information about the risk of the design features of certain products could be provided at the point of sale.
