Loyalty Program Rewards Increases Willingness to Use Responsible Gambling Tools and Attitudinal Loyalty

Although responsible gambling tools help to minimize gambling-related harms, operators have had difficulty motivating players to use such tools. In two studies, we assessed whether incentivizing players to use responsible gambling tools (by way of loyalty program points) will increase both willingness to use the tools and attitudinal loyalty (i.e., identification and satisfaction with the casino). In study 1 (N = 242), casino loyalty program members who reported willingness to use responsible gambling tools if rewarded expressed greater attitudinal loyalty. In study 2 (N = 208), players who were told a casino was to reward responsible gambling tool use expressed a greater willingness to use the tools, which increased attitudinal loyalty (compared to a control condition). Results from both studies held when controlling for disordered gambling symptomatology. Findings suggest that rewarding responsible gambling tool use may not only increase uptake (which may minimize gambling related harm), it may also strengthen the player-casino relationship.