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“99% of Gamblers Lose in the Long Run”: An Experimental Comparison of Novel and Pre-Existing Harm Prevention (Safer Gambling) Messages Warning About the Likelihood of Losing Money

Philip Newall Orcid Logo, Leonardo Weiss-Cohen, Elena Petrovskaya, Jamie Torrance Orcid Logo, Madison Palmer, Leon Xiao

Collabra: Psychology, Volume: 11, Issue: 1, Start page: 137306

Swansea University Author: Jamie Torrance Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1525/collabra.137306

Abstract

Harm prevention (safer gambling) messages are often used as a population-based intervention against gambling-related harm, and independently-designed messages (e.g., “Chances are you’re about to lose”) are increasingly replacing industry-designed slogans (e.g., “Take time to think”). One common type...

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Published in: Collabra: Psychology
ISSN: 2474-7394
Published: University of California Press 2025
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa70095
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spelling 2025-08-01T13:41:43.6903797 v2 70095 2025-08-01 “99% of Gamblers Lose in the Long Run”: An Experimental Comparison of Novel and Pre-Existing Harm Prevention (Safer Gambling) Messages Warning About the Likelihood of Losing Money de868c4f56d8f5fbecbd686fdbb7b4b5 0000-0001-5001-4126 Jamie Torrance Jamie Torrance true false 2025-08-01 PSYS Harm prevention (safer gambling) messages are often used as a population-based intervention against gambling-related harm, and independently-designed messages (e.g., “Chances are you’re about to lose”) are increasingly replacing industry-designed slogans (e.g., “Take time to think”). One common type of harm prevention message warns people about the likelihood of losing money in gambling (e.g., “99% of gamblers lose in the long run”), but this intervention can potentially be improved by testing pre-existing messages against novel alternatives. We asked UK-based online gamblers (N=4,025) to rate ten pre-existing and novel messages on 7-point scales relating to one potential negative impact (challenging participants to try to win at gambling), and three potential positive impacts (making participants want to gamble less, and being perceived as relevant to the participant and to gamblers experiencing harm). Participants also completed the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) to explore potential interaction effects based on levels of harm. Messages were all on average perceived as not challenging participants to try to win; as making them want to gamble less; and as being most relevant to gamblers experiencing harm. Significant differences were observed between messages, with “99% of gamblers lose in the long run” scoring the best overall, and the five pre-existing messages currently used in Australia, Belgium, and the UK scoring the worst. Messages were more likely to be seen as a challenge by participants with higher PGSI scores. Continual message design and evaluation can help improve the effectiveness of harm prevention messages. Journal Article Collabra: Psychology 11 1 137306 University of California Press 2474-7394 Gambling messaging, public health, population health, gambling-related harm, responsible gambling 6 5 2025 2025-05-06 10.1525/collabra.137306 COLLEGE NANME Psychology School COLLEGE CODE PSYS Swansea University Another institution paid the OA fee This research was funded by a Policy Support Fund grant awarded to Dr Philip Newall from the University of Bristol. 2025-08-01T13:41:43.6903797 2025-08-01T13:22:08.5113407 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences School of Psychology Philip Newall 0000-0002-1660-9254 1 Leonardo Weiss-Cohen 2 Elena Petrovskaya 3 Jamie Torrance 0000-0001-5001-4126 4 Madison Palmer 5 Leon Xiao 6 70095__34903__6795d90395934b6f99224a2eda54d8b4.pdf 70095.VOR.pdf 2025-08-01T13:27:56.7754290 Output 1464814 application/pdf Version of Record true This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CCBY-4.0) true eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
title “99% of Gamblers Lose in the Long Run”: An Experimental Comparison of Novel and Pre-Existing Harm Prevention (Safer Gambling) Messages Warning About the Likelihood of Losing Money
spellingShingle “99% of Gamblers Lose in the Long Run”: An Experimental Comparison of Novel and Pre-Existing Harm Prevention (Safer Gambling) Messages Warning About the Likelihood of Losing Money
Jamie Torrance
title_short “99% of Gamblers Lose in the Long Run”: An Experimental Comparison of Novel and Pre-Existing Harm Prevention (Safer Gambling) Messages Warning About the Likelihood of Losing Money
title_full “99% of Gamblers Lose in the Long Run”: An Experimental Comparison of Novel and Pre-Existing Harm Prevention (Safer Gambling) Messages Warning About the Likelihood of Losing Money
title_fullStr “99% of Gamblers Lose in the Long Run”: An Experimental Comparison of Novel and Pre-Existing Harm Prevention (Safer Gambling) Messages Warning About the Likelihood of Losing Money
title_full_unstemmed “99% of Gamblers Lose in the Long Run”: An Experimental Comparison of Novel and Pre-Existing Harm Prevention (Safer Gambling) Messages Warning About the Likelihood of Losing Money
title_sort “99% of Gamblers Lose in the Long Run”: An Experimental Comparison of Novel and Pre-Existing Harm Prevention (Safer Gambling) Messages Warning About the Likelihood of Losing Money
author_id_str_mv de868c4f56d8f5fbecbd686fdbb7b4b5
author_id_fullname_str_mv de868c4f56d8f5fbecbd686fdbb7b4b5_***_Jamie Torrance
author Jamie Torrance
author2 Philip Newall
Leonardo Weiss-Cohen
Elena Petrovskaya
Jamie Torrance
Madison Palmer
Leon Xiao
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container_title Collabra: Psychology
container_volume 11
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container_start_page 137306
publishDate 2025
institution Swansea University
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publisher University of California Press
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
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hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
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department_str School of Psychology{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Psychology
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description Harm prevention (safer gambling) messages are often used as a population-based intervention against gambling-related harm, and independently-designed messages (e.g., “Chances are you’re about to lose”) are increasingly replacing industry-designed slogans (e.g., “Take time to think”). One common type of harm prevention message warns people about the likelihood of losing money in gambling (e.g., “99% of gamblers lose in the long run”), but this intervention can potentially be improved by testing pre-existing messages against novel alternatives. We asked UK-based online gamblers (N=4,025) to rate ten pre-existing and novel messages on 7-point scales relating to one potential negative impact (challenging participants to try to win at gambling), and three potential positive impacts (making participants want to gamble less, and being perceived as relevant to the participant and to gamblers experiencing harm). Participants also completed the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) to explore potential interaction effects based on levels of harm. Messages were all on average perceived as not challenging participants to try to win; as making them want to gamble less; and as being most relevant to gamblers experiencing harm. Significant differences were observed between messages, with “99% of gamblers lose in the long run” scoring the best overall, and the five pre-existing messages currently used in Australia, Belgium, and the UK scoring the worst. Messages were more likely to be seen as a challenge by participants with higher PGSI scores. Continual message design and evaluation can help improve the effectiveness of harm prevention messages.
published_date 2025-05-06T05:25:43Z
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