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Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) is growing rapidly within the gambling industry, as it allows players the opportunity to create their own “fantasy teams” of individual players and compete for cash-prizes. Some stakeholders have expressed concerns over the dangers of DFS and related harm players may experience from its accelerated nature of play. Sarah Nelson, PhD, from Cambridge Health Alliance and Harvard Medical School, set out to explore DFS data.

What is the aim?

The aim of this study by Nelson, (2019), was to conduct and create the first descriptive dataset summary of Daily Fantasy Sports participation. The research team aimed to create, more specifically, the first description of the distribution of DFS play among DraftKings participants that includes NFL involvement.

What did the researchers do?

Researchers worked with DraftKings, a prominent DFS operator to create descriptive data based upon adults that participated during the 2014 NFL season. The study population included 10,385 adults, average age of 34, from 49 US states, 9 Canadian provinces, and various military bases. The researchers examined the “typical play” of the DFS players, including financial involvement, time involvement, and contest type preference. They then examined whether they could separate players into distinct player categories. These categories were based on their entry fees and net losses, and number of contests entered. Researchers hypothesized that overall, typical play will be moderate for the cohort, with a small subset exhibiting extreme levels of financial engagement, time engagement, or both.

Why is this important

This study is very important because there is a dearth of research on DFS and this is one of the first studies to use actual data derived from participants that use DraftKings to place their bets. This study aims to be one of the first to provide descriptive data regarding DFS players and their tendencies, and avoids the limitations that come along with self-report data collection. This study will hopefully lead to a better understanding of the play patterns of DFS players and inform further research on the negative outcome association with different play patterns.

What did they find?

Researchers found that players entered a median of two contest per active day and a single entry within those contests. A median entry fee of $87, and median loss of $30.70 was also found for this cohort of players. They found they were able to identify heavily involved sub-groups, which they designated the “1%”. This group was less likely to restrict their activity to NFL games, presented greater time involvement, and had a higher winning percentage of contests then those not within the group. These findings were in line with the hypothesis that most of the cohort would show moderate play involvement, while a small number would exhibit heavy play.

Limitations

This study only utilized data from DraftKings, which is one of a handful of DFS platforms. Those participants that use DraftKings may be systematically different than players that use other platforms. The players may also have played on other platforms, but this study only looks at DraftKings participation. Additionally, this study also only used data from one season of an NFL season and does not show any changes over time or season to season.

References

Nelson, S., Edson, T., Singh, P., Tom, M., Martin, R., LaPlante, D., … Shaffer, H. (2019). Patterns of Daily Fantasy Sport Play: Tackling the Issues.Journal of Gambling Studies.

NCRG staffResearch UpdateDaily Fantasy SportsDraftKingsgambling disordergambling research

The Scientific Advisory Board of the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) is pleased to invite grant applications for research that explores the full spectrum of gambling behaviors from healthy to disordered. In addition, we are specifically interested in policy-relevant research. We invite applicants from a wide range of disciplines to apply, including economics, public health, cultural anthropology, neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry and public policy. This request for applications (RFA) is in effect for both Large Grant and Seed Grant applicants, Jan. 1, 2019 – Dec. 31, 2019.

The consensus in the scientific literature is that the process of policy-making should be based on strong evidence in order to increase the quality, credibility and relevance of a policy (Soare, 2013). However, there is a dearth of scientific research aimed at informing policy. For example, several reviews have noted the lack of peer-reviewed research on responsible gambling policy (Harris & Griffiths, 2016; Drawson et al., 2017).

The Scientific Advisory Board has determined there is a need for empirical research on the following topics:

• Public health policy on prevention and treatment of gambling disorder, with special focus on health disparities
• Public policy, such as laws and regulations designed to reduce gambling-related harms
• Tribal gaming policy designed to reduce gambling-related harms
• Social and economic impact of gambling
• Treatment provider policy on screening, diagnosis and treatment of gambling disorder
• Policies of private entities designed to address gambling-related harms
• Population studies with ramifications for policy
• The efficacy and safety of self-exclusion from gaming venues and internet gambling sites
• Education and awareness for the public, gambling patrons and gambling employees
• Structural changes to gambling devices designed to moderate excessive gambling behavior
• The impact of the physical and informational environment
• Pre-commitment and mandatory or voluntary limits on wagering amounts and time
• Gambling on a continuum from healthy to disordered
• Lower risk gambling guidelines
• Tracking behavioral characteristics, especially in internet gambling

There is no geographic limitation. Applications from investigators outside the US are welcome. Applicants for Seed Grants and Large Grants should go towww.ncrg.org/research-centerfor application announcements, forms and deadlines.

REFERENCES

Drawson, A.S., Tanner, J., Mushquash, C.J. et al. (2017). The use of protective behavioural strategies in gambling: A systematic review. International Journal of Mental Health,15, 1302-1319. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-017-9754-y

Harris, A., & Griffiths, M. D. (2016). A critical review of the harm-minimisation tools available for electronic gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies, 33, 187-221. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-016-9624-8

Soare, L. (2013). Creating a linkage between academic research and policy-making. Europolity, 7 (2), 89-102.

NCRG staffIn the NewsChristine Reillydisordered gamblinggambling behaviorsgambling guidelinesgaming policyGrant applicationpublic policy

The NCRG is accepting applications for their Early Stage Investigator Grant until May 1, 2018.

Who

• Are you interested in Gambling Disorder Research?
• Are you within 10 years of completing your terminal degree?
• Are you looking for mentoring and research experience?

If so, we invite you to submit an application for grant funding of up to 65,000/ per year for two years.

What

Applications must contain a research plan that has intrinsic research importance in the area of gambling disorder and must serve as a vehicle for learning methodology, theories and concepts needed to become an independent researcher in the field of Gambling Research.

When

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until May 1, 2018

Past Early Stage Investigator Awardees include:

• Jennifer L. Tackett, PhD, University of Houston
  Aim: Investigate the extent to which dispositional traits (i.e. Extraversion and Neuroticism) and motivational pathways (i.e. approach and avoidance motivations) predict distinct pathways to youth gambling.
• Heather Gray, PhD, Cambridge Health Alliance
  Aim: Use the actual online gambling transactions to describe the gambling behavior of the most active and “high risk” gamblers and to examine gamblers’ adaptation to new gambling opportunities.
• Iris Balodis, PhD, Yale University School of Medicine
  Aim: Better understand the mechanisms underlying the relationship between the stress response and engagement in risky behaviors in populations with gambling disorder.
• Katherine Nautiyal, PhD, Columbia University and Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc.
  Aim: Determine the role played by the serotonin 1B receptor in the development of impulsive behavior through a mouse gambling behavioral model.

How

Download the detailed announcement and application form athttp://www.ncrg.org/research-center/apply-ncrg-funding-0

Please feel free to email Program Officer, Shayna Adams, atsadams@ncrg.orgwith any questions.

NCRG staffICRG Newsgambling disordergrant

Opportunities to gamble have increased starkly over the last 50 years, and with it has come a shift in social attitude towards gambling. Wendy Slutske, PhD, recipient of a 2017 NCRG Center of Excellence Grant, set out to compare the role of genetics and environment from two National Twin Studies, collected about 50 years apart, on propensity to gamble.

What is the aim?

The aim of this study by Slutske, (2018), was to examine the difference in genetic and environmental factor contribution and overall prevalence of gambling involvement in the United States in 1962 versus 2002. It was hypothesized that both prevalence and heritability of gambling would be higher in 2002 than 1962 due to various social factors and the expansion of legalized gambling.

What did the researchers do?

The researcher completed a secondary analysis on the gambling propensity data of two national samples of young twins from National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test twin study (National Merit) and National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). The National Merit Study data was ascertained in 1962 from a sample of high school juniors that completed the National Merit Scholarship test and included 509 MZ twin pairs and 330 DZ twin pairs of an average 17 years of age. National Longitudinal (Add Health) data was ascertained in 2001-2002 from a sample of adolescents and young adults and included 220 MZ twins, and 182 DZ twins from 45 different states. Both studies included assessments of participation in gambling at the time, categorized into yes/no responses to various gambling activities. The considerable overlap in the two assessments allowed the researcher to compare prevalence of gambling activity and use a statistical model to compare the influence of genetic and environmental influences in gambling participation.

Why is this important

Twin studies are important to public health because they allow researchers to look at the comparative influences of genetics and environment on a certain behavior. This study is modeled after previously completed cigarette studies; which looked at the influence of social factors on smoking behavior. These found that as the social acceptability of smoking increased, prevalence and genetic heritability increased as well (Kendler et al., 2000; Mezquita et al. 2018). This present gambling propensity study set out to find whether gambling followed this same pattern of increased heritability and prevalence with increased social acceptance.

What did they find

Prevalence:The researcher found the prevalence of gambling activity (yes/no) of the 2002 Add Health full sample to be significantly greater than the 1962 National Merit full sample (75% versus 49%, with an odds ratio of 2.80, p

Genetic and Environmental Propensity:The researcher found there to be no difference in genetic contribution to gambling propensity between the two cohorts. It was also determined that all the variation in propensity to gamble in both cohorts was due to environmental factors, including both shared factors between twins, and factors that are unique to the individual.

Overall:The researcher was surprised by these genetic and environmental factors contribution to gambling propensity. She had hypothesized that genetic heritability would differ between the two cohorts, but this study proved that incorrect. The author offered that this could be due to environmental cross-state differences that existed in both 1962 and 2002.

Limitations

The first obvious limitation of this sample was that the ages of the samples differed, with National Merit participants all approximately 17 years old, and Add Health participants 18-26 years old. In addition, secondary analyses on previously obtained data hold inherent limitations, such as vulnerability to changing definitions, unknown confounders, and unknown effect of biases.

References

Slutske, W. S. (2018). Has the genetic contribution to the propensity to gamble increased? Evidence from national twin studies conducted in 1962 and 2002. Twin Research and Human Genetics, 21(02), 119-125. doi:10.1017/thg.2018.7

Kendler, K. S., Thornton, L. M., & Pedersen, N. L. (2000). Tobacco consumption in Swedish twins reared apart and reared together. Archives of General Psychiatry, 57, 886–892.

Mezquita, L., Sánchez-Romera, J. F., Ibáñez, M. I., Morosoli, J. J., Colodro-Conde, L., Ortet, G., & Ordoñana, J. R. (2018). Effects of social attitude change on smoking heritability. Behavior Genetics, 48, 12–21.

NCRG staffResearch Update

‘NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, and the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) invite you to participate in a brief survey toexplore the possibility of a new national credential designed to recognize individuals with a specialty in gambling disorders.

Your input is valuable and will assist us in understanding the need for gambling education and training, and certificate or certification issues.

Should you have questions, please feel free to contact Christine Reilly at creilly@ncrg.org ‘

Take the Interest survey at:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NAADAC-NCRG-Gambling-Credential-Interest-Survey

NCRG staffICRG Newscredentialgamblinggambling disordergamingNAADACNational Center for Responsible Gamingphysiciansresponsible gambling trainingspecialists