 Online
Gambling Survey Launched This Week
The first major online
gambling survey to be conducted was launched this week. The
eCOGRA organization is overseeing the survey in conjunction with
Nottingham Trent University in England and the University of
Nevada.
The online gambling survey aims to compile enough information to
give a comprehensive and unbiased impression of the online
gambling community on a worldwide scale.
The eCOGRA (eCommerce online gaming regulation and assurance)
CEO Andrew Beveridge, asked last week, that online gambling
portals do their utmost to encourage players to fill in the
survey. They are hoping for at least 20,000 respondents. Mr
Beveridge requested that the portals put messages on their
websites that direct players to the survey.
The survey first looks at the background of the players in
regard to their socio-economic background, age, job description
etc and then moves on to find out their online gambling habits,
how often they play, what games, how many online casinos they
visit. A good portion of the survey is related to how much
gamblers believe luck is related and their mental attitude to
online gambling. The survey also delves into whether customers
feel that gambling sites are reputable and what measures could
be taken to bring gambling sites into line and will provide a
comprehensive understanding of players' perception and stance
concerning the online gambling industry. The survey will also
bring up the issue of standards of customer service in online
gambling sites and will give an idea of what gamers feel the
governing bodies can do to protect gamblers and how they feel
the online gambling sites conduct themselves.
The report will also serve to provide information on a
qualitative survey of six of the online casinos major markets,
the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Sweden
and Japan. It is hoped that this study will give eCOGRA a
factual idea of what is going on in the online gambling industry
rather than going by what is being reported verbally.
Many experts, also proponents and even a few opponents of the
online gambling industry welcome this report. With the current
bills attempting to be passed, the survey will shed light on the
online gambling industry a give a more balanced picture, before
drastic measures are taken in the Senate. The bills were due to
be voted on before the summer recess and then were postponed.
Now that the elections will be upon us soon, the two bills
waiting to be passed are in limbo and the future of the online
gambling industry is uncertain.
eCOGRA is the only organization that monitors operators and this
non profit organization is committed to ensuring operators and
players are both protected. Monitoring is done continuously by
independent auditing companies. At the moment around 100 online
casinos have the "play it safe" seal of approval on their
websites. These websites have a solid reputation of fair
conduct, responsible gaming and player protection
The eCOGRA Global online gambling Report will be released in
January 2007.
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