 Players
in Online Casinos to be Surveyed
The online casinos
standards authority eCOGRA (eCommerce and Online Gaming
Regulation and Assurance) is to conduct the largest ever survey
of online casinos and gamers who use them.
It is hoped that a clear picture will be given of the online
casinos industry and players who regularly use them, what the
players' requirements are and what motivates them.
The studies will be undertaken by researchers from the
University of Las Vegas and Nottingham Trent University in the
UK. Approximately 20,000 gamers in online casinos will be
surveyed in extensive online questionnaires and this will be
followed by a more in depth 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 - in terms of numbers
- of what is going on in the online casinos industry rather than
going by what is being reported verbally.
The eCOGRA Global Gambler Report will be released in January
2007 and will provide a comprehensive understanding of players'
perception and stance concerning the online casinos industry.
The questionnaires will concentrate specifically on what
gamblers feel is fair gaming and the standards of customer
service in online casinos. Also, the survey will give an idea of
what gamers feel the governing bodies can do to protect gamblers
and how they feel the online casinos conduct themselves.
The report also serves to make a distinction between online
casinos and poker websites and the impact that gambling has on
the individuals who use them. Also a clearer picture will be
drawn of the effect gambling has on their financial situation
and general well being. The survey serves to find out how often
gamblers visit online casinos, why they do it and the
consequences of it.
Many experts in the gambling industry and even individuals not
involved in gaming have been pushing for an extensive survey of
the online casinos industry to be carried out for some time. It
is hoped that this survey will go a long way in arguing the case
for internet gambling with the current legislative measures
attempting to be carried out in the US at the moment. An in
depth research study has never been carried out and gambling
proponents believe that the only way the industry can be
assessed if through research.
Anti gambling lobbyists feel that there is no regulation of
online casinos and therefore players are not protected and major
problems can arise from under age gambling and money laundering.
eCOGRA is the only organisation dedicated to monitoring
operators and this non profit organisation is committed to
providing a framework of best operational and player practice
requirements. This monitoring is done continuously by
independent auditing companies. At the moment 85 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 most importantly, player protection.
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