Breaks in Play: Do They Achieve Intended Aims?

Area of Science:

• Gambling Studies
• Behavioral Psychology
• Responsible Gambling Research

Background:

• Breaks in play are a responsible gambling strategy to limit session behavior and expenditure.
• The goal is to motivate players to gamble within affordable limits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if imposed breaks in play, without warnings, reduce gambling cravings.
• To assess the impact of break duration on cravings.

Main Methods:

• 141 university students played simulated Blackjack.
• Participants were randomly assigned to no break, a 3-minute break, or an 8-minute break.
• Measures of problem gambling, cravings, and dissociation were administered.

Main Results:

• Cravings increased, rather than decreased, following imposed breaks.
• Longer breaks (8 minutes) resulted in higher cravings than shorter breaks (3 minutes).

Conclusions:

• Breaks in play, when used alone, can have counterproductive effects on gambling cravings.
• Responsible gambling policies should integrate warning or appraisal messages with breaks for optimal effectiveness.