Vol.:(0123456789) Journal of Gambling Studies https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-019-09889-2 1 3 ORIGINAL PAPER Making EGMs Accountable: Can an Informative and Dynamic Interface Help Players Self‑regulate? Christopher A. Byrne 1  · Alex M. T. Russell 2 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2019 Abstract Electronic gaming machines (EGMs) are recognised as one of the most harmful gambling forms, because they promote high-speed repetitive gambling and automatically reinvest winnings. These features, amongst others, make it difcult for EGM gamblers to keep track of their play. Tools to assist gamblers exist, but have limited efectiveness because they require user registration and manual activation, leading to low uptake. The present study aimed to evaluate the efect of a more informative interface (including removal of automatic reinvestment of winnings) and pop-up messages on gambling behaviour, and on player experience. A total of 213 Australian participants, recruited through social media, played a simulated online EGM. The experiment was a two (standard vs. informa- tive interface) × two (pop-ups absent vs. present) between-subjects design. The informa- tive interface: promoted keeping track of spins played; increased accurate estimation of amount spent (as did pop-up messages) and time played; and provided game usage fgures which acted as cues to quit play. Once the initial deposit (but not winnings) was expended, informative interface users could opt to reinvest their winnings, although many opted to exit at that point. No diference in total spending or dissociation was observed between experimental groups. Informative interface users reported no reduction in enjoyment. Pop- up messages reduced enjoyment with the standard interface, but increased enjoyment when paired with an informative interface. These fndings indicate that a more informative inter- face and pop-up messages may be useful in reducing the harmful nature of EGMs. Keywords Electronic gaming machines · Gambling · Pop-up messages · Overspending · Cues to quit · Estimation accuracy * Alex M. T. Russell a.m.russell@cqu.edu.au Christopher A. Byrne christopherbyrne@hotmail.com 1 School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity, Rockhampton, QLD 4701, Australia 2 Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity, Level 6, 400 Kent St, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia