International Centre for Youth Gambling: Behavioral Analytics Article

Bet Buddy has published an article in the latest newsletter of the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviours (Fall 2013, Volume 13, Issue 3). The centre is a McGill University Research Centre that is focused on research, prevention, and the training of researchers and professionals concerned with youth gambling and treatment. The article describes the principles and applications of behavioral analytics technology in gaming, discussing how researchers such as the Division on Addiction and gaming organisations, such as Bet Buddy and GTECH, have built an evidence base for by using player data was the study of actual internet player gambling data. The article then explains how this is evidence is now being used by Bet Buddy to enable lotteries and commercial operators to better protect at-risk players through the use of Bet Buddy's technology. We would also like to take the time to congratulate Dr. Jeffrey Derevensky, Founder and Director at the Centre, on winning the 2013 NCRG Scientific Achievement Award, a thoroughly deserved award!

Your social media gaming avatar?

With the ever growing influence of social media it was interesting to read about a new application launched on Facebook called Piggyback which allows parents to monitor their child’s game play (thanks to @appleface_co for the tweet). The service is free and is targeted at the parent’s of kids who participate in social media learning games. Without doubt a very useful service for parents.

But what about the rest of us who play online games but who are past the age where it’s ‘cool’ to have your parents watching over everything you do on the web? Today around 58% of social network users play at least one game and a check on the social media application leaderboard shows us that Texas Holdem Poker is the third most popular social media game with over 35 million active users. Given growing concerns about the impact of social media on youth gambling and given the power of technology, is it not inconceivable that millions of gamers will soon have their own virtual gaming avatar keeping an eye on their gaming to help keep it safe and fun?