UKGC releases data on the typical customer journey with an operator  

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has published data into the typical journey of consumers from the start of a gambling interaction to the end.

Path to Play, as the research was dubbed, and involved in-depth discussions gamblers, details the six steps that someone encounters during the process of placing a bet or playing a game.

These stages are: passive influences, external triggers, internal impulses, active search, play experience and play outcome.

Passive influences convey underlying attitudes and perceptions of gambling and the report indicated that those surveyed suggested winning experiences either for themselves or hearing from others was the biggest passive influence in placing a wager of any kind.

More than a quarter (28%) of people surveyed said that they would place a bet after having had a win themselves in the past, while 27% said they would do so on the back of someone they knew having a win.

Despite the research suggesting that 19% were passively influenced by advertising, it was generally “background noise”.

External influences are considered to be “nudges that prompt consideration of play” and most notably special offers and direct communications were the most prevalent triggers for someone to have a wager.

Internal impulses refer to an underlying motivation to gamble and 43% of the survey said that they had taken part in their most recent activity tom “win some money, even a small amount” while 38% said they did so in order to have fun.

Active search involves the process of deciding where and what to play. The survey respondents’ knowledge of a product or familiarity was the primary driver, with one gambler saying: “I tried out an instant win game that reminded me of Candy Crush.” They also added that for this reason they had a “positive sentiment” towards the game.

Winning a game or bet was the primary positive factor found during the survey that impacted a player’s experience with play outcome perceived as being more about “reflection and next steps rather than influencing” future gambling behaviour.

On the reasons for investigating customer journeys, the UKGC wrote: “The intention is to explore this journey specifically from the gambler’s perspective, which may be different to an operator or regulator’s perspective.

“This will allow us to better understand how consumers experience gambling, what factors influence them, where there may be greater risks for some gamblers, and identify opportunities for intervention.

“The aim was to create a framework of the ‘Path to Play’ indicating the key milestones and stages gamblers go through when they gamble.”

However, the regulator warned that this isn’t a “one size fits all model”. “Gamblers are not homogenous and everyone’s experience will be slightly different.

“It is a framework that encompasses the moments typically experienced by consumers, but that also shows how gambling experiences can differ for different people, or in different contexts,” the UKGC concluded.