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Seasonal patterns in slot-machine gambling in Germany

2010; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 10; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/14459795.2010.528784

1479-4276

Csilla Horváth, Andreas Günther, Richard Paap,

Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology

Abstract Although several aspects of gambling have been thoroughly investigated, little is known about the effect of seasonality on gambling. This study investigated the seasonal patterns in slot-machine usage, based on a unique data set of slot-machine usage from a German gambling centre using time series analysis. Knowledge of seasonal slot-machine usage patterns provides useful insights for researchers, gambling centre managers and legal authorities. Slot-machine gambling activity appears to be highest in November, when poor weather is compounded with lack of entertainment activities and lowest in December, when ample entertainment possibilities may distract people from gambling. The estimated daily and weekly seasonal patterns support the self-control literature, which suggests that self-regulatory failures are more likely when people are more tired; after work, or late in the evening. The high variation in gambling during winter implies that the availability of alternative entertainment activities may have an important influence on slot-machine usage. Keywords: electronic gaming machinesquantitativegamblingEuropeempirical Notes 1. Seasonal pattern refers to the systematic hourly, daily and monthly variation in usage rates. 2. The holiday dummies run from 6:00 pm of the previous day till 5:00 am after the holiday. The Easter and Pentecost dummies run from Friday evening 6:00 pm till Tuesday morning 6:00 am. 3. A Dickey–Fuller (Citation1979) t-test for the usage rate series equals − 32.61 and hence the series is stationary. 4. To save space we do not report tables with estimation output. Detailed estimation results can be obtained from the authors upon request.