Dr. Mary Donohue shared a personal story during a video call this week about her brother, who made a stressful parlay bet involving a large sum of money. The outcome was alarming; he experienced a physiological reaction that led her husband to believe he was having a stroke. This experience prompted her brother to overhaul his betting practices, which he had adhered to for nearly three decades, and ignited Dr. Donohue’s passion for aiding others in avoiding poor gambling decisions.
Dr. Donohue now leads the Digital Wellness Center, touted as the only wellness organization primarily focused on gamers. The center has set an ambitious goal to decrease instances of online problem gambling by 25% by the year 2030.
The center employs strategies that utilize gamification to combat gambling addiction, providing evidence-based digital programs and incorporating microbreaks to alleviate stress and promote recovery.
Dr. Donohue remarked, "Responsible gambling is an oxymoron. Gambling is supposed to be fun and a challenge."
For some individuals, however, gambling transforms into a more harmful engagement. Louis Ruggiero recounted his experience with gambling addiction during a recent interview, describing it as so severe that it led him to contemplate suicide. He criticized gambling companies for exacerbating his addiction, suggesting that their responsible gambling initiatives amount to mere formalities to appease regulators.
Addressing the complexities of responsible gambling, Dr. Donohue collaborates with operators to enhance the effectiveness of their campaigns, which she refers to as responsible recovery. She noted that 71% of individuals often fail to remember responsible gambling advertisements. The primary issue, she argues, is that current responsible gambling approaches are reactive instead of preventative. While some organizations focus on prevention, the conventional responsible gambling strategies often attempt to rectify problems that have already manifested.
"Current RG focuses on, 'Oh, you’ve made a bad decision, you’ve bet over your normal amount. You should do this or this,'" Dr. Donohue explained. "What we measure is recovery and how recovery affects decision-making."
She emphasized the importance of taking a pause before making decisions, a practice she believes can significantly enhance decision-making processes. This perspective stems from her understanding that many well-being tools traditionally advise individuals to stop completely, whereas she advocates for an approach that allows them to recover from stress before it leads to poor decisions.
Dr. Donohue’s focus on responsible recovery also merits attention beyond gambling, encompassing a comprehensive view of individual well-being. Highlighting contemporary issues, she pointed out that 82% of adults struggle to disengage from their phones. Additionally, according to the World Health Organization, 66% of the global population experiences stress and stress-related illnesses.
"If six out of ten people, or 60% of your population, are stressed, are they making good decisions? The answer is no," she said.
Dr. Donohue argued that stressed clients, like her brother, ultimately do not benefit companies. "It’s a horrible thing for the brand. Do you know what it costs to get a new customer?" she queried, underscoring the potential financial implications of losing valued clients.
At the Digital Wellness Center, microbreaks are a key tool used to alleviate stress and promote sound decision-making. Dr. Donohue clarified that these breaks do not disrupt gaming sessions; rather, they are offered to participants in a non-intrusive manner. Recovery, she stated, should not mean stopping entirely, but rather achieving balance.
During our discussion, Dr. Donohue invited me to experience a microbreak by engaging with Droodle puzzles. "When you did that little game, you were on our platform, represented by a casino brand," she elaborated. "We ran a TikTok ad for them, which received 2 million impressions. We identified 1,100 highly stressed players who required a break. From those, 134 found useful information on the RG page. Thus, 9% of high-stress players voluntarily chose to take a break."
She emphasized that even short breaks could lead to significant mood enhancements, noting that data indicates "44% of the time you shift from stressed to happy in under three minutes."
In a different campaign with an online casino, Dr. Donohue reported observing a 74% improvement in players' moods following a microbreak. "This occurs before problems escalate for clients like my brother. They self-select. People are entirely capable," she asserted.
Delving into the science of microbreaks, Dr. Donohue explained their effectiveness in mood shifts and improved decision-making abilities. "Information is coming in from your phone at such a speed that your brain hasn’t adapted yet. Prolonged exposure leads to a clouding of thought and a lack of awareness about entering a potentially harmful decision zone."
Clearing the mind, she argued, is essential for sound decision-making, enabling a connection between the cognitive and emotional parts of the brain. This connection is crucial for avoiding the fight-or-flight responses often observed in gamblers facing pressure.
Highlighting the reality that most gamblers incur losses, Dr. Donohue reiterated her commitment to helping players make informed decisions rather than falling into despair. "My company was founded to empower individuals to make better decisions, and clearly, shifting your mood is an integral part of that," she concluded. Her ultimate mission is to equip gamblers with tools to prevent them from walking a path similar to her brother’s.
