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VLT laboratory 1
Against the Odds: Establishment of a Video Lottery Terminal Research Laboratory in a
Naturalistic Setting
Sherry H. Stewart, James R. Blackburn, and Raymond M. Klein
Dalhousie University, Department of Psychology
RUNNING HEAD: Applied Research on Pathological Gambling
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Against the Odds: Establishment of a Video Lottery Terminal Research Laboratory in a
Naturalistic Setting
History.
The Dalhousie Gambling Laboratory was founded in 1997. It occupies two
rooms in the Psychology wing of the Life Sciences Centre at Dalhousie University. One
of these is a standard laboratory with computers, files, telephone, etc. The other is a “bar-
lab” complete with a bar, bar stools, a television, and two video lottery terminals (VLTs)
of a sort found in bars throughout Nova Scotia. On entering the bar-lab, participants
encounter brightly coloured walls, beer posters, music videos, and in some studies they
are invited to purchase beverages from the bar (including beer and mixed drinks) as in a
real-life bar situation. In most studies, participants are free to play the VLTs using
money out of their own pockets, keeping any winnings they might obtain. Electronic
control of the machines is maintained by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation computer in
Moncton, New Brunswick, and the odds of winning or losing on the bar-lab VLTs are the
same as on all other machines appearing in Nova Scotia.
Collaborators/Areas of Research Focus
.
Three Ph.D. level psychologists with distinct areas of expertise are collaborating
on several different applied and theoretical research issues in this laboratory. Dr.
Raymond Klein is an experimental cognitive psychologist and a world-recognized
authority on attention. Dr. Sherry Stewart is a clinical psychologist who is well known for
her research on alcohol abuse, and co-morbidity between alcohol use and other
psychological disorders. Dr. James Blackburn is an expert in neural mechanisms of
reward and motivation; while retraining as a clinical psychologist at Dalhousie, Jim was
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the prime mover behind the interdisciplinary proposal that led to government funding to
develop the laboratory. Additionally, Dr. Patrick McGrath, former coordinator of the
Cooperative Clinical Psychology Program at Dalhousie, was heavily involved in the
initial negotiations with government agencies that resulted in the opening of this lab.
The principal goals of the research conducted in the Gambling Laboratory are to
further the understanding of factors associated with pathological gambling and to suggest
strategies for minimizing the negative impact of VLTs. Specific research issues within
these broader goals include: reciprocal relations between alcohol intake and pathological
gambling behaviour that may contribute to the high co-morbidity between these two
psychological disorders (e.g., Crockford & el-Guebaly, 1998); factors contributing to
arousal during gambling sessions in pathological versus non-pathological VLT players;
possible differences in attentional function between pathological gamblers and controls
that might perpetuate problem VLT use; impact of manipulating machine variables (e.g.,
speed at which the “reels” move on the VLT screen) on VLT play. Results of the studies
to date have been presented at two conferences (Blackburn, McWilliams, McInerney, &
Klein, 1999; McWilliams, Stewart, & Blackburn, 1999) and we are beginning to submit
our findings to be reviewed for publication (Stewart, McWilliams, Blackburn, & Klein,
1999). As an example of our recent work, we find that although previous retrospective
studies suggest that gamblers play VLTs in order to reduce negative mood (e.g.,
Beaudoin & Cox, 1998), when gamblers are observed while they actually engage in VLT
use they report increased negative mood over the course of play. This increased negative
mood is significantly correlated with the amount of money lost (Stewart et al., 1999).
Obstacles/Challenges.
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One challenge we faced when designing the project was balancing ecological
validity against the need for strict experimental control. Previous research had shown
that studies conducted in sterile laboratory settings and using mock gambling machines in
which subjects played for non-monetary incentives did not generalize to real-world
gambling behaviour (Leary & Dickerson 1985). As a result, we attempted to make the
Gambling Lab setting as naturalistic as possible, for example, using a type of VLT that is
widely used in bars in Nova Scotia and having participants use their own money to play
the machines. In an exception to this principal of maximizing ecological validity,
participants in our studies are not permitted to smoke while playing VLTs, even though
many regular VLT players are heavy smokers (Focal Research, 1998), as we lack a
setting on campus that is equipped with necessary ventilation. On the other hand, it is
important to exert control over extraneous variables. Without a reasonable degree of
control of irrelevant variables, it is impossible to draw confident conclusions about the
important factors underlying an interesting behavioural finding. As one example, in an
in-progress study on the effects of alcohol consumption on risk-taking during VLT play,
we assigned regular VLT players to one of two beverage conditions. In the experimental
condition, the beverage was a fixed, mildly-intoxicating dose of vodka with orange juice
mix. We included a control condition where participants consumed only mix (orange
juice) to control for the effects of drinking, per se. Drinking only orange juice while
playing VLTs may not be a typical experience for many VLT players. Nonetheless,
without the inclusion of the orange juice control condition we would not have been able
to determine whether risk-taking observed among VLT players who drank vodka and
orange juice was specifically due to alcohol intake.
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Ethical considerations presented unique challenges when we initially proposed the
Gambling Laboratory, and the challenges have evolved along with our research
questions. We considered it essential to draw from the population of interest –
specifically pathological gamblers – rather than exclusively conducting analogue research
with college students. This choice forced us to seriously consider methods to minimize
potential harm that might occur as a consequence of study participation. For example,
since most studies involve playing VLTs, we are always careful to exclude those who are
currently trying to refrain from gambling. We also provide all participants with brochures
outlining local treatment services for problem gamblers. As another example, in studies
involving alcohol consumption, we use a well-validated screening measure to exclude
those with possible alcoholism because alcohol administration can be harmful to those
with a history of alcohol problems. To minimize chances of harm due to drinking in the
lab, we have all participants who consume alcohol during our studies wait in the lab
following the study until such time as their blood alcohol concentration is well under the
legal limit for driving in the province of Nova Scotia. We also pay for taxi fare when
alcohol-consuming participants have not arranged for alternative transportation home
after study completion.
Our very stringent inclusion/exclusion requirements contribute to yet another
obstacle – participant recruitment. Although a substantial proportion of regular VLT
players are pathological gamblers, it has sometimes been difficult to find sufficient
numbers of willing and eligible subjects. For this reason, we provide willing participants
with $50 as an incentive to participate and as compensation for their time and effort.
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In fact, participant reimbursement and taxi fares, along with equipment costs (e.g.,
psychophysiological recording equipment for the arousal studies), VLT rental, computer
programming, and other technical support have made this research project relatively
costly. Researchers planning studies of this magnitude must carefully consider and
budget for the costs involved, and ensure adequate financial support early on in the
planning process. We have been fortunate that there has been a strong commitment to
research on pathological gambling in Nova Scotia since the introduction of the VLTs and
casinos to this province.
A final challenge has been the need to obtain the cooperation of a large and
diverse group of agencies crucial to the success of this research project. These include:
the Nova Scotia Department of Health, the Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation, the Nova
Scotia Gaming Foundation, the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission, the Atlantic Lottery
Corporation, and a VLT manufacturer. Researchers contemplating applied projects of
this nature should be aware that a considerable amount of time and effort goes into
developing and maintaining relations with participating agencies.
Personal/Professional/Community Rewards and Benefits
.
Despite these obstacles and challenges, this has been a particularly exciting and
rewarding project for all involved. As researchers, it has been encouraging to note the
widespread community and media interest in our work. This public interest has also aided
participant recruitment and encouraged the co-operation of important agencies.
We have particularly enjoyed the benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration –
learning a great deal from one another’s expertise and methodologies. This type of
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collaboration enhances the understanding of pathological gambling as a multifaceted
cognitive, behavioural, and clinical entity.
An additional reward for the researchers involved has been the keen interest
shown by many students and trainees in Gambling Laboratory activities. Several
students/trainees have already worked on projects conducted in the lab, and some are
currently doing so. Participation in Gambling Lab projects provides rich opportunities
for students’ development of their research skills. In particular, students have acquired
experience conducting practical science, and have been exposed to the multidisciplinary
collaboration and teamwork crucial for the success of research today (see Klein, in press).
One of the key features of this research project is its immediate relevance to
prominent public policy and treatment issues. Because we are reporting our findings
directly to policy makers, we believe that our results will have an important impact on
aspects of video lottery gambling policy in Nova Scotia. For example, on the basis of
ongoing research into the impact of machine variables on VLT play, we hope to be able
to make specific recommendations on the ways in which current machines could be
modified to minimize their negative impact. We also anticipate that our findings will
suggest avenues for improving treatments available for pathological gamblers. For
example, by studying mechanisms underlying the co-morbidity between alcohol abuse
and pathological gambling, we hope to be able to make suggestions for improving
interventions for clients with this common form of dual diagnosis.
Future Directions
.
All of our studies to date have been conducted within our university-based
laboratory. Although we have taken measures to maximize the ecological validity of the
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lab environment, an important next step is to extend our findings to the real world
contexts in which VLT play actually occurs. Therefore, the next phase of our research
will extend the lab-based project on manipulation of machine parameters to a field
project in an actual real world bar. This phase will likely present new challenges in the
areas of participant recruitment, ethics, and securing the cooperation of participating
agencies.
Conclusions.
We wish to caution that this type of relatively-naturalistic applied research is not a
substitute for more precisely-controlled experimentation. The latter is necessary for a full
theoretical elucidation of any clinical phenomena. For example, our research on possible
attentional dysfunction(s) in pathological gamblers would not have been possible had
attentional mechanisms not been thoroughly characterized through years of experimental
studies in controlled laboratory settings. Nonetheless, applied research bridges the gap
between basic research and clinical practice/policy-making. Despite the substantial
obstacles and challenges we have at times encountered in this applied research effort, we
have found the establishment and running of an applied gambling laboratory to be a very
exciting and rewarding endeavor.
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Author Notes
The activities of the Dalhousie Gambling Laboratory are supported by a generous
grant from the Nova Scotia Gaming Foundation, Nova Scotia Department of Health,
awarded to the three authors of the current article.
We would like to acknowledge the contributions of current and former students,
trainees, and post-doctoral fellows Dr. Robert Barnett, Michael Ellery, Pamela Loba,
Robert McInerney, and Lachlan McWilliams to the research reported herein.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Dr. Sherry H.
Stewart at the Department of Psychology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4J1;
FAX: 902-494-3793; e-mail: sstewart@is.dal.ca.
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References
Beaudoin, C. M., & Cox, B. J. (1999). Characteristics of problem gambling in a
Canadian context: A preliminary study using a DSM-IV-based questionnaire.
Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 44, 483-487.
Blackburn, J. R., McWilliams, L. A., McInerney, R. J., & Klein, R. M. (1999). A brief
battery of attention tests for experimental use with clinical populations
[Summary]. Canadian Psychology, 40 (2a), 68.
Crockford, D. N., & el-Guebaly, N. (1998). Psychiatric co-morbidity in pathological
gambling: A critical review. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 43, 43-50.
Focal Research (1998). Nova Scotia Video Lottery Players’ Survey 1997/98. Nova
Scotia Department of Health, Problem Gambling Services.
Klein, R. M. (in press). Science, practice and training: Public support and collaboration.
The Nova Scotia Psychologist.
Leary, K., & Dickerson, M. (1985). Levels of arousal in high- and low-frequency
gamblers. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 23, 635-640.
McWilliams, L. A., Stewart, S. H., & Blackburn, J. R. (1999). A laboratory-based
investigation of the influence of video lottery terminal play on alcohol
consumption [Summary]. Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Meeting of the
Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy (CD-ROM).
Stewart, S. H., McWilliams, L. A., Blackburn, J. R., & Klein, R. (1999). A laboratory-
based investigation of the influence of video lottery terminal (VLT) play on mood
and alcohol consumption among regular VLT players. Manuscript under review
for publication.
