Standards Body Launches Online Gaming Player Survey This Week

 "Our aim all along has been to maximize participation in this groundbreaking project, one of the largest of its kind undertaken in any field. Very few players on reputable sites will remain unaware of the survey in the coming weeks and we would urge everyone to complete it in full,” said Andrew Beveridge, the chief executive officer of eCOGRA. 
 
The non-profit organization addresses the leading issues for players -- including fast payouts, fair gaming, responsive and efficient service and responsible operator conduct.
 

Survey Says

The results of the survey shall give online casino operators a greater understanding of how the industry has developed and where it might be going, thus informing their future decisions.
The survey will cover poker, casino, player protection, responsible gambling and even the role of luck. The survey will be promoted by software providers, casino Web site operators and portals, and through eCOGRA\'s contact database.
 
The survey methodology was created by the gambling researchers at Nottingham Trent University and supported by the University of Nevada (Las Vegas), and will be supplemented by “qualitative focus groups” in six of the industry\'s major markets - U.S., U.K., Japan, Canada, Germany and Sweden this October.
 
What’s more, eCOGRA members 888, Microgaming and Ongame, whose software handles most of the online casino industry\'s sales, are supporting this survey. So are many of the Web sites that have been awarded the eCOGRA "Play It Safe"
 
The Global Online Gambler Report is set for release to the public in January 2007, when the next session of the U.S. Congress begins, and any new gambling regulation will once again be considered. Though there was a field hearing recently in Iowa held by Rep. Jim Leach (R-Iowa), the anti-gambling bill he proposed has already passed, but is languishing in the Senate, and is not expected to be passed into law this year. Lobbyists for the gaming industry will be able to use the findings of the survey to bolster their case for regulation of the online gaming world, rather than prohibition.
 

Critical Time

"This survey comes at a critical time in the United States," said Frank Catania, board member of eCOGRA, referring to the recent public relations troubles of the industry. "By working with two universities that are experts in this area, we\'re able to offer online gamblers a chance to express themselves, and tell us about their experiences with the online gaming industry."
 
Those who wish to participate in the survey may go to  www.ecogra.org/playersurvey, said Beveridge.




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