A pioneer of addiction research, the Division on Addictions (DOA), Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate, has been conducting studies in cooperation with bwin since 2005, examining gaming behaviour in sports betting, casino, poker and other online games. The scientific analysis and results of the studies have brought about a paradigm shift in addiction research. The unique character of the studies is described by Howard J. Shaffer, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School, Director, Division on Addictions, The Cambridge Health Alliance, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, as follows:

"For the first time ever the studies conducted in cooperation with bwin use the accurate records from computer-based internet gaming to study actual gaming rather than what people remembered or were willing to say."

One of the core goals of this cooperation is to create a scientific basis for the development of a secure and entertaining gaming environment.

• This research project will enable programs to be developed which can avoid the further development of gaming-related problems that users already suffer from.

• In order to achieve this goal, we are working on the creation of a scientific basis which provides algorithms that can identify risk patterns of gaming-related problems.

The research carried out by the Division on Addictions, Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate, has provided significant scientific results which have been published in international scientific journals:

• The myth of online gaming as a powerful enticer has been empirically disproved.

Online gaming – particularly online sports bets – are used by the majority of players in moderation and in a responsible manner. The risk potential is therefore no higher than in offline gaming.

• Responsible Gaming measures are extremely effective and are therefore a significant factor in the prevention of gaming addiction.

The continuing results of the studies not only provide the international scientific community with the empirical basis which has long been lacking in the area of addiction research. bwin also profits from the cooperation with the DOA. It ensures that bwin can implement its vision of a "safe and recreational gaming environment" – i.e. a gaming line-up which is both entertaining and secure – on the basis of scientifically proven Responsible Gaming measures.