Samantha Thomas

Researching Gambling, Advertising and Social Impact

My work has focused on understanding how gambling is positioned within society, particularly how it is presented, perceived, and normalised through digital environments. As a researcher based at Deakin University, I have examined the intersection between gambling systems, marketing strategies, and public health outcomes, with a specific focus on how people interpret risk in increasingly accessible environments.

Over time, my research has shifted toward online ecosystems, where gambling is no longer confined to physical venues. Digital platforms have introduced new forms of exposure — constant availability, embedded advertising, and seamless transitions between browsing and play. These factors do not change the mathematical structure of gambling systems, but they significantly shape how those systems are experienced and understood.

A central theme in my work is how language and presentation influence perception. Players are often exposed to terms such as “bonus”, “free spins”, or “rewards” without a clear explanation of the underlying conditions. This creates a gap between expectation and structure. My role, as I see it, is to reduce that gap by explaining how these systems actually function.

In environments such as Yabby Casinos, the product is not only defined by games, but by how those games are framed. Interface design, promotional language, and accessibility all contribute to the overall experience. These elements can shape behaviour, even when they do not influence outcomes directly.

From a research perspective, I focus on:

• how gambling is advertised and normalised
• how players interpret promotional language
• how accessibility influences engagement frequency
• how digital environments shape perceptions of control

It is important to be precise here. Gambling outcomes are generated through structured systems, typically based on random number generation and long-term statistical models. These do not respond to marketing, loyalty status, or repeated play. However, the way gambling is presented can influence how players feel about those outcomes, and how they interpret sequences of wins and losses.

This distinction — between what the system does and what the player perceives — is fundamental. Without it, it becomes easy to misattribute meaning to short-term events or to assume that certain actions within the platform can influence outcomes.

My work is not about discouraging or encouraging participation. It is about clarity. It is about ensuring that when players engage with gambling platforms, they do so with a more accurate understanding of how those systems operate, and how the surrounding environment may influence their interpretation of risk and reward.

Advertising, Perception and System Reality

When analysing online gambling platforms such as Yabby Casinos, I approach them through a lens that combines system mechanics with communication strategy. The core mechanics — RTP, RNG, and volatility — define how outcomes are generated. However, the way these mechanics are presented to players can significantly influence interpretation.

Advertising vs Structural Logic

One of the most important distinctions in my research is between what is communicated and what actually operates within the system.

Promotional language often emphasises:

• accessibility (“instant play”, “quick access”)
• incentives (“bonus”, “free spins”)
• continuity (“keep playing”, “unlock features”)

These elements shape expectations. They create a sense of movement, opportunity, or progression. However, they do not alter the underlying outcome engine.

From a structural perspective:

• RTP remains a long-term statistical model
• RNG produces independent, memoryless outcomes
• volatility defines distribution, not advantage

Advertising does not modify these components. It operates at a different layer — the perception layer.

RTP and Perception Framing

RTP is frequently positioned in a way that suggests predictability. In reality, RTP does not describe what will happen in a single session. It describes what is expected across a very large number of iterations.

In digital environments, where gameplay is fast and continuous, this distinction becomes less visible. Players may experience rapid sequences of outcomes and interpret them as patterns or trends.

However:

• short-term outcomes are not representative
• RTP does not “balance” sessions
• there is no mechanism that adjusts results in response to player behaviour

The perception of “almost there” or “due for a win” often emerges from how information is presented, not from how the system operates.

RNG and Independence

Random number generation remains the core of outcome determination. Each event is:

• independent
• unaffected by previous outcomes
• not influenced by account status, bonuses, or session duration

This is critical when evaluating platforms that use strong promotional framing. A player may feel that engagement level, loyalty, or timing affects results. From a system standpoint, this is not the case.

The outcome engine does not track player history in a way that alters probabilities.

Volatility and Experience

Volatility is often interpreted through emotional experience rather than structural definition.

• high volatility → longer periods without significant outcomes, followed by larger events
• low volatility → more frequent but smaller outcomes

Neither structure implies better value. They represent different distributions of outcomes across time.

In environments like Yabby Casinos, volatility interacts with presentation. A fast interface combined with high volatility can intensify perception, especially during extended sequences without notable returns.

This does not indicate a system change. It reflects how distribution interacts with session tempo.

Perception vs System Table

Research, Publications and Policy Contribution

My research has consistently focused on how gambling is embedded within everyday environments, and how this shapes both behaviour and perception. Rather than treating gambling as an isolated activity, I examine how it is presented across media, how it becomes normalised, and how individuals interpret risk within these contexts.

At Deakin University, my work has explored the relationship between gambling promotion, accessibility, and public health outcomes. This includes analysing advertising strategies, sponsorship visibility, and the increasing integration of gambling into digital and social environments.

A key finding across my research is that exposure influences interpretation. The more frequently gambling is presented as routine or low-risk, the more likely it is to be perceived that way, regardless of the actual structure of outcomes. This is particularly relevant in online environments, where platforms such as Yabby Casinos operate within a broader ecosystem of digital engagement.

My work contributes to both academic and policy discussions, particularly in Australia, where gambling is closely linked to regulatory frameworks and public health considerations. This includes collaboration with policymakers, health organisations, and research institutions to better understand how communication, design, and accessibility influence behaviour over time.

Selected Research and Publications

Applying a Public Health and Advertising Lens to Yabby Casinos

When I evaluate a platform such as Yabby Casinos, I focus less on isolated features and more on how the environment is constructed as a whole. My work has consistently shown that behaviour is not shaped by outcomes alone, but by how those outcomes are framed, presented, and contextualised within the product.

Digital gambling platforms operate across multiple layers simultaneously. There is the interface layer, which defines how quickly and easily a player can move through the environment. There is the rule layer, where bonuses, wagering conditions, and account structures are defined. And there is the mathematical layer, where outcomes are generated through systems such as RNG and long-term RTP models.

From a public health perspective, clarity across these layers is essential.

A platform may feel intuitive and engaging, but if the distinction between these layers is not clearly understood, players may misinterpret what is happening. For example, promotional language may emphasise opportunity or continuity, while the underlying system remains unchanged and independent.

This is not a criticism of the platform itself, but a reflection of how digital environments function. They are designed to reduce friction, increase accessibility, and maintain engagement. These are product-level decisions. They do not alter outcome probabilities, but they do influence how those probabilities are perceived.

In my view, a responsible interpretation of a platform like Yabby Casinos involves recognising:

• where design supports usability
• where rules define constraints
• where mathematics remain unchanged
• where perception may diverge from structure

Platform Interpretation Framework

Author Positioning

My role in this field is not to simplify gambling into a single narrative, but to clarify its structure. Platforms such as Yabby Casinos operate across multiple layers — technical, commercial, and behavioural. Understanding how these layers interact is more useful than focusing on isolated outcomes or short-term experiences.

A research-led perspective does not remove uncertainty from gambling. It makes that uncertainty more transparent. It allows players to distinguish between what is designed to engage them, what defines the rules of participation, and what actually determines outcomes.

This distinction is where clarity begins.