Lilibot: Improving the user experience of the NSW Gambling Help Website using Chatbox
History
Pagination
1-84
Language
eng
Research statement
Gambling help websites are an important source of information for gamblers and their affected others and include a range of functions, including Chatbots. Chatbots are in-built into these websites and are programmed to respond to specific requests and engage users. Among the gambling literature, the evidence on the usefulness of Chatbots is limited. The current study aimed to develop a prototype text based chatbot (Lilibot) based on the content of the NSW Gambling Help Website and conduct a usability study capturing user satisfaction and experience of the website with and without the chatbot. A total of 60 participants were recruited via social media and randomised into two groups (1) website with access to Lilibot (2) website without access to Lilibot. Regression analysis indicated that access to Lilibot resulted in more positive ratings of the website in relation to usability and certain aspects of user satisfaction. Participants allocated to the website with Lilibot access also rated Lilibot positively. Participants suggested helpfulness for gambling education and immediate access to counselling strategies or self-help skills. Findings from this study indicate the usability of the NSW Gambling Help website could be enhanced by the integration of a text-based chatbox. More broadly, the use of a chatbox function into gambling websites may be an important new feature. It is a low-cost feature which can improve access to information, meaning that people spend longer using gambling help websites because of increased interactivity and engagement.
Publication classification
A6.1 Research report/technical paper
Publisher
The NSW Responsible Gambling Fund
Place of publication
Sydney, N.S.W.
Source
Lilibot: Improving the user experience of the NSW Gambling Help Website using Chatbox