Montreal mock casino lets researchers study digital gambling behavior — CDC Gaming

At first glance, it looks like a fun night out at a casino: gaming terminals, bright lights, and an inviting atmosphere that encourages players to test their luck.

It isn’t paying out winnings, but it is all part of CHANCE, a Concordia University research project studying how digital gambling environments affect behavior.

Located on Concordia’s Sir George Williams Campus in downtown Montreal, the CHANCE Collaboratory recreates key elements of modern gambling spaces to study how digital game design, social interaction and decision-making intersect — and how those factors can increase the risk of gambling-related harm.

Formally known as the “Collaboratoire pour les études des jeux de hasard et d’argent numériques connectés,” CHANCE functions as both a laboratory and a collaborative space.