# QuitBet: A Digital Social Game that Pays You to Stop Smoking

> **NIH NIH R44** · WAYBETTER, INC. · 2021 · $482,924

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
One of the most effective interventions for smoking cessation is contingency management (CM), in which
financial incentives are used to reinforce abstinence. However, traditional, clinic-based CM is not widely
available because of concerns about feasibility, acceptability, and long-term effectiveness. Digital
technology is now facilitating the emergence of CM formats that are likely to be more feasible, acceptable,
and effective at promoting long-term abstinence. In this SBIR Fast Track application, we are proposing to
complete development and evaluate the effectiveness of a digital CM program for smoking cessation:
QuitBet. QuitBet is modeled upon and builds upon the commercial success of DietBet, our first product. All
of our products, which we call games, combine social gaming elements with participant-funded financial
incentives in the form of a deposit contract. Our “players” deposit (we call it their “bet”) a specified amount
of their own money into the game's “pot.” All “winners” who achieve the game's goal split the pot equally,
such that their bet is fully refunded plus they receive extra money from the forfeited bets of players who did
not meet the goal. We recently developed the QuitBet prototype and conducted an initial test game with 32
players. QuitBet players made a $30 deposit. All players were mailed a portable, smartphone-connected
CO testing device. QuitBet lasted for 28 days, with the official quit date on day 8. From day 9-28 (a 20-day
period), players earned back $1 of their $30 bet per day of CO-verified abstinence. All remaining bet
money was pooled into the “grand prize” pot. Players who were abstinent on at least 19 of the 20 days
were declared winners and split the grand prize pot equally. During QuitBet, players posted their CO test
results in a private Facebook group. They also received education about smoking cessation from a game
host and interacted with other players. Fifteen of the 32 players (47%) were winners. Player feedback was
very positive. Our Phase I aim is to achieve the following milestones: 1) complete development of a QuitBet
smartphone application and conduct a pilot trial (N = 50) to demonstrate 2) consumer demand (i.e.,
feasibility) and 3) acceptability. Our Phase II aim is to conduct a randomized trial of QuitBet vs QuitBet-NS
(deposit contract only, no social elements). All participants (N = 550) will be offered a second game after
their first game (up to 8 weeks total game duration). We hypothesize that 7-day point prevalence
abstinence rates at 1, 3, and 6 months post-quit date will be higher in QuitBet than in QuitBet-NS. We will
also compare QuitBet vs. QuitBet-NS on smoking heaviness and use of smoking cessation medication and
examine potential mediators of outcomes such as motivation, engagement, and satisfaction.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10137209
- **Project number:** 5R44DA048668-03
- **Recipient organization:** WAYBETTER, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** James Samuel Rosen
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $482,924
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-07-01 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10137209

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10137209, QuitBet: A Digital Social Game that Pays You to Stop Smoking (5R44DA048668-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10137209. Licensed CC0.

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