The relationship between problematic gambling severity and engagement with gambling products: Longitudinal analysis of the Emerging Adults Gambling Survey

Impact of Gambling on the Internet on Middle-Term and Long-Term Recovery from Gambling Disorder: A 2-Year Longitudinal Study

Online gamblers are more likely to experience gambling problems. The main objective was to compare the frequency of recovery one (middle-term) and two (long-term) years after treatment initiation, according to the gambling medium (Internet vs. land-based gambling). The secondary objectives were (i) to compare online and offline gamblers at inclusion and (ii) to investigate whether the gambling medium was a predictive factor of recovery. Outpatients beginning treatment for a GD (n = 237) were assessed at inclusion (treatment initiation) and after 1 and 2 years. Bivariate analyses were performed to compare online and offline gamblers at inclusion and on the frequency of recovery at one and two years. Two multivariate logistic regressions were then performed to identify factors associated with middle- and long-term recovery. The majority of patients achieved middle (74.2%) and long-term (78.9%) recovery, with no difference between online and offline gamblers. The gambling medium was not a predictive factor of recovery. Patients with a higher perceived self-efficacy (OR = 1.04 [1.01-1.07], p = .046) and having no history of mood disorders (OR = 11.18 [2.53-49.50], p < .001) at inclusion were more likely to achieve middle-term recovery, while long-term recovery was associated with a lower level of sensation seeking (OR = 0.67 [0.48-0.92], p = .015) at treatment initiation. Online gambling did not seem to influence middle- and long-term recovery compared to offline gambling. Enhancement of perceived self-efficacy and treatment of mood disorders, and treatment strategies focused on sensation-seeking may represent helpful care strategies for favouring achievement of middle-term recovery and maintenance of long-term recovery, respectively. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01248767, date of first registration: November 25, 2010.

The Dual Burden of Emerging Adulthood: Assessing Gambling Severity, Gambling-Related Harm, and Mental Health Challenges

Growing concerns over gambling problems across age groups have sparked research in public health and psychology. During emerging adulthood, individuals are more susceptible to mental health problems and more likely to develop gambling problems than in other age groups. This study explored the potential differences between emerging adults and adults aged 30+ in terms of problem gambling severity (PGS), gambling-related harm (GRH), depression and anxiety, and the mediating role of depression and anxiety in the association between age, PGS, and GRH. A representative online sample of 3244 Israelis aged 18 and over was divided into two groups: 740 emerging adults aged 18-29 and 2504 adults aged 30+. Gambling behaviors, the Problem Gambling Severity Index, the Short Gambling Harm Screen, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 assessing depression and anxiety were administered. Emerging adults had significantly higher levels of GRH, PGS, and depression-anxiety than their older counterparts, above and beyond gender and education. Depression-anxiety fully mediated the associations between age and gambling-related outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of considering psychological well-being in efforts to address problem gambling and gambling-related harms, especially in emerging adults.

Harmful types of gambling: changes and emerging trends in longitudinal helpline data

BACKGROUND

Gambling products differ in terms of their harm potential. Products are also constantly developing and changing. However, little research has addressed changes and trends in the types of gambling that are associated with harms. The current study explores trends in the gambling product categories identified as harmful in longitudinal helpline data from three Nordic countries.

METHODS

We use data collected by national helplines in Denmark (StopSpillet), Finland (Peluuri) and Sweden (Stödlinjen) in their daily operations (N = 46 646). The data consist of information collected on gamblers and concerned significant others who have contacted these helplines between January 2019 and December 2022. We analyse which gambling products are mentioned as harmful by clients. The analysis uses linear regression with the interaction term (country) times time regressed over the outcome variable (proportion per month).

RESULTS

The results show that an increased share of contacts concern online gambling. Online casino products have become the most harmful category across contexts. The share of reported harms from online betting and new emerging online forms is also increasing. The share of land-based products as a reported source of harms has decreased across 2019-22.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that online gamlbing environments, and particularly online casino products, are associated with increasing harms to help-seekers. The harmfulness of different gambling products may not be stable, but change over time. Further harm prevention efforts are needed to address the online gambling field, including emerging formats.

Gambling harm prevention and harm reduction in online environments: a call for action

BACKGROUND

Gambling is increasingly offered and consumed in online and mobile environments. The digitalisation of the gambling industry poses new challenges on harm prevention and harm reduction. The digital environment differs from traditional, land-based gambling environments. It increases many risk-factors in gambling, including availability, ease-of-access, but also game characteristics such as speed and intensity. Furthermore, data collected on those gambling in digital environments makes gambling offer increasingly personalised and targeted.

MAIN RESULTS

This paper discusses how harm prevention and harm reduction efforts need to address gambling in online environments. We review existing literature on universal, selective, and indicated harm reduction and harm prevention efforts for online gambling and discuss ways forward. The discussion shows that there are several avenues forward for online gambling harm prevention and reduction at each of the universal, selective, and indicated levels. No measure is likely to be sufficient on its own and multi-modal as well as multi-level interventions are needed. Harm prevention and harm reduction measures online also differ from traditional land-based efforts. Online gambling providers utilise a variety of strategies to enable, market, and personalise their products using data and the wider online ecosystem.

CONCLUSION

We argue that these same tools and channels should also be used for preventive work to better prevent and reduce the public health harms caused by online gambling.