{"title":"Digitalisation of gambling harm? Gambling consumption, negative consequences, and clinical characteristics among Swedish help-seekers","authors":"Håkan Wall , Virve Marionneau , Helena Lindqvist , Olof Molander","doi":"10.1016/j.addbeh.2024.108182","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gambling is connected to a range of harms and negative consequences. Gambling is also evolving at a fast pace, particularly in digital environments. Understanding the effects of this on-going change and digitalisation of gambling markets requires systematic measuring of gambling consumption patterns, clinical characteristics, and gambling-related harms.</div><div>The current study compares two cohorts of help-seekers for gambling in Sweden (2019; 2023), recruited via the Swedish national helpline. The aim is to assess harms and consumption across the two cohorts at a time of increased offer of digital gambling in Sweden. We used eight different screens to measure gambling-related behaviours and consequences, including the Gambling Disorder Identification Test (GDIT). Results were analysed using descriptive statistics, and differences across the two cohorts were tested for statistical significance.</div><div>The results show that across 2019–2023, gambling consumption has intensified. Online EGMs are by far the most prevalent form of gambling among help-seekers. We also found that the experience of co-morbidities as well as most gambling-related harms were common in both cohorts, with some statistically significant increases in 2023. Harms were more commonly experienced amongst those who engaged in online EGM gambling in comparison to those who did not.</div><div>The results suggest that the digitalisation of gambling and gambling products appears to be associated with a variety of harmful consequences. The results also show the importance of systematic and comprehensive measurement to capture different severity levels of harms and their wide range amongst those who gamble.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7155,"journal":{"name":"Addictive behaviors","volume":"160 ","pages":"Article 108182"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Addictive behaviors","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306460324002314","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Gambling is connected to a range of harms and negative consequences. Gambling is also evolving at a fast pace, particularly in digital environments. Understanding the effects of this on-going change and digitalisation of gambling markets requires systematic measuring of gambling consumption patterns, clinical characteristics, and gambling-related harms.
The current study compares two cohorts of help-seekers for gambling in Sweden (2019; 2023), recruited via the Swedish national helpline. The aim is to assess harms and consumption across the two cohorts at a time of increased offer of digital gambling in Sweden. We used eight different screens to measure gambling-related behaviours and consequences, including the Gambling Disorder Identification Test (GDIT). Results were analysed using descriptive statistics, and differences across the two cohorts were tested for statistical significance.
The results show that across 2019–2023, gambling consumption has intensified. Online EGMs are by far the most prevalent form of gambling among help-seekers. We also found that the experience of co-morbidities as well as most gambling-related harms were common in both cohorts, with some statistically significant increases in 2023. Harms were more commonly experienced amongst those who engaged in online EGM gambling in comparison to those who did not.
The results suggest that the digitalisation of gambling and gambling products appears to be associated with a variety of harmful consequences. The results also show the importance of systematic and comprehensive measurement to capture different severity levels of harms and their wide range amongst those who gamble.
期刊介绍：
Addictive Behaviors is an international peer-reviewed journal publishing high quality human research on addictive behaviors and disorders since 1975. The journal accepts submissions of full-length papers and short communications on substance-related addictions such as the abuse of alcohol, drugs and nicotine, and behavioral addictions involving gambling and technology. We primarily publish behavioral and psychosocial research but our articles span the fields of psychology, sociology, psychiatry, epidemiology, social policy, medicine, pharmacology and neuroscience. While theoretical orientations are diverse, the emphasis of the journal is primarily empirical. That is, sound experimental design combined with valid, reliable assessment and evaluation procedures are a requisite for acceptance. However, innovative and empirically oriented case studies that might encourage new lines of inquiry are accepted as well. Studies that clearly contribute to current knowledge of etiology, prevention, social policy or treatment are given priority. Scholarly commentaries on topical issues, systematic reviews, and mini reviews are encouraged. We especially welcome multimedia papers that incorporate video or audio components to better display methodology or findings.
Studies can also be submitted to Addictive Behaviors? companion title, the open access journal Addictive Behaviors Reports, which has a particular interest in ''non-traditional'', innovative and empirically-oriented research such as negative/null data papers, replication studies, case reports on novel treatments, and cross-cultural research.
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