Journal of Gambling Studies最新文献

This study provides an in-depth qualitative exploration of Aboriginal peoples' experiences with seeking help for gambling-related issues in the Northern Territory (NT), Australia. Through semi-structured interviews with 29 participants, including regular and occasional gamblers as well as those affected by others' gambling, the research highlights key barriers to seeking formal help. These barriers included the normalisation of gambling within Aboriginal communities, denial of gambling problems, feelings of shame, privacy concerns, and a lack of trust in mainstream services. Additionally, past negative experiences with services, fear of judgment, and logistical challenges, such as long waiting times and transportation difficulties in remote areas, contributed to the low uptake of professional services. Instead, informal support from family and friends was occasionally sought, reflecting the collectivist nature of Aboriginal cultures. Participants also reported employing self-help strategies and offered practical suggestions for minimising gambling harm. This research underscores the complexity of gambling behaviours within Aboriginal communities and the cultural, social, and systemic factors that deter access to formal support services. It calls for the integration of Indigenous knowledge and practices into gambling prevention and intervention programs, which may improve the relevance and effectiveness of these strategies. By addressing both cultural norms and access barriers, such targeted approaches may reduce the need for reactive interventions and better support the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people affected by gambling in the NT. To improve relevant policies and practices, we also consider these findings to contribute to the broader Indigenous-specific gambling prevention evidence-base contexts nationally and globally.

Rates of gambling disorder (GD) have been found to be higher among people receiving disability benefit, but few studies have investigated whether receiving disability benefit prospectively actually increases the risk of GD. The present study investigated whether those with a disability benefit had an increased risk of developing GD using a case-control design. The study sample was retrieved from the Norwegian Patient Registry (NPR, N = 5,131) and consisted of all adults in Norway (18 years and older) who had received a GD diagnosis (F63.0 according to ICD-10) between 2008 and 2018. The study group was age and sex matched with a random sample from the (1) general population (FD-trygd, n = 30,164), and (2) and individuals with other somatic or psychiatric illnesses (NPR, n = 30,476). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that people receiving disability benefit had higher odds of later being diagnosed with GD compared to the general population (odds ratio [OR] = 2.27, 95% CI [2.02, 2.54]), and compared to individuals in the NPR (OR = 2.13, 95% CI [1.90, 2.38]). Recipients of disability benefit constitute a group who is vulnerable in terms of developing GD. Although the present study found evidence for a prospective association, causality could not be established. The study identified a cohort that may benefit from targeted prevention and intervention strategies regarding gambling behavior.

In comparison to other motives for gambling, social motives (e.g., gambling for social interaction) are often suggested to be the least problematic and, in some cases, even a protective factor for problem gambling. This view is consistent with historical distinctions between 'social' versus 'problem' gambling. As a result, little research has attempted to identify the circumstances in which social motives are more likely to be associated with risk of problems. Consistent with self-determination theory, the present study examined whether the relationship between social motives and problem gambling varies based on social deficits, such as loneliness and a lack of social connectedness, in a weighted, census matched sample of adults in the U.S. (N = 2,835). Findings demonstrate support for the moderating influence of social deficits (i.e., loneliness and relatedness frustration) on the relationship between social gambling motives and problem gambling and provide unique insights into the circumstances in which social motives are more likely associated with gambling problems.

Smartphones can extend the reach of evidence-based gambling treatment services, yet the general acceptability of app-delivered gambling interventions remains unknown. This study examined the general acceptability and use of app-delivered gambling interventions, and predictors of both, among 173 Australian adults with a lifetime gambling problem (48.5% male, M_age = 46.4 years) recruited from an online panel. Overall, 55.5% of the sample had a positive attitude toward app-delivered gambling interventions, 8.1% had a neutral attitude, and 36.4% had a negative attitude. Furthermore, one in five participants (20.8%) reported using an app-delivered gambling intervention in their lifetime. Four dimensions of acceptability were examined, wherein 78.6% of participants endorsed confidence in the effectiveness of app-delivered gambling interventions and 66.5% perceived anonymity benefits, while 48.6% endorsed scepticism (e.g., potential to increase isolation) and 69.4% perceived technology-related threats (e.g., difficulty learning and applying app-based strategies). Positive predictors of acceptability and use included younger age, rural/regional residence, gambling expenditure, problem gambling severity, gambling harms, and use of professional support. Acceptability did not increase the likelihood of using app-delivered gambling interventions, however, which may suggest a translation gap. The findings support continued investment into the development and evaluation of app-delivered gambling interventions, with a focus on enhancing engagement and uptake. Uptake could be improved by promoting the effectiveness and anonymity of evidence-based app-delivered gambling interventions, particularly among receptive audiences (young people, rural/regional residents, those with greater problem gambling severity), while redressing scepticism and perceived technology-related threats among vulnerable subgroups (those with greater gambling expenditure and gambling-related harm).

Several countries, including Canada and Australia, have developed public health-based lower-risk gambling limits to differentiate lower-risk from higher-risk gambling. This study aimed to identify a preliminary set of lower-risk gambling limits (gambling frequency, duration, expenditure, expenditure as a proportion of personal net income, and diversity), and investigate if gambling types are linked to additional harms, in a Swedish context. The study involved secondary analyses of two online survey studies using the Gambling Disorder Identification Test (GDIT). Receiver operating curve analyses were conducted in relation to both + 1 and + 2 gambling-related harms in a sample of 705 past-year gamblers. Potential lower-risk limits ranges identified were: gambling frequency of "2-3 times a week" to "4 or more times a week" (8-16 times monthly); gambling duration of 6 to 15 h per month; gambling expenditure of 2,000 SEK (approximately $USD190) per month; gambling expenditure as a proportion of personal net income of 5%; and gambling diversity of only one problematic gambling type. Gambling on slots and sports betting were associated with gambling-related harms. The lower-risk limits in the current study were higher than in previous studies, which may be explained by the large proportion of support- or treatment-seeking gamblers with high rates of problem gambling and problematic online gambling in the study sample. An international consensus-based framework on gambling consumption is warranted, with lower-risk limits validated in future empirical studies using larger datasets collected from the Swedish general population.

A large body of research has evidenced different risk factors associated with the severity of gambling. However, most of the research has been conducted with a male population, and consequently it has been inferred that the female population presents the same experiences and characteristics. Research on female gamblers is limited, with the result that their gambling-related problems are not effectively addressed. In light of this, the study aims were two-fold: (1) to identify differences between Spanish and Italian women seeking treatment for a gambling disorder, and (2) to examine variables associated with gambling severity in a clinical sample of women. For this study, a total of 106 women gamblers (M_age = 48.83; SD = 12.41) completed the assessment, evaluating gambling behavior, alexithymia, hopelessness, and mental health (depression, anxiety, and hostility). Results indicated that Spanish and Italian women showed differences in sociodemographic, psychological, and gambling-related variables. Furthermore, exhibiting higher levels of depressive symptoms, and experiencing difficulties in identifying emotions were related to the increased gambling severity. Also, received the Italian intervention was related to lower gambling severity. These findings emphasize the need to provide evidence-based treatments, as well as to improve existing treatments and develop prevention and intervention strategies adapted to the characteristics of female gamblers.

This study aimed to examine whether fully automated and Internet-based personalized normative feedback (GAMCHECK) improves problem gambling symptoms and behaviors. We used a randomized parallel-group superiority design to examine whether GAMCHECK would be more effective than an assessment-only (AO) condition at 12-week follow-up. This study was conducted online using questionnaires and the LINE app. Participants were recruited through online surveys. All outcomes were assessed using Internet-based questionnaires. We used a linear mixed model to assess the effects of GAMCHECK on scores for the Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale (GSAS) as the primary outcome; secondary outcomes were the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS), Patient Global Impression of Change (PGI-C), number of gambling days, money spent on gambling, and help-seeking behaviors. With data from 274 participants (GAMCHECK: n = 141; AO: n = 133), we demonstrated that GAMCHECK was more effective solely on GRCS than AO at both one-week and four-week follow-up. Furthermore, by the 12-week follow-up, GAMCHECK significantly more effective than AO on gambling symptoms measured by the GSAS, number of gambling days and amount of money spent on gambling during the prior week, GRCS, and PGI-C at 12-week follow-up. No significant effects were found for help-seeking behaviors. Cognitive distortion mediated the effect on change in GSAS scores. GAMCHECK was significantly effective in improving gambling symptoms, number of gambling days, amount of money spent on gambling, and cognitive distortion. However, regarding help-seeking behavior, further refinement of GAMCHECK is necessary to motivate problem gamblers to take actions to solve their problems.

Gambling encompasses a wide variety of activities, and the structural characteristics of each form contribute to its potential risk. However, the literature does not fully agree on the risk levels of certain gambling forms. In this study, we classify less risky gambling forms (soft forms) based on public perceptions of their riskiness. We examine the link between gambling experience and problem gambling prevalence. A survey was conducted in a model region of the Czech Republic, a post-socialist country with high gambling availability, with N = 2,498 respondents. A typology of gambling forms (lotteries, betting, and casino games) was created based on perceived risk similarities. Lotteries are the most frequently played gambling form, with 86.3% reporting lifetime participation. Among those who exclusively engage in lottery-type forms, 15 percentage points more women than men participated in the last year, and the gap widens to 31 points over a lifetime. Forms of gambling perceived as more risky show a lower proportion of non-problem gamblers, both for recent and lifetime participation. Furthermore, individuals who gambled within the past month or year are at higher risk of developing gambling problems compared to those whose gambling experiences were less recent.

Previous work has explored the bi-directional relation between alcohol consumption and gambling behavior within gambling contexts, highlighting the role of salient factors such as mood. The present experiment sought to further explore how mood state and the urge to consume alcohol vary as a function of the experience of winning or losing while gambling. In this experiment, 76 individuals who reported past year gambling and past month alcohol use were randomly assigned to one of four conditions - neutral gambling, winning gambling, losing gambling, or movie watching. Results indicated that mood state did not significantly differ by experimental condition. However, the urge to consume alcohol significantly differed by experimental condition when accounting for weekly alcohol consumption. Individuals who underwent a losing gambling experience reported significantly greater alcohol-related urges than those who watched a movie or had a neutral gambling experience, but not compared to those who had a winning gambling experience. Exploratory analyses showed that those exposed to a losing gambling experience wanted a significantly greater number of drinks than those who had a neutral gambling experience or watched a movie. These results suggest that experiencing losing may contribute to a greater desire to consume alcohol, and that this relation may occur independent of mood states associated with gambling outcomes. Future research should seek to investigate the relations between gambling, alcohol use, and mood in naturalistic gambling settings beyond the laboratory.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to faster digitalization and illegal online gambling has become popular. As illegal online gambling brings not only financial threats but also breaches in overall cyber security, this study defines the concept of absolute illegal online gambling (AIOG) using a machine-learning-driven approach with information gathered from public webpages. By analysing 11,172 sites to detect illegal online gambling, the proposed model classifies key features such as URLs (Uniform Resource Locator), WHOIS, INDEX, and landing page information. With a combination of text and image analyses with machine learning-driven approach, the proposed model offers the ensemble combination of attributes for high detection performance with the verification of common attributes from metadata in online gambling. This study suggests a strategy for dynamic resource utilization to increase the classification accuracy of the current environment. As a result, this research expands the scope of hybrid web mining through constant updating of data to achieve content-based filtering.