Journal of Gambling Studies最新文献

In 2021, the Norwegian government implemented a policy requiring individuals gambling with the horse betting monopolist, Norsk Rikstoto, to set personal loss limits, capping the maximum loss limit at 20,000 NOK (10 NOK ∼ 1 €) per month. The present study investigated whether loss limits set in 2021 could predict gambling behavior in 2023, and whether loss limits were associated with the proportion of moderate-to-high risk gamblers. Method: The dataset encompassed the entire population of customers who participated in horse betting in 2021 and at least once in 2023, totaling 104,413 individuals (31.6% women). It included data on expenditure, net winnings, and the number of bets placed, as well as each customer's classification within a problem gambling risk category for 2023. While no clear association was found between 2021 loss limits and 2023 gambling expenditure, higher loss limits predicted more bets, lower net winnings, continued gambling, and a greater likelihood of being classified as moderate-to-high risk gamblers by the operator's monitoring system. Conclusion: The findings show that loss limits may be a valuable predictor of future gambling behavior at the group level.

Gambling Disorder (GD) is a highly stigmatised condition with serious psychological, social and financial consequences. Limited public recognition regarding GD may hinder help-seeking, shape beliefs about recovery and reinforce stigma. This study seeks to establish the extent of recognition of GD as well as stigma towards it in Singapore's population using a vignette-based approach. Data from 595 participants from a nationwide vignette-based study on mental health literacy were analysed using weighted analysis and multivariable logistic and linear regression to address the aims. Participants received a vignette on GD and answered questions related to recognition of the condition, sociodemographic information, perception of help-seeking and chances of recovery for GD. Furthermore, the study also assessed stigma across three domains: "weak not sick", "dangerous/unpredictable", and "social distancing". The majority of participants (75.63%) correctly identified the vignette as GD. Informal networks, non-medical professional support and community-based resources were highly recommended help-seeking sources. Majority of the respondents believed that individuals with GD who seek appropriate help can achieve full recovery while those who do not would experience worsening of the condition. Predictors of higher stigma towards GD included older age, female gender, Malay or Indian ethnicity, being married, having friends or family members with similar problem and a high monthly income. While recognition of GD was relatively high among respondents, stigma toward individuals with GD remains prevalent particularly among certain demographic groups. Data from this study can help to improve public health interventions and policy efforts to better support those with GD.

The Gambling Motives Questionnaire - Financial (GMQ-F) is the most widely used scale for assessing gambling motives. Although previous research supports the reliability and validity of GMQ-F scores, no study has examined its psychometric properties among sports bettors, which present distinct demographics and clinical characteristics. To this end, this study evaluated the psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the GMQ-F among 920 sports bettors. We hypothesized that the GMQ-F would exhibit a four-factor structure and conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) to test model fit. Participants completed measures assessing their demographic characteristics, sports betting behaviours (frequency, time spent, bet type), and problem gambling. Results indicated that the ESEM model provided an excellent fit, outperforming the CFA model, with a clear four-factor structure (social, enhancement, coping, financial) that better captured the relationship between gambling motives while allowing for minimal cross-loadings. Measurement invariance testing revealed that the GMQ-F was consistent across different types of sports bettors (in-play, single-event, and traditional), gender (man vs. woman), and ethnicity (White vs. Racialized). Regression analyses showed that social, coping, and financial motives were positively associated with problem gambling severity, while enhancement motives were negatively related to problem gambling severity among sports bettors. These findings provide evidence supporting the validity and reliability of GMQ-F scores for assessing gambling motives, and suggest its utility across a range of demographic and sports betting subgroups.

Delayed reward discounting (DRD) refers to the phenomenon where future rewards are perceived as less valuable compared to immediate rewards. The extent of this devaluation has been repeatedly linked to addictive behaviors. DRD could play an important role in the development and maintenance of problem gambling. We aim to better understand the relationship between DRD and problem gambling, examine temporal changes in DRD, and evaluate its predictive value for adherence. We conducted a secondary analysis of data from participants in the Win Back Control study (n = 345), a two-arm RCT that demonstrated effectiveness in reducing problematic gambling behavior. DRD was assessed using the Monetary Choice Questionnaire (MCQ), the severity of problem gambling was measured with the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), and gambling symptom severity was evaluated using the Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale (G-SAS). DRD is significantly positively associated with gambling symptom severity (G-SAS: b = 13.90, p = 0.002) and problem gambling severity (PGSI: b = 9.39, p < 0.001). DRD decreased significantly on a weekly basis over the three measurement time points (b = -0.001, p < 0.001). DRD could not be identified as a mediator, which should be further investigated in future studies. DRD is significantly positively associated with problem gambling severity and gambling symptom severity. DRD does not serve as a predictor of adherence. DRD decreases over the three time points along with severities of gambling behavior and gambling symptoms. However, the findings are correlational and may be affected by attrition bias.

The illusion of control (IoC) is a cognitive distortion implicated in risky and problem gambling. This study aimed to validate a comprehensive IoC measure, the Multi-Dimensional Rating Scale for Illusion of Control in Gambling (EEMDIC), in a large non-clinical sample of adult and aging gamblers, and to clarify how IoC relates to gambling severity, game type, and age. A total of 1,311 participants aged 40-75 completed the EEMDIC, the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), and questions on gambling habits and sociodemographics. Exploratory (n = 649) and confirmatory (n = 662) factor analyses assessed scale structure. ANOVAs, linear regressions, Mann-Whitney U tests, and Spearman correlations examined associations with game category, PGSI scores, education, occupation, and age. Factor analyses supported a reduced 14-item EEMDIC with four coherent factors: Luck, Skill, Strategy, and Rituals/Superstitious Behaviors. Higher EEMDIC scores, especially on primary-control dimensions (Skill, Strategy), were associated with greater gambling severity and engagement in strategic betting (sports, horse racing). Education correlated negatively with IoC, and occupational differences emerged. Age was modestly but significantly associated with lower IoC: it explained ≈ 2.8% of total variance and 0.9-4.1% across factors. Framing on gains or losses showed no age effect after controlling for PGSI. The EEMDIC is a reliable, multidimensional tool distinguishing primary and secondary control beliefs. Findings link primary-control beliefs to gambling harm and show modest age-related declines in IoC. The scale can inform targeted prevention and tailored interventions across game types and sociodemographic groups.

Mobile sports betting is an increasingly popular way to wager in the United States, but few studies have examined the social cognitive predictors of engaging in this specific form of gambling. The present studies were designed to do so with the application of the Reasoned Action Approach (RAA; Fishbein & Ajzen, 2010). Study 1 was a belief elicitation study that identified the most common behavioral, normative, and control beliefs regarding mobile sports betting. Study 1 also reported an initial test of the degree to which attitude, perceived normative pressure, and perceived behavioral control predict intentions to place mobile sports bets. Study 2 examined the predictive validity of the identified beliefs and tested whether future betting behavior can be predicted from the model. The RAA significantly predicted mobile sports gambling intentions and future behavior. The most important beliefs contributing to the prediction of mobile sports gambling were the degree that participants endorsed gambling is fun and easy, leads to addiction, and results in winning money. Implications for future research and interventions are discussed.

Introduction: The prevalence of Irish adolescent gambling is increasing with one quarter of 15-18-year-olds gambling at least once a year. There is little research on Irish adolescent gambling and teacher awareness thereof and this study aimed to fill this gap.

Methods: Eighty-eight teachers in Ireland answered questions regarding their awareness and attitudes about adolescent gambling. Teachers were asked about their perception of the severity of gambling compared to other adolescent issues, their confidence in addressing gambling and the frequency of conversations about gambling with students.

Results: Logistic regression and Cochran's-Q test of association results show that Irish teachers were likely to view adolescent gambling as significantly less serious of an issue compared to other adolescent high-risk behaviors. Teachers were significantly less likely to converse frequently with students about gambling in comparison to other high-risk behaviors, were significantly less confident in their abilities to address student gambling problems when compared to discussing adolescent alcohol problems, and perceived gambling behavior as less problematic than other risky behaviors. Most teachers reported that their school either did not have, or they did not know of, any form of gambling prevention programme within the school.

Conclusions: Irish teachers show moderate awareness of adolescent gambling, with higher accuracy than UK counterparts in identifying problem gambling among younger cohorts. However, low confidence, limited training, and scarce prevention programmes highlight gaps in addressing this issue. Collaboration with external organisations and curriculum enhancements are essential to foster prevention and support student well-being.

Veterans are prone to experiencing both mental health challenges and harm from gambling, yet little is known about the psychosocial factors that may increase risk. This study examined predictors of gambling harm severity in a sample of UK Armed Forces veterans with a focus on coping styles and reintegration into civilian employment. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 414 former personnel using validated measures of gambling behavior, coping, and mental health symptoms including alcohol use. Of the 226 (54.6%) who had gambled in the past year, 3.1% had scores suggestive of problem gambling. Results showed that 46% of participants exhibited symptoms suggestive of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), while 8.4% reported severe anxiety, 10.2% severe depression, and 11.1% high-risk alcohol use. Gambling harm severity was positively predicted by difficulties adapting to civilian employment and maladaptive coping strategies such as self-blame and substance use, while use of informational support was found to be protective. Given higher rates of primary care engagement among veterans, routine screening for gambling-related harm in such settings may improve early detection and intervention. The findings underscore the need for integrated mental health services that consider both psychological and social determinants of gambling harm severity in veterans during the military-to-civilian transition.

During the mid-2010s, microtransactions within digital games became more common, raising concerns that the gambling-like features in these games would contribute to increases in gambling problems. However, studies on the topic have been mostly cross-sectional. To fill this gap, this study uses longitudinal nationwide survey data collected from 949 adult Finnish participants every six months from the spring of 2021 to the fall of 2024 to investigate the impact of microtransactions on gambling problems-measured using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)-over time. Gambling participation, mental health issues, and alcohol use were used as control variables, and age and gender were used as background variables. The results showed that although microtransactions had significant positive fixed and random effects on gambling problems, the effects disappeared when gambling participation was added to the models. Therefore, the effect of microtransactions on gambling problems may only be indirect. This implies that the main regulatory focus should be on actual gambling participation, whether or not it is encouraged by the purchasable content in some digital games.

The rapid rate of technological advancement has led to a proliferation of online gambling applications in Africa. This has resulted in an unprecedented rise in problem gambling across sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, the rapid growth of the gambling industry has outpaced laws and regulations aimed at consumer protection, limiting the scope of problem gambling interventions. Using a sample of 905 gamblers from Kenya, this study investigated the impact of peer effects and warning messages on gambling behavior using a lab-in-the-field randomized controlled trial. This study found no evidence that peer effects had an impact on gambling behavior. However, gambling warning messages reduced the total amount wagered by 8% and the number of betting rounds played by 4%. Furthermore, the peer effects and warning message condition increased the number of betting rounds played by 13%. Peer interaction likely caused riskier decisions and compulsive gambling, which could have undermined the effectiveness of the warning message. In conclusion, while warning messages offer a potential strategy for minimizing gambling-related harm, and messaging relating to the effects of peer interaction is likely to increase their effectiveness.