Digitalisation of gambling harm? Gambling consumption, negative consequences, and clinical characteristics among Swedish help-seekers

IF 3.7 2区医学 Q1 PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL

Addictive behaviors Pub Date : 2024-09-25 DOI:10.1016/j.addbeh.2024.108182

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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.

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赌博危害的数字化？瑞典求助者的赌博消费、不良后果和临床特征

赌博与一系列危害和负面后果有关。赌博也在快速发展，尤其是在数字化环境中。要了解这种持续变化和赌博市场数字化的影响，需要对赌博消费模式、临床特征和赌博相关危害进行系统测量。本研究比较了通过瑞典国家求助热线招募的两批瑞典赌博求助者（2019年；2023年）。本研究比较了瑞典的两组赌博求助者（2019 年；2023 年），这些求助者是通过瑞典国家求助热线招募的。研究的目的是评估在瑞典数字赌博增多的情况下这两组求助者的危害和消费情况。我们使用了八种不同的筛查方法来测量与赌博相关的行为和后果，包括赌博障碍识别测试（GDIT）。我们使用描述性统计对结果进行了分析，并对两个组群之间的差异进行了统计意义检验。结果显示，在 2019-2023 年期间，赌博消费有所增长。到目前为止，在线电子游戏是寻求帮助者中最普遍的赌博形式。我们还发现，在两个组群中，并发症以及大多数与赌博相关的危害都很常见，在 2023 年出现了一些统计学意义上的显著增长。结果表明，赌博和赌博产品的数字化似乎与各种有害后果有关。结果还表明，必须进行系统而全面的测量，以了解不同严重程度的危害及其在赌博人群中的广泛程度。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Addictive behaviors 医学-药物滥用

CiteScore

8.40

自引率

4.50%

发文量

283

审稿时长

46 days

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.