Francesco Di Carlo, Mauro Pettorruso, Mario Santorelli, Fabrizio Cocciolillo, Giacomo d'Andrea, Marco Di Nicola, Stefano S Sensi, Giovanni Martinotti, Jon E Grant, Giovanni Camardese, Daniela Di Giuda
{"title":"Linking Striatal Dopaminergic Asymmetry with Personality Traits: Insights from Gambling Disorder.","authors":"Francesco Di Carlo, Mauro Pettorruso, Mario Santorelli, Fabrizio Cocciolillo, Giacomo d'Andrea, Marco Di Nicola, Stefano S Sensi, Giovanni Martinotti, Jon E Grant, Giovanni Camardese, Daniela Di Giuda","doi":"10.1007/s10899-024-10311-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10899-024-10311-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The role of dopamine in the pathophysiology of gambling disorder (GD) remains incompletely understood, with disparate research findings concerning presynaptic and postsynaptic structures and dopaminergic synthesis. The aim of this study was to investigate potential correlations between striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) lateralization and asymmetry index, as assessed by <sup>123</sup>I-FP-CIT SPECT, and temperamental traits, as measured by Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), in GD subjects. Significant associations were found between DAT binding asymmetries in the caudate and putamen and the temperamental dimensions of harm avoidance and novelty seeking. Specifically, high novelty seeking scores correlated with increased DAT binding in the left caudate relative to the right, whereas higher harm avoidance scores corresponded to increased DAT binding in the right putamen relative to the left. These observations potentially imply that the asymmetry in DAT expression in the basal ganglia could be an outcome of hemispheric asymmetry in emotional processing and behavioural guidance. In summary, our study provides evidence supporting the relationship between DAT asymmetries, temperamental dimensions and GD. Future investigations could be directed towards examining postsynaptic receptors to gain a more comprehensive understanding of dopamine's influence within the basal ganglia circuit in disordered gambling. If confirmed in larger cohorts, these findings could have substantial implications for the tailoring of individualized neuromodulation therapies in the treatment of behavioural addictions.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":"2189-2200"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140960096","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Neil Selwyn, Gavin Smith, Mark Andrejevic, Xin Gu, Chris O'Neill
{"title":"Facing up to Problem Gambling: Tracing the Emergence of Facial Recognition Technology as a means of Enforcing Voluntary Self-Exclusion.","authors":"Neil Selwyn, Gavin Smith, Mark Andrejevic, Xin Gu, Chris O'Neill","doi":"10.1007/s10899-024-10308-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10899-024-10308-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Computer technology has long been touted as a means of increasing the effectiveness of voluntary self-exclusion schemes - especially in terms of relieving gaming venue staff of the task of manually identifying and verifying the status of new customers. This paper reports on the government-led implementation of facial recognition technology as part of an automated self-exclusion program in the city of Adelaide in South Australia-one of the first jurisdiction-wide enforcements of this controversial technology in small venue gambling. Drawing on stakeholder interviews, site visits and documentary analysis over a two year period, the paper contrasts initial claims that facial recognition offered a straightforward and benign improvement to the efficiency of the city's long-running self-excluded gambler program, with subsequent concerns that the new technology was associated with heightened inconsistencies, inefficiencies and uncertainties. As such, the paper contends that regardless of the enthusiasms of government, tech industry and gaming lobby, facial recognition does not offer a ready 'technical fix' to problem gambling. The South Australian case illustrates how this technology does not appear to better address the core issues underpinning problem gambling, and/or substantially improve conditions for problem gamblers to refrain from gambling. As such, it is concluded that the gambling sector needs to pay close attention to the practical outcomes arising from initial cases such as this, and resist industry pressures for the wider replication of this technology in other jurisdictions.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1839-1855"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11557613/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140899554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Correlates of Problematic Gambling in Emerging Adult University Students in Ireland.","authors":"Michael P Murphy, Raegan Murphy, Amanda Roberts","doi":"10.1007/s10899-024-10323-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10899-024-10323-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Understanding the correlates of problematic gambling among emerging adult university students is crucial for developing effective approaches to minimise harm.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional survey study reports on 397 18-25 year old emerging adults studying at Irish universities who completed an online survey about problematic gambling and a range of biopsychosocial variables. Chi-square and binary logistic regression analyses explored the relationships between problematic gambling and the biopsychosocial variables measured.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Chi-square analyses showed that being male, having an online gambling account, having a mobile gambling app, novelty seeking (impulsivity), harm avoidance (fear of uncertainty), and high alcohol volume consumption were significantly associated with problematic gambling. Regression analyses showed that individuals were more likely to report problematic gambling if they were male (OR = 9.57 times), had an online gambling account (OR = 17.05 times), had a mobile gambling app (OR = 20.37 times), scored high in impulsivity (OR = 7.79 times), and reported high alcohol volume consumption (OR = 4.66 times). Individuals were less likely to report problematic gambling if they scored high in fear of uncertainty (OR = 0.26 times).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A high rate of problematic gambling was observed among the current study sample. Participants were more likely to reported problematic gambling if they were male, had online gambling accounts, mobile gambling apps, scored high in impulsivity, scored low in fear of uncertainty, or consumed high volumes of alcohol in typical drinking sessions. These findings have implications for Irish legislation and policy-makers, Irish higher education institutions, and young adult Irish university students.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1987-2004"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141288780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lawrence Hoc Nang Fong, Sunny Zhenzhen Nong, Anise M S Wu, Davis Ka Chio Fong
{"title":"Scent-driven Selective Attention on Gambling Outcome: Implications for Responsible Gambling.","authors":"Lawrence Hoc Nang Fong, Sunny Zhenzhen Nong, Anise M S Wu, Davis Ka Chio Fong","doi":"10.1007/s10899-024-10346-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10899-024-10346-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Many casinos diffuse a pleasant ambient scent into their facilities as a customer experience management practice, but the ethics of this scenting process is questionable. Although the effect of a pleasant scent on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses has been well-documented, its effect on attention during gambling has yet to be explored. Grounded in the tenets of the top-down control of attention and cross-modal correspondence between vision and olfaction, we conduct two eye-tracking experiments that involve different electronic casino games including video slots and live Cussec. The findings consistently show that pleasant ambient scent prolongs attention and induces more frequent attention to the win/loss areas on the video screen. The findings add to the implications related to responsible gambling by inspiring the stakeholders to consider the use of ambient scent in the gambling environment. Theoretically, the findings offer insights into scent as the catalyst that directs attention to goal-related information, while scent and goal do not need to be congruent in traits.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1823-1838"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141914276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fatemeh Shahrajabian, Jafar Hasani, David Hodgins, Mark D Griffiths
{"title":"Emotional Working Memory Training Treatment for Young Adult Problem Online Sports Bettors: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial.","authors":"Fatemeh Shahrajabian, Jafar Hasani, David Hodgins, Mark D Griffiths","doi":"10.1007/s10899-024-10354-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10899-024-10354-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>One of the key features of gambling disorder (GD) is impairment in cognitive-emotional control. Considering the negative consequences of GD, the present study investigated the effectiveness of emotional working memory training (eWMT) in improving cognitive control, attention, working memory capacity, and cognitive emotion regulation strategies (CERS) among young adults with GD compared to a placebo group. Following the initial assessment in the pre-test phase, eligible participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: experimental (n = 34) and placebo (n = 30). These groups completed eWMT and a feature matching task for 20 sessions respectively. The post-test and follow-up measures indicated that eWMT significantly improved cognitive control, attention, working memory capacity, and the use of maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies, but it had no significant effect on adaptive CERS. The promising results of the present study suggest the use of eWMT as a new intervention to improve cognitive-emotional control among individuals with online gambling problems.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":"2209-2235"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142337130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hibai Lopez-Gonzalez, Roser Granero, Fernando Fernández-Aranda, Mark D Griffiths, Susana Jiménez-Murcia
{"title":"Perceived Impact of Gambling Advertising can Predict Gambling Severity among Patients with Gambling Disorder.","authors":"Hibai Lopez-Gonzalez, Roser Granero, Fernando Fernández-Aranda, Mark D Griffiths, Susana Jiménez-Murcia","doi":"10.1007/s10899-024-10342-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10899-024-10342-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>There is growing evidence that gambling advertising disproportionately affects those experiencing more severe gambling harm. Such association has been studied by recruiting gamblers using online panels, by analysing registered users' data from gambling websites, and through surveys and focus group interviews. However, it is thought that these methods tend to overestimate gambling severity. The present study employed a sample of gamblers with a verified gambling disorder diagnosis (N = 210, 7.1% females, M<sub>age</sub> = 39.4 years) recruited for a period of under two years at a large public hospital. It examined the relationship between self-reported impact of gambling advertising, gambling preference (strategic versus non-strategic) and gambling modality (online versus in-person). The results indicated that higher perceived impact of gambling advertising predicted higher gambling severity, which supports previous findings obtained from non-clinical settings. However, contrary to what was expected, strategic gambling and online gambling were not associated with higher perceived impact of gambling advertising, even though these groups are believed to be exposed to more gambling marketing and advertising from gambling operators. The study aligns well with available scientific evidence proposing further restrictions on gambling advertising regulation due to their disproportionate impact on those already experiencing gambling harm.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1787-1803"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11557654/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141856836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Towards an Active Role of Financial Institutions in Preventing Problem Gambling: A Proposed Conceptual Framework and Taxonomy of Financial Wellbeing Indicators.","authors":"Nathan Lakew, Jakob Jonsson, Philip Lindner","doi":"10.1007/s10899-024-10312-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10899-024-10312-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The transformation of gambling into a largely digital commodity has created a need for online payment technologies to facilitate online gambling, thereby also raising the question of what role these actors can play in the promotion of Responsible Gambling (RG). With the means and access they maintain, financial institutions are in a unique position to alleviate financial pitfalls, yet their role in the gambling context has thus far received little scrutiny. The objective of this study was to conduct an extant literature review to develop an initial set of financial indicators tailored for financial institutions, enabling them to engage in the RG initiatives. We conducted a two-step narrative literature review to identify both general Financial Well-Being (FWB) indicators across financial research disciplines, and one specific to gambling. A literature search over the past 20 years was performed across the following academic databases: Medline (Ovid), Sociological Abstracts (ProQuest), Web of Science (Clarivate), and PsycInfo (EBSCO). Manifest content analysis was used in step one to review general financial well-being, yielding a general FWB conceptual framework. In step two, we applied latent content analysis to the gambling-specific literature, linking essential concepts of gambling-related financial harms to the broader FWB literature. This resulted in a tentative taxonomy of indicators applicable to financial institutions with gambling customers. In tandem with the FWB conceptual framework, the preliminary taxonomy could provide a foundation for financial institutions catering to gambling customers to engage in the duty of care agenda, potentially broadening player protection beyond the current operator-focused RG measures.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1857-1886"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11557690/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141066584","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Holly A Austin, Samuel R Chamberlain, Jon E Grant, David S Baldwin
{"title":"Sleep Problems and Gambling Disorder: Cross-Sectional Relationships in a Young Cohort.","authors":"Holly A Austin, Samuel R Chamberlain, Jon E Grant, David S Baldwin","doi":"10.1007/s10899-024-10335-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10899-024-10335-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aims: </strong>To investigate the potential association between gambling disorder and symptoms of sleep problems (including insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness). It was hypothesised that, compared to controls, individuals with gambling disorder would have significantly greater disturbance of sleep, as indicated by increased scores in: (1) sleep items on the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D); (2) total score on the HAM-A and HAM-D; and (3) the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Secondary analysis of previously published data from 152 young adults, aged 18-29 years. Individuals were stratified into three groups: controls, those at risk of gambling disorder, and those with gambling disorder. One-way ANOVAs with post-hoc tests were conducted to determine whether groups differed significantly in sleep item scores and total scores of the HAM-A and HAM-D, and the ESS.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>HAM-D scale insomnia item scores were significantly higher in the disorder group, when compared to controls, this being particularly marked for middle and late insomnia. The HAM-A item score indicated significantly worse sleep quality in the disorder group, compared to at risk and control groups. Total HAM-A and HAM-D scores were significantly higher in the disorder group, but ESS scores did not differ significantly.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Measures of disruptions in sleep were significantly higher in gambling disorder than controls. Anxiety and depressive symptom severity was also significantly higher in the gambling disorder group. Further research could have implications for identification and treatment of sleep disorders and psychiatric comorbidities in gambling disorder.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":"2141-2151"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11557634/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141621228","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Richard T A Wood, Michael J A Wohl, Nassim Tabri, Kahlil Philander
{"title":"Responsible Gambling as an Evolving Concept and the Benefits of a Positive Play Approach: A Reply to Shaffer et al.","authors":"Richard T A Wood, Michael J A Wohl, Nassim Tabri, Kahlil Philander","doi":"10.1007/s10899-023-10245-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10899-023-10245-8","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1779-1786"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10308856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Examining the Role of Sports Betting Marketing in Youth Problem Gambling.","authors":"Gianluca Di Censo, Paul Delfabbro, Daniel L King","doi":"10.1007/s10899-024-10347-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10899-024-10347-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Sports betting is becoming increasingly common among young people in the UK and Australia. There is a need to understand how the marketing of sports betting may influence risky and pathological gambling to inform policies aimed at reducing harm. This study examines whether sports betting advertising may predict problem gambling scores among young people, while accounting for non-marketing variables.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We recruited 567 participants (53.1% male) aged 18-24 years from an online research panel. Participants were eligible if they had an active betting account and regularly bet on sports. We conducted a hierarchical regression analysis to examine whether four marketing-related measures (exposure to advertising, ad-driven betting decisions, use of betting inducements, and perceived susceptibility to betting inducements) could predict PGSI scores. We controlled for several demographic, psychological, and behavioural variables, including gender, gambling participation, spend per session, participation in in-play betting, normative beliefs about sports betting, and impulsivity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study revealed that sports betting marketing was positively associated with PGSI scores after controlling for non-marketing variables. Significant marketing predictors included ad-driven betting decisions and perceived influence from betting inducements. Other significant predictors included participation in non-sports betting gambling activities, spend per session, involvement in in-play betting, and the impulsivity trait of negative urgency.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Sports betting marketing appears to be implicated in young people's gambling problems. Specifically, young people who have gambling problems may be more likely to bet in response to advertising, and betting incentives may contribute to an intensification of their gambling behaviour. This study supports the implementation of regulations and restrictions on advertising as a measure to protect young problem gamblers.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":"2005-2025"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11557612/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141753128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}