Brianna Morelli, Margaret Anne Gunnigle, Lilia M Russell, Chance V Dow, Julia G Schuetze, Meredith K Ginley, James P Whelan, Rory A Pfund
{"title":"Accessing Responsible Gambling Information from Casinos: Two Secret Shopper Studies.","authors":"Brianna Morelli, Margaret Anne Gunnigle, Lilia M Russell, Chance V Dow, Julia G Schuetze, Meredith K Ginley, James P Whelan, Rory A Pfund","doi":"10.1007/s10899-025-10396-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-025-10396-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although responsible gambling (RG) programs are prevalent as they are legally required in many jurisdictions and are commonly found as part of corporate social responsibility policies, consumers report barriers to and limited employee knowledge about RG resources. Using a secret shopper methodology, two studies explored the accessibility of information about casino RG programs. The two studies sampled all seven casinos located within a southeast United States metropolitan area of 1.3 million people. Study 1 involved contacting each casino by telephone and requesting information from customer services representatives (n = 12), and Study 2 involved visiting casinos in person and requesting information from on-casino floor employees (n = 6), off-casino floor employees (n = 7), and security personnel (n = 7). The information requested through both modalities included (1) general information about RG, (2) the presence of RG resources both in-casino and online, and (3) directions to find RG resources in-casino and online. Study 1 indicated that the accessibility of RG information was unreliable via the telephone. Study 2 indicated that casino employees provided information about RG and in-casino materials but inconsistently provided information about online RG resources. These two studies suggested that casinos could not reliably provide comprehensive RG information. This finding suggests a greater need for governments to hold operators accountable for offering RG programs and for operators to better adhere to corporate social responsibility commitments.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144136551","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}
Timothy C Edson, Eric R Louderback, Matthew A Tom, Debi A LaPlante
{"title":"Multidimensional Loss Chasing among Online Gamblers: Assessing Optimized Thresholds for the Prediction of Gambling Harm.","authors":"Timothy C Edson, Eric R Louderback, Matthew A Tom, Debi A LaPlante","doi":"10.1007/s10899-025-10391-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-025-10391-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Loss chasing is a defining clinical criterion for Gambling Disorder. Using actual player records, we investigated the potential for a multidimensional loss chasing concept (based on bet size, betting odds, and time between bets) to predict potential gambling harm among online sports bettors (N = 36,331) and daily fantasy sports (DFS) players (N = 34,596). Our main focus was whether optimized thresholds (derived from ROC analysis) for loss chasing yielded greater predictive value than both median-derived thresholds and a natural continuous form. Compared to the other tested forms of chasing, optimized thresholds of loss chasing showed the most promise (i.e., positive and statistically significant effects and improved model fit) for two out of three dimensions (i.e., bet size and odds) for one outcome (i.e., loss trajectory) among sports bettors. For these bettors and outcomes, all three loss chasing dimensions predicted the outcome in isolation; however, grouping all three expressions into a single model yielded poor model fit. Loss chasing effects were less apparent (generally non-significant or in the negative direction) for another outcome (i.e., percent change in net loss) and among DFS players. Still, this study demonstrates the promise of a multidimensional concept of loss chasing, and the potential for optimized thresholds to improve prediction of potential harm-related outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144041145","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":"Beyond Sports Betting Legalization: Comparing Problem Gambling Risk Patterns in Legal and Illegal States.","authors":"Tiange Xu, Joshua B Grubbs, Shane W Kraus","doi":"10.1007/s10899-025-10390-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-025-10390-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The 2018 Supreme Court decision allowing state-level sports betting legalization in the United States has raised concerns about its impact on problem gambling risk. This study examined whether legal status predicts problem gambling severity scores while adjusting for demographic characteristics. Data were collected in March-April 2022 from sports bettors in states with legal (n = 974) and illegal (n = 307) sports betting, using the Problem Gambling Severity Index to assess risk levels. While legal status did not significantly predict problem gambling risk, demographic factors emerged as crucial predictors. Age and education consistently predicted risk across both regulatory contexts, with younger bettors and those with lower education showing greater vulnerability. However, other demographic patterns varied by context: females demonstrated higher risk in illegal states while no gender differences emerged in legal states, and single status predicted elevated risk only in legal jurisdictions. These findings indicate that sports betting policy considerations should extend beyond the simple decision to legalize or prohibit, to consider context-specific interventions based on demographic vulnerabilities.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144024597","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}
Kimberley Spence, Nicki A Dowling, Matthew Browne, Matthew Rockloff, Stephanie S Merkouris, Stephanie E Dias
{"title":"\"It Was Never-Ending…\": Investigating Gambling Harm Reported by Affected Others.","authors":"Kimberley Spence, Nicki A Dowling, Matthew Browne, Matthew Rockloff, Stephanie S Merkouris, Stephanie E Dias","doi":"10.1007/s10899-025-10388-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-025-10388-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Gambling-related harm can extend to family members, friends, and communities, however few population-representative studies explore affected other (AO) attributable harm measured with direct reference to gambling. Moreover, no study has employed the full 68-item Gambling Checklist for AOs to investigate harm according to the domains of harm outlined in a recent comprehensive harms taxonomy. Using data from a subsample of 197 AOs identified via a population-representative sample of 5000 respondents from the Fourth Social and Economic Impact Study of Gambling in Tasmania, this study employed a mixed-method design aiming to: (1) quantitatively estimate the rates of AO harms across each domain of harm; and (2) qualitatively analyse semi-structured interview data in a subset of 20 AOs to explore their lived experience of these harms. Overall, emotional/ psychological harm was the most commonly reported (90.36%, 95% CI: 85.32%, 93.79%), followed by relationship harm (75.63%, 95% CI: 69.10%, 81.17%), financial harm (60.91%, 95% CI: 53.87%, 67.53%), health harm (58.67%, 95% CI: 51.59%, 65.41%), work or study harm (32.63%, 95% CI: 26.29%, 39.68%), and other harm (19.17%, 95% CI: 14.18%, 25.40%). The qualitative narratives revealed the interconnected vulnerabilities experienced by AOs across the broad domains of harm. The findings emphasise the importance of targeted interventions, public health promotion, and comprehensive support services to address the diverse harms to AOs. Key areas for intervention include psychological and emotional support, financial guidance, and raising awareness to facilitate early detection of stress-related health conditions, with collaboration between services crucial for developing integrated support systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144020650","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":"\"It would Never have Happened Without the Pandemic\": Understanding the Lived Experience of Individuals who Increased Their Online Gambling Participation.","authors":"Annie-Claude Savard, Sylvia Kairouz, Juliette Nadeau-Tremblay, Magaly Brodeur, Francine Ferland, Martin French, Adèle Morvannou, Nadine Blanchette-Martin, Magali Dufour, Valérie VanMourik, Eva Monson","doi":"10.1007/s10899-024-10336-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10899-024-10336-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The gambling landscape was profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to an increase in online gambling participation. This growth raises concerns about the potential harms associated with online gambling. This qualitative study aims to understand the lived experiences of gamblers whose participation in online gambling increased due to the pandemic. Thematic content analysis was undertaken based on semi-structured interviews conducted with 58 people who reported an increase in their online gambling participation due to the pandemic. Findings are presented according to the three main themes that emerged from the analyses: (1) whether increases in gambling participation during the pandemic were short-term or sustained, (2) characteristics of the gambling environment and operators' practices that shaped this increase, and (3) the role of gambling in the daily lives of gamblers who reported an increase in their gambling participation during the pandemic. Exploration of the lived experiences of gamblers reporting an increase of their online gambling practices during the pandemic raises important issues regarding online gambling environment and gambling operator's practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":"247-265"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141903223","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":"An Empirical Investigation of the Three-Pathway Model and its Contribution to the Gambling Disorder Psychopathology.","authors":"Bruna Mayara Lopes, Hermano Tavares","doi":"10.1007/s10899-024-10316-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10899-024-10316-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Blaszczynski and Nower (2002) proposed a theoretical model that leads to problem gambling via three pathways: (1) operant conditioning; (2) emotional vulnerability; and (3) impulsivity and psychopathy. In the current investigation, we explored the relationship between these three putative causative dimensions and clinical core features of Gambling Disorder (GD): gambling craving, gambling-related cognitive distortions, gambling (wagering) behavior, and gambling severity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Data on 343 people with disordered gambling were analyzed. Measures representing the three pathways were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA generated three profiles. The original dimension of impulsivity/psychopathy was divided into two parts; the impulsivity-related traits were combined with symptoms of depression and anxiety to form one single component representing a volatile emotional, cognitive and behavioral style, named the Affect-instability component. The other two components were Psychopathy and Operant Behavior. Linear regression models for each PCA component found that the Affect-instability component was associated with all core features of GD, i.e., craving, cognitive distortions, gambling behavior and severity (standardized Β range: 0.298-0.448, all p < 0.001). Operant Behavior was significantly associated with gambling behavior (standardized Β=-0.137, p = 0.038) and gambling severity (standardized Β=-0.157, p = 0.006). Psychopathy was associated only with gambling cognitive distortions (standardized Β=-0.300, p < 0.001), suggesting a wider dimension of cognitive challenges in GD.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>An instability component encompassing emotional and cognitive dysregulation was the strongest predictor of all clinical features of GD. The correlation between operant conditioning and gambling severity suggests that behavioral conditioning plays a role in the persistence of maladaptive gambling.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":"283-297"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141158800","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}
George T Salama, Patricia Z Herman, Walter C Millanzi
{"title":"A Cross-Sectional Survey to Measure Attitude, Self-Reported Practice, Levels, Typology, and Determinants of Lifetime Gambling Behaviors Among Undergraduate Students in Higher Training Institutions, Tanzania.","authors":"George T Salama, Patricia Z Herman, Walter C Millanzi","doi":"10.1007/s10899-024-10362-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10899-024-10362-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lifetime gambling activities and behaviors are considered as potentially addictive behaviors that may impact a student's performance. According to a survey conducted in Tanzanian's higher training institutions, for example, 37.2% of sports gamblers were students. This study employed an institutional-based cross-sectional survey in a quantitative research approach to study 374 randomly sampled undergraduate students in higher training institutions in Dodoma region, Tanzania from June to July 2023. Students reported their attitudes, practices, and drivers of gambling activities through interviewer-administered structured questionnaires adopted from previous studies. Results indicate that 374 of 583 potential participants were eligible and surveyed for the study with 100% response rate. Participants' mean age was 24 years ± 2.79 of which, few of them (34%) had age ranging between 25 and 42 years. Male participants accounted for 69.8% (n = 261). 59.1% of the study participants believed that gambling activities were okay to them of which 47.3% of them were lifetime gamblers; 19.2% moderate-risk lifetime gamblers and 2.5% low-risk lifetime gamblers respectively. Online sports betting (44.5%), coin pusher (29.4%), poll tables (8.0%), and slot machines (6.9%) were the most preferred types of gambling games among students. Age between 17 and 24 years; levels three and four classes, being male; living off-campus; drug abuse; mobile smartphone ownership; exposure to social media platforms and high attitude towards gambling activities were associated significantly with undergraduate students' gambling practices (p < 0.05). Large-scale institutional-based educational programs about the financial and academic ramifications of gambling among students during their studies may be able to moderate their gambling behaviors.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":"145-165"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11861418/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142548340","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}
Tanja Grönroos, Jukka Kontto, Matthew M Young, David C Hodgins, Anne H Salonen
{"title":"Trends in Lower-Risk Gambling by Age and Net Income among Finnish Men and Women in 2011, 2015, and 2019.","authors":"Tanja Grönroos, Jukka Kontto, Matthew M Young, David C Hodgins, Anne H Salonen","doi":"10.1007/s10899-024-10355-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10899-024-10355-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lower-risk Gambling Guidelines (LRGGs) were developed in Canada to reduce the risk of gambling-related harm. The LRGGs, published in 2021, consist of three limits: gamble no more than 1% of household income per month; gamble no more than four days per month; and avoid regularly gambling at more than two types of games. All three limits should be followed at the same time. This study focuses on the situation in Finland before the LRGGs were published. The aim of this study is to investigate trends in lower-risk gambling by age and net income among men and women in the Finnish adult population in 2011, 2015, and 2019. Data were drawn from cross-sectional Finnish Gambling population surveys, including permanent residents in Mainland Finland aged 15-74 with Finnish, Swedish or Sámi as their mother tongue (2011; n = 4,484, 2015; n = 4,515, and 2019; n = 3,994). The results showed an increase in the prevalence of lower-risk gambling, rising from 29% in 2011 to 39% in 2019. This upward trend was observed among both men and women, with the prevalence among men increasing from 23 to 33%, and among women from 34 to 45%. The lowest prevalence of lower-risk gambling was found among individuals aged 60-74, especially regarding expenditure guidelines, as well as among women in the lowest income tertile. In conclusion, although the prevalence of lower-risk gambling has increased in Finland, there is still potential for further improvement to minimize harm.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":"267-281"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11861171/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142337132","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}
Artemisa Rocha Dores, Miguel Peixoto, Carina Fernandes, Andreia Geraldo, Mark D Griffiths, Fernando Barbosa
{"title":"Neurophysiological Correlates of Near-Wins in Gambling: A Systematic Literature Review.","authors":"Artemisa Rocha Dores, Miguel Peixoto, Carina Fernandes, Andreia Geraldo, Mark D Griffiths, Fernando Barbosa","doi":"10.1007/s10899-024-10327-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10899-024-10327-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Identification of specific patterns of brain activity related to problem gambling may provide a deeper understanding of its underlying mechanisms, highlighting the importance of neurophysiological studies to better understand development and persistence of gambling behavior. The patterns of cognitive functioning have been investigated through electroencephalography (EEG) studies based on the near-win/near-miss (NW) effect. The main goal of the present study was to evaluate the neurophysiological basis of NWs and their modulation by gambling problems through a systematic review of event-related potentials (ERP) studies elicited by feedback events. The review followed the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA). A total of 15 studies were included, 12 comprising non-problem gamblers (NPGs) and three comparing problem gamblers (PGs) with matched controls. For the P300 component, the win outcome elicited a larger amplitude than the other outcomes (NW and loss), followed by the NW outcome, which elicited a larger amplitude than loss in some studies. For feedback-related negativity (FRN), the loss outcome evoked a more negative amplitude in several studies, despite eliciting a similar amplitude to NW outcomes in others. For PGs, the NW outcome evoked a higher amplitude of P300 than loss, while NPGs showed a similar amplitude to both outcomes. The present review gathered information from different sources and provides a consistent view of the different studies. However, studies lack systematic and robust methodologies, leading to inconsistent results and making it difficult to reach any definitive conclusions.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":"5-35"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11860989/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141890569","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 Gambling Behaviours Among Day Traders: Evidence from a National Study.","authors":"R Diandra Leslie, Carrie A Shaw, Daniel S McGrath","doi":"10.1007/s10899-024-10314-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10899-024-10314-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although research examining the relationship between participation in financial speculation (e.g., purchasing penny stocks, shorting stocks, cryptocurrency trading, and day trading) is sparse, findings consistently indicate that engaging in speculative activities is associated with problematic gambling behaviour. For the present study, gamblers across Canada who had or had not also engaged in day trading were surveyed. A total of n = 467 day traders and n = 9,558 non-day traders were compared in terms of their sociodemographic backgrounds, gambling habits, primary gambling motives, and endorsement of gambling fallacies. Male gender, racial/ethnic minority status, higher educational attainment and income, not working or studying full- or part-time, participation in a larger number of gambling activities, and lower endorsement of coping motives were associated with day trading involvement. Furthermore, lower income, participation in a larger number of gambling activities, greater endorsement of gambling fallacies, and not showing a preference for either skill- or chance-based games predicted moderate-risk-to-problem gambling behaviour among day traders. This research provides insight into factors that may underlie day traders' susceptibility to experiencing gambling problems.</p>","PeriodicalId":48155,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gambling Studies","volume":" ","pages":"51-66"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140923456","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}