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Background and aims: Australians spend more per capita on gambling than any other country in the world. Electronic gaming machines (EGM) expenditure accounts for almost 90% of this expenditure. No study to date has conducted a rigorous longitudinal analysis of the relationship between gambling expenditure and crime. This study aimed to estimate the short‐ and long‐run relationship between gambling expenditure and crime. Design: Longitudinal analysis using panel autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) modelling. Setting and cases: Recorded property and violent crimes committed in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, between 28 December 2015 and 5 January 2020. Measurements Monthly gross EGM expenditure profit, broken down by Local Government Area (LGA). Monthly recorded rates of assault, break enter and steal (dwelling), break enter and steal (non‐dwelling), break enter and steal (total), motor vehicle theft, stealing from a motor vehicle, stealing from a retail store, stealing from the person, stealing (total) and fraud. Findings Each 10% increase in gambling expenditure in NSW is associated with annual: 7.4% increase in assaults, 10.5% increase in break and enter (dwelling) offences; 10.3% increase in break and enter (non‐dwelling) offences; 11% increase in motor vehicle theft offences; 8.2% increase in stealing from motor vehicle offences; and 7.4% increase in fraud offences. Conclusion: Electronic gaming expenditure appears to be positively associated with property and violent crime in New South Wales, Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: This is the first nation‐wide register study based on a total population sample measuring the gender‐specific incidences of chronic diseases and conditions among adults diagnosed with gambling disorder (GD). Design, setting and participants: The study used aggregated data for 2011–22 retrieved from the Register of Primary Health Care visits, Care Register for Health Care and Care Register for Social Welfare, including specialized outpatient and inpatient health care, inpatient social care and institutional care and housing services with 24‐hour or part‐time assistance, set in mainland Finland. Participants comprised people aged 18–90+ years with GD diagnosis [corresponding to pathological gambling, International Classification of Diseases 10th revision (ICD‐10) code F63.0, n = 3605; men n = 2574, women n = 1031] and the general population (n = 4 374 192). Measurements: Incidences of somatic diseases and psychiatric disorders were calculated for the people with diagnosed GD and for the general population, separately for women and men. Findings After standardizing for age, the incidence of each diagnostic group was systematically higher for people with GD compared with the general population, except for cancer. The highest standardized incidence ratio (SIR) values were for psychiatric disorders [SIR = 234.2; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 226.1–242.4], memory disorders (SIR = 172.1; 95% CI = 119.1–234.8), nervous system diseases (SIR = 162.8; 95% CI = 152.8–173.1), chronic respiratory diseases (SIR = 150.6; 95% CI = 137.6–164.2), diabetes (SIR = 141.4; 95% CI = 127.9–155.5) and digestive diseases (SIR = 134.5; 95% CI = 127.1–142.2). Conclusions: In Finland, the incidence of chronic diseases and conditions among people with gambling disorder is higher compared with the general population, apart from cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: UK‐based gambling policymakers have proposed affordability checks starting at monthly losses of £125. The present study combines open banking data with self‐reports of the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) and other relevant information to explore the harm profiles of people who gamble at different levels of electronic gambling behaviour. Design, setting and participants: This was a data fusion study in which participants consented to share their bank data via an open banking application programming interface (API) and who also completed relevant self‐report items. Hierarchical hurdle models were used to predict being an at‐risk gambler (PGSI > 0) and being a 'higher‐risk' gambler (higher PGSI scores among those with non‐zero scores) using four specifications of electronic gambling behaviour (net‐spend, outgoing expenditure, incoming withdrawals, interaction model combining expenditure and withdrawals), and by adding self‐reported data across two additional steps. The study took place in the United Kingdom. Participants were past‐year people who gamble (n = 424), recruited via Prolific. Measurements: Self‐report measures were used of gambling‐related harm (PGSI), depression [Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ‐9)], age and gender; bank‐recorded measures of income and electronic gambling behaviour. Findings Unharmed gamblers had an average monthly gambling net‐spend of £16.41, compared with £208.91 among highest‐risk gamblers (PGSI ≥ 5). Being an at‐risk gambler (PGSI > 0) was predicted significantly by all four types of gambling behaviour throughout all three steps [1.08 ≤ odds ratios (ORs) ≤ 2.92; Ps < 0.001), with only outgoing expenditure being significant in the interaction model (2.26 ≤ ORs ≤ 2.81; Ps < 0.001). Higher PHQ‐9 scores also predicted at‐risk gambling in steps 2–3 (1.09 ≤ ORs ≤ 1.10; Ps < 0.001), as did lower age (0.95 ≤ ORs ≤ 0.96; Ps < 0.001) and male gender identity in step 3 (2.51 ≤ ORs ≤ 2.95; Ps < 0.001). Being a higher‐risk gambler was predicted significantly by gambling behaviour only in the expenditure‐only (1.16 ≤ ORs ≤ 1.17; Ps ≤ 0.048) and withdrawal‐only (1.08 ≤ ORs ≤ 1.09; Ps ≤ 0.004) models, and was not predicted by income (0.98 ≤ ORs ≤ 1.14; Ps ≥ 0.601), age (0.98 ≤ ORs ≤ 0.99; Ps ≥ 0.143) or male gender identity (1.07 ≤ ORs ≤ 1.15; Ps ≥ 0.472). Conclusion: The UK government's proposed affordability checks for gamblers should rarely affect people who are not experiencing gambling‐related harm. At‐risk gambling is predicted well by different types of gambling behaviour. Novel insights about gambling can be generated by fusing self‐reported and objective data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on gambling participation and levels of gambling harm across populations during the pandemic is now addressed in a well‐established body of empirical literature. This study aimed to measure the longer‐term implications of COVID‐19 on gambling participation and levels of gambling harm. Design: Population‐based cohort study using group‐based trajectory modelling. Setting: Australia, using gambling participation, problem gambling risk, sociodemographic and psychosocial data from 2019 (pre COVID‐19), 2020, 2021 (during COVID‐19) and 2023 (post COVID‐19). Participants: A population representative survey of Australian adults, including four waves collected in April 2019 (n = 2054), November 2020 (n = 3029), October 2021 (n = 3474) and January 2023 (n = 3370), with a subset (n = 3160) of the sample having longitudinal data available. Measurements Participants were asked which gambling activities they participated in over the past 12 months for money. Problem gambling risk was measured by the nine‐item Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). Findings There was an overall reduction in gambling participation during COVID‐19 and return to pre‐pandemic levels for most gambling activities by 2023. The longitudinal analysis yielded four trajectories of gambling participation from 2019 to 2023, including individuals who (1) never gambled (25.0% of the longitudinal sample; n = 789); (2) engaged in non‐problematic gambling (59.8%; n = 1888); (3) ceased gambling during COVID‐19 and started again post pandemic (10.7%; n = 337); and (4) engaged in high risk gambling (4.6%; n = 146), with particular demographic and psychosocial profiles and patterns of participation in specific gambling activities related to these trajectories. Conclusions: Although overall gambling participation rates decreased at the population level in Australia during COVID‐19, by 2023 participation in gambling appeared to have nearly returned to pre‐pandemic levels. Patterns of gambling behavior before, during and after the pandemic appear to be heterogeneous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Usage of electronic gaming machines (EGMs) and on‐line gambling is strongly associated with gambling‐related harm. Player‐tracking systems can monitor a gambler's activity across multiple sessions and/or operators, providing a clearer picture of the person's risk of harm with respect to these gambling formats and enabling harm reduction efforts. The Finnish and Norwegian state monopolies have player‐tracking systems in place, while the United Kingdom is implementing an operator‐led system called 'single customer view' for on‐line gambling, and Australian states are proposing similar 'player cards' for land‐based EGMs. Argument: Player tracking can advance harm reduction efforts in three ways. First, player tracking improves our understanding of gambling‐related harm by providing data on how the population gambles, which can potentially be linked with operator, government and/or prevalence data sets. Secondly, player tracking can be used to implement harm reduction measures such as expenditure limits, self‐exclusion and age verification. Thirdly, player tracking can provide a platform to evaluate harm reduction measures via gold‐standard field trials. These potential benefits need to be weighed against various practical and ethical issues. Conclusions: The potential benefits of player‐tracking systems would be maximized via systems administered independently of the gambling industry and implemented universally across all gambling in a given jurisdiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article advocates for the investigation of gambling-related suicide cases in the United Kingdom (UK). It cites the potential impact of gambling-related suicides in England on people and stresses the need to understand the contextual factors that elevate suicide risk for gambling. It refers to psychological autopsy as a way to understand the socio-ecological nature of suicide and it calls for government support to carry out this method as part of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.

Background and aims: In 1561, physician and philosopher Pascasius Justus Turq published a monograph on the description and treatment of pathological gambling. When the monograph came to the attention of the authors in 2006, there existed no known translation of it in any modern language. In 2014, it was translated and published in French. This paper analyses the monograph's key content elements and its place in the history of the concept of addiction. Methods: A contextual analysis of the late Italian Renaissance, followed by key excerpts from the text and commentaries on the meaning and significance of the monograph. Findings and conclusions: Pascasius Justus Turq's 1561 monograph on pathological gambling outlines a disease view of gambling, identifies cognitive processes and biological vulnerabilities as aetiological factors, avoids religious or moral judgements and recommends cognitive treatment to change the beliefs and expectancies of gamblers. This study shows that a 'disease formulation' of addiction was enunciated as early as the 16th century, and its contemporary resonance suggests that current clinical features of addictive disorders have existed for centuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors relate a discussion with R. M. Heirene about the need for direct evaluation of the United Kingdom's (UK's) gambling affordability checks policy. Topics include a better way of evaluating risk checks based on discussion, how regulation in technology-focused domains such as gambling can be effective, and the limited evidence in the gambling policy space.

The author comments on an article by D. Zendle and P. Newall which provides evidence for understanding the link between gambling spending and harm using novel methods. He discusses why Zendle and Newall's article provides an important contribution to the gambling literature, concern on the net-spend values computed by the authors, and basis of the authors' conclusion that affordability checks will not impact no-/low-risk gamblers.

Aims: To measure the effect of cognitive‐behavioral techniques (CBTs) on gambling disorder severity and gambling behavior at post‐treatment and follow‐up. Method: Seven databases and two clinical trial registries were searched to identify peer‐reviewed studies and unpublished studies of randomized controlled trials. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool assessed risk of bias in the included studies. A random effect meta‐analysis with robust variance estimation was conducted to measure the effect of CBTs relative to minimally treated or no treatment control groups. Results: Twenty‐nine studies representing 3991 participants were identified. CBTs significantly reduced gambling disorder severity (g = −1.14, 95% CI = −1.68, −0.60, 95% prediction interval [PI] = −2.97, 0.69), gambling frequency (g = −0.54, 95% CI = −0.80, −0.27, 95% PI = −1.48, 0.40) and gambling intensity (g = −0.32, 95% CI = −0.51, −0.13, 95% PI = −0.76, 0.12) at post‐treatment relative to control. CBTs had no significant effect on follow‐up outcomes. Analyses supported the presence of publication bias and high heterogeneity in effect size estimates. Conclusions: Cognitive‐behavioral techniques are a promising treatment for reducing gambling disorder and gambling behavior; however, the effect of cognitive‐behavioral techniques on gambling disorder severity and gambling frequency and intensity at post‐treatment is overestimated, and cognitive‐behavioral techniques may not be reliably efficacious for all individuals seeking treatment for problem gambling and gambling disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The prevalence of cannabis use based on self‐reports is likely to be underestimated in population surveys, especially in contexts where its use is a criminal offence. Indirect survey methods ask sensitive questions ensuring that answers cannot be identified with an individual respondent, therefore potentially resulting in more reliable estimates. We aimed to measure whether the indirect survey method 'randomized response technique' (RRT) increased response rate and/or increased disclosure of cannabis use among young adults compared with a traditional survey. Design: We conducted two parallel nation‐wide surveys during the spring and the summer of 2021. The first survey was a traditional questionnaire‐based one (focusing on substance use and gambling). The second survey applied an indirect survey method known as 'the cross‐wise model' to questions related to cannabis use. The two surveys employed identical procedures (e.g. invitations, reminders and wording of the questions) Setting and Participants: The participants were young adults (aged 18–29 years) living in Sweden. The traditional survey had 1200 respondents (56.9% women) and the indirect survey had 2951 respondents (53.6% women). Measurements In both surveys, cannabis use was assessed according to three time‐frames: life‐time use; use during the past year; and use during the past 30 days. Findings The estimated prevalence of cannabis use was two‐ to threefold higher on all measures when estimated using the indirect survey method compared with the traditional survey: use during life‐time (43.2 versus 27.3%); during the past year (19.2 versus 10.4%); and during the past 30 days (13.2 versus 3.7%). The discrepancy was larger among males and individuals with an education shorter than 10 years, who were unemployed, and who were born in non‐European countries. Conclusions: Indirect survey methods may provide more accurate estimates than traditional surveys on prevalence of self‐reported cannabis use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Participating in online gambling is associated with an increased risk for experiencing gambling‐related harms, driving calls for more effective, personalized harm prevention initiatives. Such initiatives depend on the development of models capable of detecting at‐risk online gamblers. We aimed to determine whether machine learning algorithms can use site data to detect retrospectively at‐risk online gamblers indicated by the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). Design: Exploratory comparison of six prominent supervised machine learning methods (decision trees, random forests, K‐nearest neighbours, logistic regressions, artificial neural networks and support vector machines) to predict problem gambling risk levels reported on the PGSI. Setting: Lotoquebec.com (formerly espacejeux.com), an online gambling platform operated by Loto‐Québec (a provincial Crown Corporation) in Quebec, Canada. Participants: N = 9145 adults (18+) who completed the survey measure and placed at least one bet using real money on the site. Measurements Participants completed the PGSI, a self‐report questionnaire with validated cut‐offs denoting a moderate‐to‐high‐risk (PGSI 5+) or high‐risk (PGSI 8+) for experiencing past‐year gambling‐related problems. Participants agreed to release additional data about the preceding 12 months from their user accounts. Predictor variables (144) were derived from users' transactions, apparent betting behaviours, listed demographics and use of responsible gambling tools on the platform. Findings Our best classification models (random forests) for the PGSI 5+ and 8+ outcome variables accounted for 84.33% (95% CI = 82.24–86.41) and 82.52% (95% CI = 79.96–85.08) of the total area under their receiver operating characteristic curves, respectively. The most important factors in these models included the frequency and variability of participants' betting behaviour and repeat engagement on the site. Conclusions: Machine learning algorithms appear to be able to classify at‐risk online gamblers using data generated from their use of online gambling platforms. They may enable personalized harm prevention initiatives, but are constrained by trade‐offs between their sensitivity and precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States (US). Research over many decades identifies that its etiology is complex, with risk factors operating in multiple domains. One such risk factor is gambling. Over the past three decades, exposure to gambling has increased dramatically in the United States. The aim of this study was to measure the magnitude of the association between casino density and absolute risk of suicide in US counties. Design, Setting, Cases: This spatial panel analysis used data for 3131 counties from 50 US states from 2000 to 2016, for an overall sample of 53 227 county‐year units. Using Bayesian conditional autoregressive Poisson models, we measured incidence rate ratios and credible intervals for the association between the density per population of casinos and other gambling outlets and the incidence of suicide. Measurements: The outcome of interest was counts of suicides. The main exposures of interest were casinos and other gambling outlets. Findings A total of 527 401 suicides occurred during the study period. On average, there was a mean of 1.3 casinos (SD = 9.1) and 1.4 other gambling venues (SD = 5.9) in each county‐year. After controlling for confounding, the incidence rate ratio for casinos was 1.016, and the credible interval was between 1.010 and 1.023. Conclusions: The density of casinos and other gambling venues is positively associated with suicide mortality in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To measure the association between problem gambling severity and 19 different gambling activities among emerging adults (aged 16–26). Design: An online non‐probability longitudinal survey collecting data in two waves: wave 1, July/August 2019; wave 2, July/October 2020. Setting: Great Britain Participants: A total of 2080 young adults participating in both waves. Measurements Problem gambling scores were collected using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). Binary variables recorded past year participation in 19 different gambling forms, ranging from lotteries to online casino and gambling‐like practices within digital games (e.g. loot box purchase, skin betting). Controls included socio‐demographic/economic characteristics, the Eysenck Impulsivity Scale and the number of gambling activities undertaken. Findings Zero inflated negative binomial model lacked evidence of an effect between past year participation in any individual activities and subsequent PGSI scores. However, negative binomial random effects models for current gamblers (n = 497) showed that skin betting (incidence‐rate ratio [IRR] = 2.32; 95% CI = 1.69–3.19), fixed odd betting terminals (IRR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.61–3.05), slot/fruit machines (IRR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.07–1.91), online betting on horse/dog races (IRR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.17–2.00) and online betting on non‐sports events (IRR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.11–1.89) were associated with increased PGSI scores. Online casino gambling had a significant interaction by wave; the impact of online casino betting in wave 2 on PGSI scores increased by a factor of 1.61. Conclusions: Past year participation of young adults (aged 16–26) in certain forms of gambling does not appear to be associated with future Problem Gambling Severity Index scores. Among young adults who are current gamblers, past year participation in certain land‐based (e.g. electronic gaming machines) and online forms (e.g. skin betting) of gambling appears to be strongly associated with elevated Problem Gambling Severity Index scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article stresses the need for online-specific gambling marketing regulations in the United Kingdom (UK). It argues that current advertising codes are ill-equipped to deal with online gambling advertising techniques and cautions about the enforcement challenges brought by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). It calls for policymakers to restrict gambling marketing and establish a database where online gambling advertisements are stored.

The authors offer a response to commentaries made on their article on how player-tracking technologies could enhance stakeholders' ability to understand and reduce gambling-related harm. Topics include the benefits that can be yielded by linking self-report and naturalistic data together, how all gambling provision models raise their own issues, and important points concerning user privacy and points to features of operator data that make for strong makers of harm.

The author comments on an article by P. Newall and T. Swanton on the role of player tracking in understanding and reducing gambling-related harm. He discusses the challenges in a single-customer view in which the access point for all gambling might be an independent organisation that offers monitoring and aggregate safer gambling functionality, how to determine the appropriate levels of expenditure, and the need to look for genuine indicators of harm rather than focus on static gambling limits.

The author comments on an article by P. Newall and T. Swanton on the role of Player Tracking Systems (PTS) in understanding and reducing gambling-related harm. Topics include how these systems would benefit harm reduction measures according to Newall and Swanton, their arguments regarding the improved efficacy of self-exclusion, and additional benefits when using a PTS with electronic gaming machines (EGMs).

The article discusses the return to player (RTP) concept in gambling which is defined by many websites as the proportion of invested money the player can expect to recoup over the long term. Topics include factors that are known to exacerbate problem gambling, simulations for 10,000 coin-flips for 100 different players, and distribution of heads and tails among 100-1 billion coin-flips for the binomial distribution.

The author comments on an article by P. Newall and T. Swanton on how to reduce gambling harm via player tracking. Topics include the mandatory gambling cards issued in Finland and some other countries for player tracking, the need for additional measures to ensure that player tracking reduces the harm as effectively as possible, and availability of the technology required for digital identification and its use by the gambling industry.

The authors comment on an article by P. Newall and T. Swanson on the role of data integration in understanding gambling behavior. Topics include the shift in the focus of gambling studies from problem gambling to public health approach, Newall and Swanson's advocacy for a comprehensive tracking and analysis, and how the public can improve their understanding of gambling-related harm and implement more effective interventions.

Background and Aims: Multiple studies have examined barriers and facilitators to help‐seeking, but the prevalence of help‐seeking for problem gambling (PG) is not well established. We aimed to estimate the international prevalence of help‐seeking for PG among the general population and among subgroups of people at risk for PG (i.e. low‐risk, moderate‐risk and PG). Methods: Systematic search of grey literature (through gambling repositories, gambling research institutes and Google) and peer‐reviewed literature (through ProQuest, PsycINFO, PubMed and Scopus) for gambling prevalence studies that reported on help‐seeking for PG. This review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta‐Analyses. Studies used representative sampling methods to determine the prevalence of gambling participation and data collection 2010 onward. Twenty‐four studies met the inclusion criteria. The main outcome was population prevalence of help‐seeking for PG. Help‐seeking was defined as any intentional action to change gambling behaviours, including professional services (inclusive of in‐person or distance help), non‐professional help (e.g. from family and friends) and self‐help. Subgroup analyses were conducted to explain variability in help‐seeking prevalence estimates. Results: Measurement of help‐seeking was inconsistent across included studies and, overall, there was high risk of bias. We estimated a general population help‐seeking prevalence for PG of 0.23% (95% CI, 0.16–0.33). Prevalence estimates were significantly higher in studies assessing lifetime (0.50%; 95% CI, 0.35–0.71) compared with current help‐seeking (0.14%; 95% CI, 0.10–0.20, P < 0.001), but there was no evidence of difference in prevalence estimates by gambling participation, region, type of help‐seeking, or year of data collection. Compared with people with low‐risk gambling (0.27%; 95% CI, 0.07%–1.04%), prevalence estimates were significantly higher in those with moderate‐risk (3.73%; 95% CI, 2.07%–6.63%) and problem gambling (20.63%; 95% CI, 12.89%–31.35%, P < 0.001). Conclusions: One in 25 moderate‐risk gamblers and 1 in 5 people with problem gambling have sought help for problems related to their gambling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To estimate the prevalence of family members affected by addictive disorders (FMA) with regard to various types of addictive disorders, and self‐rated health and depression in the general population. Design: Cross‐sectional general population survey. Setting: The German Health Update study (GEDA) 2014/2015, a nationally representative panel of German residents aged 15 years or older. Participants: A total of 24 824 residents aged 15 years or older. Measurements Participants were asked if they had a family member with current or past addictive disorder, the type of addiction and the relationship status. In addition, self‐rated health and depression were assessed using standardized questionnaires. Findings Of the respondents, 9.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 9.0–10.0] reported being affected by a current addictive disorder of a relative (cFMA), with a further 4.5% (95% CI = 4.2–4.9) reported having been affected by the addictive disorders of a relative in the past but not within the last 12 months (pFMA). Most FMAs reported having been affected by disorders due to alcohol, followed by cannabis and other drugs. Compared with life‐time non‐FMAs, FMAs reported significantly (P < 0.001) higher odds ratios for depression (cFM = 2.437; 95% CI = 2.082–2.853; pFMA = 1.850; 95% CI = 1.519–2.253) and ill‐health (cFMA = 1.574; 95% CI = 1.374–1.805; pFMA = 1.297; 95% CI = 1.082–1.555). Conclusions: In Germany, family members affected by addictive disorder are a substantial group within the general population. This group is characterized by ill‐health and has not yet been adequately addressed by the addiction treatment system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article revisits the question of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on addictive disorders. Topics covered include consumption of opioid, alcohol and cannabis, levels of gambling problem, and mortality rate. It also discusses the need for studies on harms among people who use stimulant drugs and have underlying respiratory or cardiovascular disease, particularly during the pandemic.

Aims: To estimate the effect of acute alcohol consumption on risk‐taking while gambling, examine blood alcohol concentration as a moderator and explore possible moderators of this effect. Design, Setting and Participants: A systematic review and meta‐analysis was completed. A Boolean search strategy was used to identify studies that included (a) alcohol consumption as an independent variable; (b) a gambling or risk‐taking task; (c) a control or placebo comparison; (d) human participants; and (e) English publications. Descriptive information, sample characteristics and experimental data were extracted from each study. Searched databases included: PsycINFO, Web of Science, Medline, Cochrane Library and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Included as participants were experiments that compared the effects of alcohol and non‐alcoholic or placebo beverages on risk‐taking while gambling. Measurement: Comprehensive Meta‐Analysis version 3.3.070 was used. Standardized mean differences of risk‐taking while gambling between the experimental and control conditions were calculated when studies did not report effect sizes. Random‐effects models were used for overall effect and meta‐regressions while mixed‐effects models were used for subgroup analyses. Findings Twenty articles containing 47 alcohol versus control comparisons met inclusion criteria. The overall Hedges'g for the difference between groups consuming alcohol and groups consuming a placebo or non‐alcoholic drink control was 0.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.07, 0.12, p = 0.60, indicating no significant difference. Larger effect sizes were found for studies using non‐alcoholic control drinks (Hedges' g = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.01, 0.58) compared to placebo beverages (Hedges' g = −0.03, 95% CI = −0.13, 0.06), Cochran's Q = 4.67, p = 0.03. Conclusions: Finding that acute alcohol consumption had no reliable effect on risk‐taking while gambling was consistent with existing animal research. No support was found for the relation between alcohol dose and risk‐taking. The significantly larger effect size for experiments using non‐alcoholic versus placebo beverages suggests the potential role of expectancy effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A list of books about addiction is presented, including "Off the Hook: Coping With Addiction Series," "Women's Drug Use in Everyday Life" and "Understanding You Inner Child and Overcoming Addiction: A Recovery Manual and Workbook."

Background and Aims: Individuals impacted by someone else's alcohol, illicit drug, gambling and gaming problems (affected others) experience extensive harms. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review and meta‐analysis to determine the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions delivered to affected others across addictions. Methods: This review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses. An electronic database search (PsycInfo, Medline, Cinahl and EMBASE) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published until August 2021 was conducted. RCTs with passive control groups, evaluating psychosocial tertiary interventions delivered to affected others of people with addictions (problematic alcohol use, substance use, gambling or gaming) that did not require the involvement of the addicted person, were included. Results: Twenty included studies, published in 22 articles, mainly evaluated interventions for alcohol use, followed by gambling and illicit drugs, with none investigating gaming interventions. The interventions mainly targeted partners/spouses and focused upon improving affected other outcomes, addicted person outcomes or both. Meta‐analyses revealed beneficial intervention effects over control groups on some affected other (depressive symptomatology [standardized mean difference (SMD) = −0.48, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.67, –0.29], life satisfaction (SMD = −0.37, 95% CI = −0.71, −0.03) and coping style (SMD = −1.33, 95% CI = −1.87, –0.79), addicted person [treatment entry, risk ratio (RR) = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.75–0.98] and relationship functioning outcomes (marital discord, SMD = −0.40, 95% CI = −0.61, −0.18) at post‐intervention. No beneficial intervention effects were identified at short‐term follow‐up (4–11 months post‐treatment). The beneficial intervention effects identified at post‐treatment remained when limiting to studies of alcohol use and therapist‐delivered interventions. Conclusions: Psychosocial interventions delivered to affected others of people with addictions (problematic alcohol use, substance use, gambling or gaming) may be effective in improving some, but not all, affected other (depression, life satisfaction, coping), addicted person (treatment) and relationship functioning (marital discord) outcomes for affected others across the addictions, but the conclusion remains tentative due to limited studies and methodological limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: The COVID‐19 pandemic has significantly impacted face‐to‐face research. This has propelled ideas and plans for more remote styles of research and provided new perspectives on conducting research. This paper aimed to identify challenges specific to conducting remote forms of experimental addiction research, although some of these challenges apply to all types of addiction research. Argument The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic has led to important lessons for future addiction research. Although remote research has been conducted for decades, little experimental research has been performed remotely. To do so require a new perspective on what research questions we can ask and could also enable preferential capture of those who may be more reluctant to engage in research based in clinical settings. There may, however, be crucial factors that will compromise this process. We illustrate our argument with three real‐world, ongoing case studies centred on gambling behaviour, opioid overdose, and cannabinoid psychopharmacology. We highlight the obstacles to overcome to enable more remote methods of study. Conclusions: The future of experimental research and, more generally, addiction research, will be shaped by the pandemic and may result in advantages, such as reaching different populations and conducting addiction research in more naturalistic settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The pathways model is a highly cited etiological model of problem gambling. In the past two decades, a number of studies have found support for the model's utility in classifying gambling subtypes. The aims of this paper were to refine empirically the model subtypes and to revise and update the model based on those findings. Design and Measurement: Observational study using data collected from treatment‐seeking problem gamblers using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) and the Gambling Pathways Questionnaire (GPQ). Setting: Treatment clinics in Canada, Australia and the United States. Participants: A convenience sample of 1168 treatment‐seeking problem gamblers, aged 18 years or older. Findings Empirically validated risk factors were analyzed using latent class analyses, identifying a three‐class solution as the best‐fitting model. Those in the largest class (class 1: 44.3%, n = 517) reported the lowest levels of all etiological risk factors. Participants in class 2 (39.5%, n = 461) reported the highest rates of anxiety and depression, both before and after gambling became a problem, as well as childhood maltreatment, and a high level of gambling for stress‐coping. Those in class 3 (16.3%, n = 190) reported high levels of impulsivity; risk‐taking, including sexual risk‐taking; antisocial traits; and coping to provide meaning in life and to alleviate stress. Conclusions: The revised pathways model of problem gambling includes three classes of gamblers similar to the three subtypes in the original pathways model, but class 3 in the revised pathways model is distinct from class 2, showing higher levels of risk‐taking and antisocial traits and gambling motivated by a desire for meaning/purpose and/or to alleviate stress. Class 2 in the revised pathways model demonstrates high levels of childhood maltreatment as well as gambling for stress‐coping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Homelessness is one of the most significant harms associated with gambling and appears to affect older adults disproportionately, but the relationship has received little research attention. This exploratory study investigated how gambling and homelessness is linked in older adults. Methods: Using qualitative research methods, we undertook in‐depth semi structured face‐to‐face individual and group interviews to gather data from a purposive sample (n = 48) of key informants working in service provision for older adults (aged 50+ years) experiencing gambling‐related harm and/or homelessness in Victoria, Australia. Thematic analysis of data focused on evaluating mechanisms and identifying contextual conditions that activate pathways between gambling and homelessness. Results: The relationship between gambling and homelessness in older adults is often indirect and non‐linear, and can represent a reflexive cycle. Experiencing periods of homelessness into older age can contribute to gambling, often because the adverse impacts of homelessness on older adults' mental and material wellbeing increase the appeal of gambling. Additionally, comorbidities (e.g. substance use, mental illness, past trauma) and structural conditions (e.g. gambling accessibility, poverty, housing insecurity) can activate gambling. Furthermore, because gambling in the older homeless adult population is frequently hidden and regularly overlooked by service providers, it often continues unabated. Gambling in older adults can also contribute to the onset of first‐time homelessness. Large and rapid losses from high‐intensity gambling frequently characterize this route to homelessness. Such gambling is often triggered by major life events and changes (e.g. bereavement, job loss, relationship difficulties), and the outcomes are often worsened by the conduct of gambling operators and creditors. Conclusions: The link between gambling and homelessness in older adults is complex, with connecting mechanisms often contingent upon individual, interpersonal and structural conditions and contexts. There is potential for preventative and ameliorative action given many of the underlying conditions appear modifiable through policy intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To estimate whether the use of wagering inducements has a significant impact on the gambling behaviors of on‐line gamblers and describe this temporal relation under naturalistic conditions. Design This longitudinal observational study is part of the second stage of the Screening for Excessive Gambling Behaviors on the Internet (EDEIN) research program. Setting: Gambling tracking data from the French national on‐line gambling authority (poker, horse race betting and sports betting) and from the French national lottery operator (lotteries and scratch games). Participants: A total of 9306 gamblers who played poker, horse race or sports betting and 5682 gamblers who played lotteries and scratch games completed an on‐line survey. The gender ratio was largely male (between 87.1% and 92.9% for poker, horse race betting and sports betting, and equal to 65.1% for lotteries). Median age ranged from 35 (sports betting) to 53 (horse race betting and lotteries). Measurements The survey used the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) to determine the status of the gamblers (at‐risk or not). Gambling tracking data included weekly gambling intensity (wagers, deposits), gambling frequency (number of gambling days), proxies of at‐risk gambling behaviors (chasing and breadth of involvement) and use of wagering inducements. Findings The use of wagering inducements was associated with an increase of gambling intensity [β between −0.06 (−0.08; –0.05) and 0.57 (0.54; 0.60)], gambling frequency [β between 0.12 (0.10; 0.18) and 0.29 (0.28; 0.31)] and at‐risk gambling behaviors [odds ratio between 1.32 (1.16; 1.50) and 4.82 (4.61; 5.05)] at the same week of their use. This effect was stronger for at‐risk gambling behaviors and at‐risk gamblers. Conclusions: Wagering inducements may represent a risk factor for developing or exacerbating gambling problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A review of the article "The illusion of control," written by EJ Langer and printed in a 1975 issue of the "Journal of Personality and Social Psychology" is presented.

Background and Aims: Previous research has demonstrated phenotypical associations between disordered gambling (DG) and Big 5 personality traits, and a twin study suggested that shared genetic influences accounted for a substantial portion of this relation. The present study examined associations between DG and polygenic scores (PSs) for Big 5 traits to measure the shared genetic underpinnings of Big 5 personality traits and DG. Design: Zero-inflated negative binomial regression models estimated associations between Big 5 PSs and past-year and life-time assessments of DG in a longitudinally assessed population-based birth cohort. Setting: United Kingdom. Participants: A total of 4729 unrelated children of European ancestry from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) with both phenotypical and genetic data. Measurements: Phenotypical outcomes included past-year assessment of DG using the problem gambling severity index (PGSI) and life-time assessment of DSM-IV pathological gambling symptoms (DPG) across the ages of 17, 20 and 24 years. Polygenic scores were derived for the Big 5 personality traits of agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness, openness and neuroticism using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Findings: PSs for agreeableness [ß= - 0.25, standard error (SE) = 0.054, P = 3.031e-6, ΔR2 = 0.008] and neuroticism (ß=0.14, SE = 0.046, P = 0.0017, ΔR2 = 0.002) significantly predicted PGSI scores over and above included covariates (i.e. sex and first five ancestral principal components). PSs for agreeableness (ß= - 0.20, SE = 0.056, P = 0.00036, ΔR2 = 0.003) and neuroticism, when interactions with age were taken into account (ß = 0.29, SE = 0.090, P = 0.002, ΔR2 = 0.004), also predicted DPG scores. Conclusions: Polygenic contributions to low agreeableness and high neuroticism appear to predict two measures of disordered gambling (problem gambling severity index and life-time assessment of DSM-IV pathological gambling symptoms). Polygenic scores for neuroticism interact with age to suggest that the positive association becomes stronger from adolescence through young adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Money is central to psychological definitions of gambling, but contemporary accounts are ambiguous regarding the role of financial motives in disordered gambling. The aims of the current research were to obtain meta-analytic weighted effect sizes for zero-order associations of financial motives against gambling frequency and level of problem gambling, as well as partial associations after controlling for other motives (e.g. coping). Methods: A meta-analysis of the literature through February 2021 was undertaken. Studies were identified from multiple sources (e.g. database search, other researchers). PRISMA standards were followed when screening identified records and extracting relevant data. The data analytic plan was pre-registered. We included 44 cross-sectional studies that involved student, community and clinical samples of people who gamble (sample sizes ranged from 22-5666), using validated self-report measures of financial gambling motives alongside measures of either gambling frequency and/or problem gambling. Results: Financial gambling motives were positively associated with gambling frequency, r = 0.29, 95% CI = [0.21, 0.37], n = 22 738, and level of problem gambling, r = 0.35, 95% CI = [0.31, 0.38], n = 38 204, with moderate effect sizes. Partial associations after controlling for overlapping variance with other gambling motives were also positive (gambling frequency: ß = 0.14, 95% CI = [0.05, 0.22], n = 13 844; level of problem gambling: ß = 0.18, 95% CI = [0.13, 0.22], n = 28 146), with small-to-moderate effect sizes. Effect sizes were heterogeneous and the extent of heterogeneity was high. Analyses of the zero-order association involving gambling frequency indicated that gambling motives measure (greater for Gambling Motives Questionnaire-Financial) and sample mean age (greater for younger samples) were moderators. No other moderators were statistically significant. Conclusions: Financial gambling motives appear to be reliably and positively associated with both gambling frequency and level of problem gambling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: Examining risk‐curves is important to understanding the degree to which indices of gambling consumption are associated with gambling‐related harm. Risk‐curves have largely been described as J‐shaped, suggesting that at low levels of consumption harm remain constant but then increase sharply at a certain threshold. Alternative methods in recent work, however, have described risk‐curves as linear and R‐shaped, indicating that risk of harm increases as consumption increases at all levels of consumption. The aim of the current study is to estimate the shape of gambling risk‐curves using competing methods. Design Systematic comparison of gambling risk‐curves using categorical (via plots) and continuous (via bootstrapped regression analyses) operationalizations of gambling consumption. Setting and participants Data were 2873 gamblers (1417 women) from the fourth Social and Economic Impact Study of Gambling in Tasmania. Measurements Gambling‐related harm was assessed using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) and Short Gambling Harm Screen (SGHS). Gambling consumption was assessed as annual frequency, expenditure and expenditure as a proportion of income. Findings Categorical gambling consumption data plotted with equal magnitudes evidenced J‐shaped risk‐curves. When the magnitude of gambling categories was re‐scaled to the mid‐points, risk‐curves no longer appeared J‐shaped. Additionally, bootstrapped regression analyses using the continuous gambling consumption data did not provide evidence for J‐shaped risk‐curves. Conclusions: Gambling risk‐curves in Tasmania appear not to be J‐shaped, but rather suggest that risk of gambling‐related harm increases with even small increases in gambling consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: New Zealand has recently legalized medicinal cannabis and has explored the possibility of legalizing large‐scale recreational cannabis supply. In the process, concerns have emerged regarding whether corporations involved in the large‐scale production and sale of legalized cannabis will invest in tactics of influence with policymakers and the public. This paper aimed to examine the various ways a legalized cannabis industry could seek to influence governments and the public in the New Zealand reform context. Method: Based on the study of industry tactics with alcohol, tobacco and gambling, we applied a three‐chain model of industry influence that breaks tactics into the 'public good', 'knowledge' and 'political' chains. Results: Exploratory analysis of the nascent cannabis industry's activity in New Zealand provided signs of industry influence strategies related to all three chains. The medicinal cannabis industry has associated the establishment of a legal cannabis sector with regional economic development and employment, supported lobbying for recreational law reform, funded NGOs involved in lobbying for law reform, established research partnerships with universities, invited ex‐politicians on advisory boards, and participated in government public sector partnerships. Conclusion: There is emerging evidence that the legal cannabis industry is using strategies to influence the regulatory environment in New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Few meta‐analyses have been conducted to pool the most constant risk factors for problem gambling. The present meta‐analysis summarizes effect sizes of the most frequently assessed problem gambling risk factors, ranks them according to effect size strength and identifies any differences in effects across genders. Method: A random‐effects meta‐analysis was conducted on jurisdiction‐wide gambling prevalence surveys on the general adult population published until March 2019. One hundred and four studies were eligible for meta‐analysis. The number of participants varied depending on the risk factor analyzed, and ranged from 5327 to 273 946 (52% female). Weighted mean odds ratios were calculated for 57 risk factors (socio‐demographic, psychosocial, gambling activity and substance use correlates), allowing them to be ranked from largest to smallest with regard to their association with problem gambling. Results: The highest odds ratio (OR) was for internet gambling [OR = 7.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 5.24, 10.99, P < 0.000] and the lowest was for employment status (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.87, 1.22, P = 0.718). The largest effect sizes were generally in the gambling activity category and the smallest were in the socio‐demographic category. No differences were found across genders for age‐associated risk. Conclusions: A meta‐analysis of 104 studies of gambling prevalence indicated that the most frequently assessed problem gambling risk factors with the highest effect sizes are associated with continuous‐play format gambling products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: We tested the effectiveness of three different messages designed to increase limit‐setting on gambling sites and sent these via e‐mail or in‐account notification to compare delivery modes. As a secondary aim, we examined the effects of limit‐setting on gambling behaviour. Design A pre‐registered, naturalistic randomized control trial using a 3 × 2 plus control design. Setting: Four on‐line Australian sports and racing wagering websites. Participants: A total of 31 989 wagering customers (reduced to 26,560 after eligibility screening) who had placed bets on at least 5 days in the past 30 [mean age = 41.4, standard deviation (SD) = 14.3; 79% male]. Interventions and comparators: Messages were sent via e‐mail or in‐account notification by on‐line gambling operators and were designed to either: (1) be informative, describing the availability and purpose of the tool (informative messages), (2) highlight the benefits other people receive from using the tool (social messages) or (3) promote the benefit individuals could receive from using the tool (personal messages). A control group who did not receive messages was monitored for comparison. Measurements Our primary outcome was the number of customers who set a deposit limit within 5 days of receiving messages and secondary outcomes included pre‐ and post‐message betting behaviour (e.g. average daily wager). Findings One hundred and sixty‐one (0.71%) customers sent messages set limits compared to three (0.08%) controls [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 8.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.99, 33.76)]. Social and personal messages were no more effective than informative messages (aOR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.65, 1.48; aOR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.60, 1.44) and in‐account messages were no more effective than e‐mails (aOR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.71, 1.49). Customers who set limits significantly decreased their average daily wager, the SD of daily wager, net loss and betting intensity compared with non‐limit‐setters. Conclusions: Messages to on‐line gambling website customers are inexpensive, and may lead to small but impactful increases in setting deposit limits. Limit‐setting may be an effective strategy for reducing gambling expenditure and intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research on the prevalence of loot boxes in computer games in the United Kingdom (UK). Data presented shows the percentage of iPhone games with loot boxes, percentage of games only appearing in Xiao that contained loot boxes and those in Zendle. It presents a summary of disagreements among overlapping titles of video games, which included simulated casino games and a virtual claw machine game.

The authors comment on a study by A. Englund and colleagues on the benefits and challenges that online experiments bring to the scientific investigation of addictive behaviors. Topics include the use of the focus group method as valuable data collection strategy, the overlap of the advantages of performing online over in-person focus groups with those of online experiments depicted by Englund et al, and cost effectiveness of conducting online focus groups.

The article offers an overview of a project led by the World Health Organization(WHO) which developed gold standard instruments to detect gaming and gambling disorders after their inclusion in the disorders due to addictive behaviours section of the eleventh revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Topics covered include the members of the project, and the significance of the implementation of the project in multiple countries/jurisdictions.

Background and aims: Lottery gambling participation tends to be higher among lower socio‐economic status (SES) individuals, but it is unclear how this relationship differs as a function of lottery type. We estimated how the relationship between SES and lottery gambling rates varies across different types of lottery gambling: fixed‐prize, progressive‐prize (jackpot) and instant‐win (scratch card) lottery tickets in a large Canadian city. Design Neighborhood‐level lottery purchase data obtained from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission were analysed in conjunction with demographic data. Mixed‐effects regression was used to assess simultaneously how neighborhood‐level SES predicts per‐person lottery gambling rates across fixed‐prize, progressive‐prize lottery and instant‐win lotteries. Setting and participants: Neighborhoods in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in the years 2012–15. Measurements Per‐capita sales in dollars (CAD) of fixed‐prize lottery, progressive‐prize lottery and instant‐win tickets in Toronto postal codes. SES was estimated as a composite of income, years of education and white‐collar employment. Findings Lower‐SES neighborhoods engaged in higher rates of lottery gambling overall [β = −0.084, standard error (SE) = 0.24, P = 0.0007]. The predictive effect of SES varied significantly by lottery type (fixed‐prize: β = −0.105, SE = 0.004, P < 0.0001, instant‐win: β = −0.054, SE = 0.004, P < 0.0001; relative to progressive‐prize). The predictive effect of SES was strongest for fixed‐prize lotteries and weakest for progressive‐prize lotteries, such that we did not observe a significant predictive effect of SES for progressive‐prize lotteries (β = −0.031, SE = 0.024, P = 0.198). Conclusions: People in lower socio‐economic status neighborhoods in Toronto, Canada appear to engage in more lottery gambling than those in higher socio‐economic status neighborhoods, with the difference being largest for fixed prize lotteries followed by instant win lotteries, and no clear difference for progressive prize lotteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gambling industry has grown into a global business in the 21st century. This has created the need for a new emphasis on problem prevention. This article highlights the core themes of the book Setting Limits: Gambling, Science and Public Policy, taking a broad view of the consequences of gambling for society as a burden on health, well‐being and equality. The book covers the extent of gambling and gambling‐related problems in different societies and presents a critical review of research on industry practices, policy objectives and preventive approaches, including services to people suffering from gambling and its consequences. It discusses the developments in game characteristics and gambling environments and provides evidence on how regulation can affect those. Effective measures to minimize gambling harm exist and many are well supported by scientific evidence. They include restrictions on general availability as well as selective measures to prevent gamblers from overspending. The revenue generated from gambling for the industry, governments, and providers of public services funded from gambling returns presents an obstacle to developing policies to implement harm‐reduction measures. A public interest approach must weigh these interests against the suffering and losses of the victims of gambling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: In psychiatric diagnosis, different symptoms of gambling problems are usually aggregated into a single indicator of disorder severity, which has resulted in a knowledge gap on the specific roles of the different issues with which some gamblers struggle. This study estimated the association between baseline symptoms of gambling problems and (i) other symptoms, (ii) the overall severity of gambling problems after 12 months, and the estimated stability rates of various gambling problems after (iii) 12 months and (iv) 5 years. Design and Setting Secondary analysis of data derived from the Swedish Longitudinal Gambling Study (SWELOGS), a prospective representative cohort study conducted between 2008 and 2014 in Sweden. Participants: A total of 8165 respondents from 16–84 years of age recruited in a stratified random sampling procedure. Among them, 6021 answered the 1‐year follow‐up survey and 3559 answered the 5‐year follow‐up survey. Measurements Nine symptoms related to gambling were assessed using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (excessive gambling, tolerance, chasing, loans, insight, health problems, criticism, financial problems, and guilt). Findings Excessive gambling, tolerance, chasing, loans and guilt significantly increased the risk of a range of other symptoms. Chasing and tolerance also tripled the risk of transitioning to more severe gambling problems (OR = 2.9, 95% CI = [1.5–5.5], P = 0.001 and OR = 2.7, 95% CI = [1.6–4.5], P < 0.001, respectively). Stability rates of the different symptoms ranged between 22% (95% CI = [12–31%]) and 42% (95% CI = [35–48%]) after 1 year and 3% (95% CI = [0–10%]) and 19% (95% CI = [7–30%]) after 5 years with chasing being the most stable problem (42% [95% CI = (35–48%)] after 1 year and 17% [95% CI = (6–28%)] after 5 years). Conclusions: In psychiatric diagnosis, four symptoms of problem gambling (chasing, tolerance, excessive gambling and guilt) appear to have prognostic validity in assessing gambling‐related risk. The symptoms of tolerance and chasing appear to increase the risk of progressing to more severe gambling problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Problem gambling can lead to a myriad of harmful consequences, including unmanageable amounts of debt and serious financial problems. The aim of this study was to examine whether changes in the number of electronic gaming machine (EGM) venues within a local area (due to venue openings and closings) are associated with changes in the rates of serious financial problems. Design Area‐level longitudinal multivariate regressions controlling for possible confounders (fixed and time‐varying local area characteristics). Setting: Australia's three largest states (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland), during the period 2011–18. Participants: A total of 225 local areas (Statistical Area 3 level) within the three states. Measurements Serious financial problems were measured by administrative data on total number of personal insolvencies (bankruptcies, debt agreements and insolvency agreements) in each local area per annum. The number of EGM venues in each local area was the regressor of primary interest. Area‐level covariates included the number of non‐gaming pubs and clubs, unemployment rate, population count, local area dummies, local area linear time trends and a separate set of state dummies for each year. Findings A one‐venue decrease over time within a local area decreased the number of personal insolvencies by 1.8 per year [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.4–3.2]. The result is robust to alternative specifications, including allowing for geographical spillovers (β = 2.2, 95% CI = 0.7–3.7), temporal lagged effects (β = 1.6, 95% CI = 0.6–2.8) and the spatial variability of venues within areas (β = 2.7, 95% CI = 0.9–4.5). Conclusions: There is a positive association between the number of gaming venues in a local geographic area and the number of personal insolvencies in that area. Reducing the number or accessibility of gaming venues could help to reduce financial harms associated with problem gambling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Cues associated with winning may encourage gambling. We assessed the effects on risky choice of slot machine of: (1) neutral sounds paired with winning, (2) casino‐related cues (such as the sound of coins dropping and pictures of dollar signs) and (3) relative payouts. Design Experimental studies in which participants repeatedly chose between safer and riskier simulated slot machines. Safer slot machines paid the same amount regardless of which symbols lined up. Risky machines paid different amounts depending on which symbols lined up. Effects of initially neutral sounds paired with the best payout were assessed between‐groups (experiment 1a) and within‐participants (experiment 1b). In experiment 2, pairing of casino‐related audiovisual cues with payout was assessed within participants, and cue timing was assessed between groups. Setting: A university research laboratory in Edmonton, Canada. Participants: Undergraduate students (n = 630 across three experiments). Measurements Preference for riskier over safer machines, preference between machines that differed in cues, payout recall and frequency estimates for payouts. Risky choice was calculated as the proportion of choices of the risky machine when presented with a fixed machine of the same expected value. Findings In experiment 1a, risky choice was slightly increased by pairing a sound with the best payout compared with pairing the sound with a lower payout (P = 0.04, d = 0.28) but not compared with no sound [P = 0.36, d = 0.13, Bayes factors (BF)10 = 0.22]. In experiment 1b, people did not prefer a machine with a best‐payout sound over one with a lower‐payout sound (P = 0.67, d = 0.03, BF10 = 0.11). Relative payout affected choice: risky choices were higher for high‐ than low‐payout decisions (P < 0.001, d = 0.53). In experiment 2, people preferred machines with casino‐related cues paired with winning (P < 0.001, r2 = 0.11) and cue timing (at choice or concurrently with the win) had no effect (P = 0.95, r2 = 0.0, BF10 = 0.05). Casino‐related cues also enhanced payout memory (P = 0.013 and 0.006). Cue effects were not specific to risk: people also preferred fixed‐payout machines with casino‐related cues (P < 0.001, r2 = 0.16). Conclusions: In a gambling simulation, student participants chose more risky slot machines when payouts were relatively higher and when casino‐related cues were associated with payouts. Pairing a neutral sound with the best payout did not consistently affect slot machine choice, and the effect of casino cues did not depend on their timing. Casino‐related cues enhanced payout memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]