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Current industry-developed safer gambling messages such as 'Take time to think' and 'Gamble responsibly' have been criticized as ineffective slogans. As a result, Australia has recently introduced seven independently-developed safer gambling messages. The UK Government intends to introduce independently-developed messages from 2024 onwards, and this measure could be similarly appropriate for the US states where sports betting has been legalized and gambling advertising has become pervasive. Given this context, the current study recruited race and sports bettors from the UK and USA to elicit their perceptions of the seven Australian safer gambling messages. Participants (N = 1865) rated on a Likert-scale seven newly introduced messages and two existing ones ('Take time to think' and 'Gamble responsibly') using seven evaluative statements. Participants also reported their levels of problem gambling severity. For most statements in both jurisdictions, the new messages performed significantly better than the existing ones. Specifically, the new messages were deemed more attention grabbing, applicable on a personal level, helpful to gamblers, and more likely to encourage cutbacks in gambling. The message that included a specific call to action ('What are you prepared to lose today? Set a deposit limit') was one of the best performing messages. Interaction effects observed in relation to jurisdiction, age, gender, and problem gambling severity were generally small enough to counteract the argument that different populations might benefit from substantially different messages. These findings add to previous research on the independent design of effective safer gambling messages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The public health burden of gambling remains difficult to estimate, given the lack of relevant, available data. Death by suicide, represents a substantial and quantifiable public health cost. The current study reviews data from the National Violent Death Reporting System to detect cases where gambling was identified as a meaningful contextual factor to a death by suicide. This study is an exploratory content analysis. We analysed narrative data from cases of death by suicide, collected from 2003 to 2020 recorded in the Restricted Access Data of the National Violent Death Reporting System. Gambling-related cases identified in our analysis were compared against all other cases on demographic characteristics, case characteristics, US state, and incident year. Chi-square tests of independence and the Wilcoxon ranked sum tests were used in bivariate comparisons. Overall, 1306 of 296 317 cases were classified as gambling-related. This represented 0.44% of total cases. Gambling-related classification was over-represented among those identified as Asian (7.0% vs 2.2%) and under-represented among those identified as Black or African American (4.0% vs 6.4%) compared with all other deaths by suicide. Gambling-related cases were also over-represented in cases where alcohol use was suspected (28.0% vs 21.2%), where there were significant financial problems (50.3% vs 8.6%), where there were intimate partner problems (31.5% vs 25.6%), and under-represented in cases where there was a previous mental health diagnosis (35.1% vs 38.8%). The rate of gambling-related cases in Nevada was approximately nine times greater than the rate in the overall sample (4.0% vs 0.44%). Administrative data can be used to study the impacts of gambling on public health in the absence of quality representative survey data. However, these sources are still likely to underestimate the public health burden of gambling with current structures and procedures. Requiring intentional collection of gambling-related information in cases of suicide would be a significant step towards better quantifying the public health burden of gambling in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sports betting in the United States is exploding in popularity and has the potential to change the way sports fans interact with sports properties and sports content. However, not all sports bettors are the same, and market segmentation research provides a resource for more targeted communication and marketing strategies. Utilizing behavioral and psychographic data, the current study segmented 1,077 sports bettors by involvement. The segments were then contrasted on a number of factors within the framework of Mowen's 3M model of motivation and personality. A sample of 513 nonbetting sports fans was also included as a segment within the analyses. Statistically significant differences were found at the motivational, elemental, compound, and surface trait levels between the betting segments and between the betting and the nonbetting sports fans. The findings point to a strong emotional draw regardless of involvement yet a clear need for the betting industry to educate on issues related to jurisdictional legality and common language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anecdotal evidence suggests that gambling venues are often placed in locations to attract players from outside the jurisdiction, as part of a gambling export strategy. This strategy may be appealing, as it can simultaneously increase local economic impacts while decreasing the proportional share of social costs to the host jurisdiction. This study examines the relative use of the gambling export strategy in the United States by developing a geospatial model of potential U.S. consumer demand to understand whether casinos are systematically located to attract out-of-state players. Based on 1,481 gambling venues found in the country, our naïve model indicates that 31.7% of potential demand in the United States is closer to an out-of-state casino than an in-state casino. Our discount model that accounts for distance indicates that this translates to 20.7% of potential demand in the United States. The results show significant difference at the state level, with out-of-state potential demand estimates ranging from 0% to 71.2%. These findings suggest that there may be further development in the U.S. gambling market as jurisdictions seek to recapture their own residents who are gambling out-of-state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last three decades, a little-noted change has taken place in state lotteries. This change is an increase in the average payout rate, the share of sales that is returned to players in the form of prizes. Because it reduces the rate of implicit taxation on lottery purchases and its accompanying welfare loss, this change has inadvertently made lotteries better, or at least less objectionable. This paper reviews the normative case for reducing the implied tax, documents the rise in payout rates across the United States, offers an explanation for that rise, notes the starring role played by instant games, illustrates its effect on the regressivity of lottery finance, and documents the surprising correlation between the price of instant games and their payout rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study sought to identify psychosocial factors associated with recent gambling (gambling within the past 30 days). The 2016, 2018, and 2020 Parents' Institute for Drug Education (PRIDE) data sets were pooled and analyzed, consisting of 108,690 adolescents in 13 local public schools. A sizable percentage (13.1%) of adolescents reported gambling in the past 30 days. Multiple logistic regression analyses found differences based on demographic factors, previous substance use, and psychosocial factors. Adolescents at highest risk were male, non-White, in high school; sold drugs; and participated in violent activities in the past 30 days. The study also found worrying rates of substance use. Findings from the present study can inform harm reduction efforts, prevention messaging, and clinical interventions related to adolescent gambling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the recent proliferation of legal online gambling in the Unites States, offshore gambling sites still remain prevalent, causing various problems in the U.S. Although numerous law violations occur in this domain, prior research has reported limited information about offshore gambling, mostly focusing on offshore gamblers' characteristics and motivations. Using routine activities theory, this study attempted to understand environmental and theoretical factors that affect the use of offshore sites by focusing on offshore gambling-generating contexts that involve offshore sites and online casino reviews. Major findings show that the online visibility of offshore sites may be a key predictor of the use of the sites by U.S. players. In addition, online casino reviews providing a blacklist of online gambling sites served as informal guardians, helping players avoid unreliable offshore gambling sites that pose a risk to their customers. Policy implications were suggested based on the findings and provided insights toward effective online gambling regulatory efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the persuasive mechanism of slogans employed in responsible gambling campaigns. We analyse slogans from official posters in the U.S., Singapore, and Macau, focusing on two domains. First, the Theory of Planned Behaviour is applied to examine the intention to gamble expressed in the slogans to reveal how gambling is positioned in social contexts. Second, two framing devices—i.e., conceptual metaphors and the frame of gains/losses—are examined to understand how these framing devices reinforce the persuasive message while interacting with each other. Two models of persuasion emerge from our data—one encouraged 'grounded games' for enjoyment, while the other discouraged gambling due to its potentially 'harmful' consequences. We advocate for a gestalt view on the theoretical constructs that contribute to the overall effectiveness of persuasive messaging. These constructs should be integrated into an analytical framework, with particular attention given to the framing effect of conceptual metaphors and the gain/loss frame, and their interplay. [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]

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, most sectors of the various gambling industries in the United States were showing signs of stagnation or flat growth. Over the past few years, these industries have seen mergers between horse racing tracks, between horse racing tracks and casinos to form "racinos", and between casino companies. Some gambling facilities and racetracks have closed and have been sold to developers to be used for other purposes. An industry "shakeout" is occurring, and there appears to be a trend towards greater industry concentration as consumers could be showing less interest in gambling in general or that gambling is failing to attract new patrons as it did in past decades. This could be partially fuelled by the stagnation of disposable personal income (DPI) over the past 20 years or so. Consumer preferences and attitudes also seem to have changed regarding horse racing and gambling. Sports gambling and the expansion of online gambling do not appear to have offset negative or flat growth trends. These current conditions are somewhat a reversal of past fortunes in that in the 1980s and 1990s, the opening of a casino in a city was often considered a plus for local economic development. As more consolidation and establishment closures occur, the impact on various local communities and state governments must be examined regarding lost jobs, lost local and state tax revenues, and lost tourism. This paper is an attempt to assess these developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Previous research has examined how the age at which an individual first gambles (age of gambling onset) correlates with problematic behavior later in life, such as problematic alcohol or substance use; however, much less is known about how age of gambling onset, particularly as a child or as a young adult, might influence future gambling. We assessed how self‐reported age of gambling onset may have shaped more recent gambling and propensity to take risks. Methods: We analyzed questionnaire data and neurocognitive assessment data collected from young adults in the United States (n = 579) and conducted ordinal logistic regression to model our study variables. Results: Upon examining three distinct age categories (under 18, 18–20, 21, and over), we found that earlier age of gambling onset was significantly associated with betting a higher overall proportion during a neurocognitive task. Conclusions and Scientific Significance: Gambling more points on a laboratory‐based task was correlated to earlier age of gambling onset. There were no statistically significant associations between age of gambling onset and severity of recent pathological gambling, nor gambling expenditure in the past year, nor gambling frequency in the past week. Future longitudinal study should discern the causality of these findings in both directions and ascertain whether these findings can be extended to older and clinical populations. Future work should explore other variables, such as ethnicity and socioeconomic background, that may be relevant to understanding variations in age of gambling onset and its repercussions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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).

We provide evidence that casino openings can have spillover effects on an individual's portfolio risk‐taking. Using investor‐level brokerage data and the initial legalization and opening of commercial casinos in the United States as a quasi‐natural experiment, we find that, after a casino opens in close geographical proximity to investors, those with a high propensity to gamble (PTG) increase their idiosyncratic portfolio risk by 12.88% relative to those unlikely to gamble. This effect lasts for approximately 3 months and does not affect systematic portfolio risk. These results suggest that increased access to gambling can temporarily increase portfolio risk‐taking for those with a PTG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how alternating between video game and television experiences influences consumer emotions and subsequent decision-making. Findings indicate that playing a video game after watching a video clip enhances positive emotions (H1 supported) and affects post-experiment betting scores based on pre-experiment gambling bets (H2 supported). Winning teams in video games and elevated positive emotions also positively influence post-experiment betting scores (H3 and H4 partially supported). The interaction effect shows that the sequence of media consumption (TV to video game) increases betting scores (H5 supported). The study contributes to understanding how appraisal tendency theory and mood management theory explain the impact of media consumption order on sports gambling decisions. Video games, as interactive stimuli, elevate consumer moods and influence betting behavior more than passive viewing. Practically, integrating video game and video clip data aids comprehensive audience measurement and targeted advertising strategies, advancing algorithmic forecasting in enhancing consumer engagement and decision-making. Key Words: Mood management, Appraisal tendency theory, sports, gambling, video games INTRODUCTION The NFL is one of the most powerful media and entertainment brands in the marketplace, routinely curating legions of television and online video viewers for every annual season. In 2019, it averaged about 16.5 million viewers per game, roughly 33% above the 12.43 million viewing average for the top six non-sports programs (Porter, 2021). Additionally, over the last thirty years, the Madden NFL video game franchise has introduced generations to simulated immersive engagement. The legalization of sports gambling (Cason et al. 2020) has expanded how consumers can further engage with the NFL. NFL executives have discussed using mobile cell phones to aid sports fans in stadiums to make live bets throughout the course of a game (Martins, 2020). Audiences can watch the NFL and NFL game day content on the Xbox One, including up to date news and highlights from select NFL teams (Tuttle, 2016). Given these diverse modes of engagement, consumers often switch across a multitude of different activities. This frequent medium switching can significantly impact their moods and, subsequently, how they execute various tasks, including sports gambling. The phenomenon of media multitasking, where consumers engage with multiple forms of media simultaneously, complicates how they regulate their moods and make subsequent decisions (Deloitte, 2018). Younger consumers, in particular, are more inclined to switch between media than older consumers (Beuckels et al. 2021). The increasingly diverse modes of engagement with the NFL, spanning from live game viewing and video game simulations to real-time betting, have led to a phenomenon of frequent media switching among consumers. This constant toggling between different platforms and activities can significantly impact their emotional states, subsequently influencing their decision-making processes, including those related to sports gambling. While previous research has examined task switching in general contexts (Yeykelis, Cummings, & Reeves, 2014) and the impact of media multitasking on advertising (Garaus, Wagner, & Back, 2017), the specific application of appraisal tendency theory to understand how these rapid emotional shifts induced by media switching affect sports gambling behaviors remains largely unexplored. Moreover, social media use while viewing television, a phenomenon that has grown in the last decade, has reconfigured the commodification of audiences, and has also created different markets to understand how consumers multi-task, and how to measure audience engagement (Kosterich & Napoli, 2016). Uniquely, social media may be used to track propensity to make season ticket purchases (Popp et al. 2023) among other sports consumption activities (Du et al. 2023). Recent studies have implicated the legalization of sports gambling as potentially increasing fandom and engagement among fans, and can further elevate communication across stakeholders involved in a sports event (Stadder & Naraine, 2020). There is a gap in understanding, however, how consumer judgments and decisions are informed by emotions (Han, Lerner, & Keltner, 2007). Understanding this dynamic is critical for comprehending the evolution of fandom and identifying how sports teams can further engage fans. As consumers navigate between watching games, participating in video game simulations, and placing live bets, their engagement strategies and emotional states may significantly influence their decisions and loyalty. By examining these interactions, sports organizations can develop more effective methods to maintain and enhance fan engagement in an increasingly digital and interconnected world. The implications of this study are broad and vast for academics along with sports and entertainment managers. The complex nature of media switching in sports consumption furthers our understanding of how affective disposition theory may be applied toward the multi-platform and multi-activity nature of modern sports engagement. It could lead to the development of a more nuanced understanding of how affective dispositions are formed and how they influence decision-making in this context. Microsoft (parent brand of Xbox console series) and the NFL have an agreement in which the NFL can provide fantasy football scores and updates on Xbox One consoles and allow fans to stream certain NFL games from their Xbox One consoles (Chansanchai, 2016). Additionally, Microsoft is able to trace not only what consumers play on Xbox One consoles, but also what TV or SVOD viewing apps fans engage to view content. Together, disparate information on video game play and video viewing can be combined to further identify trends in cross-platform sports consumption behavior and inferred consumer emotional states, which can help illuminate how consumer judgement surrounding sports gambling may be impacted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the associations between gambling participation, problem gambling, and cognition. Data were derived from the PINE study. Gambling participation was measured by Modified South Oaks Gambling Screen. Problem gambling was assessed with Problem Gambling Severity Index. Cognition was measured by East Boston Memory Test, Digit Span Backward, Symbol Digit Modalities Test, and Mini-Mental State Examination. Of all participants, 41.940% were male. Higher gambling participation was significantly associated with higher global cognition (b =.008, SE =.003, p <.05), executive function (b =.118, SE =.049, p <.05), and episodic memory (b =.009, SE =.004, p <.05). Higher problem gambling was significantly related to lower Mini-Mental State Examination (b = -.105, SE =.031, p <.001). Guiding older adults' gambling behaviors and intervening in problem gambling timely might be crucial for their cognitive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to explore differences in demographic, self-concept and fan behavior factors that predict sports fans who bet and those who do not in legal and illegal gambling jurisdictions in the United States (US). Design/methodology/approach: Seven hundred and eighty-nine sports fans and bettors from 47 states were surveyed through a partnership with a major media provider in the US. A number of demographic items, theoretically defined factors and fan behaviors were measured, and several two-way MANOVAs with interaction effects were conducted to determine differences between those who gamble and those who do not in legal and illegal jurisdictions. Findings: Statistically significant differences between those who bet and those who do not were found. Bettors look different and come from different backgrounds and locations. Psychographically, they were clearly more narcissistic. They also indicated a higher social identity and self-worth, yet perceived themselves as less worthy members of important social institutions. In general, sports bettors out consumed non-bettors as it relates sports spectatorship. In terms of differences between the groups across legal and illegal states, only a few factors were impacted. Self-worth and personal identity were factors that were found to be different between groups and jurisdictions as well as DFS participation. Originality/value: The US sports gambling market is expected to grow US$6.5 billion in the next five years, yet very little is known, psychographically, about the US sports bettor. Sports gambling research, especially from a marketing perspective, has primarily been limited to Australia and the United Kingdom. This paper contributes to what we know about sports gambling and the emerging US market. In particular, the results uncovered fundamental trait, demographic and behavioral differences between US sports fans and sports bettors. The findings also provide similar foundational differences and similarities between those who bet in states with legal and illegal gambling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gambling and substance use disorders (SUDs) are prevalent among U.S. military veterans and often co-occur. However, little is known about the clinical and behavioral correlates and suicidal risk of SUDs and gambling among veterans that can help inform targeted interventions for their co-occurrence. In the current study, we analyzed data from a nationally representative sample of 4069 veterans who participated in the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Self-reported measures of lifetime SUDs and past-year gambling (Brief Problem Gambling Screen) were administered. A multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine differences between four groups: non-SUD/non-gambling, 40.3%; SUD-only 27.3%; Gambling-only 16.3%; and SUD + Gambling, 16.1%. The Gambling-only, SUD-only, and SUD + Gambling groups reported more adverse childhood experiences relative to the non-SUD/non-gambling group. The SUD-only and SUD + Gambling groups had higher odds for all lifetime and current clinical and trauma variables relative to the non-SUD/non-gambling group. The SUD + Gambling group had higher odds of suicidality, non-suicidal self-injury, nicotine dependence and mental health treatment relative to the SUD-only group and all assessed clinical measures relative to the Gambling-only group. Results suggest that SUDs and gambling are associated with substantial trauma and mental health burden among U.S. veterans, with co-occurring SUDs and gambling linked particularly to suicidality/self-harm and mental health treatment. The findings underscore the importance of multicomponent assessments and interventions targeting SUDs, gambling, and related concerns, such as trauma-related mental health difficulties, in this population., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

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]

Problem gambling is becoming a growing concern in the United States because of the proliferation of, and state support for, gambling opportunities. The economic cost along with the physical and mental health problems associated with problem gambling make it necessary to study how problem gambling can be reduced. Our study examines whether financial literacy could be a means to reducing gambling frequency in the United States. We use data from the Preference Parameter Study of Osaka University, Japan, and apply instrumental variable probit regression models. The results show that, generally, financial literacy does not have a relationship with gambling frequency, but the relationship is significant in the states where electronic gambling machines (EGMs) are available. The results imply that gamblers are irrational and fail to assess the risks of gambling as well as the probabilities that maximize expected payoffs. It appears that gamblers' psychological gain from gambling outweighs the negative expected utility when there is easy access to gambling. Thus, rationality with regard to gambling decisions does not work unless the easy access to EGMs is controlled. Our results further show that males, older people, people with higher household income, and people who have easy access to gambling are likely to be frequent gamblers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Armed forces veterans are especially prone to experiencing a variety of addictive disorders, including gambling disorder. Even so, gambling disorder in veterans remains understudied generally, and there remain significant gaps in the research literature with regards to how gambling disorder relates to the experience and expression of comorbid substance use disorders. The present work examines the prevalence, presentation, and clinical associations of substance use disorders in U.S. Armed Forces veterans receiving inpatient treatment for gambling disorder. Participants (N = 664) were veterans from all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces receiving inpatient treatment for gambling disorder through the Department of Veteran Affairs Healthcare System. Clinical data from the time of intake was analyzed. A substantial portion of veterans (36.1%) met current criteria for an SUD, with another 16.5% reporting a history of SUD. Alcohol use disorder was the most commonly reported SUD (76.1% of those with a current SUD), with polysubstance use disorders and stimulant use disorders each occurring in at least 25% of those with SUDs. SUD status was related to greater levels of impulsivity, but there was no evidence that SUD status was related to gambling symptom severity, gambling preferences, or further psychiatric comorbidities., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest This work was funded via grants from the Kindbridge Research Institute, the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio, and the International Center for Responsible Gaming awarded to JBG and SWK. The funders had no role in design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication. The authors declare no conflict of interest regarding this work and attest that no portion of this work has been previously disseminated or published elsewhere. Ethical approval for this project has been granted via the VA Northeast Ohio Institutional Review Board., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Scholars have identified notable similarities between the political strategies employed by health-harming industries. This includes similarities in the narratives employed by industry actors seeking to oppose public health regulations that threaten their commercial interests. This study seeks to examine the use of a specific concept - the balance metaphor - in the policy discourses of two health-harming industries. Namely, the pharmaceutical industry implicated in the prescription opioid crisis in the US, and the UK gambling industry, whose products and practices are associated with a serious, but largely neglected, series of harms. We first review research on metaphors, demonstrating how this provides additional theoretically-informed concepts with which to understand how industry discourse circumscribes the terrain of policy debates in ways amenable to commercial interests. Building from these insights, we conducted a rhetorical analysis, examining how the concept of balance is employed by different actors in distinct contexts to shape understandings of the social and policy problems associated with gambling and opioid products and to promote industry-favourable regulatory responses to these. This brings a micro-level of analysis to supplement previous meso- and macro-level scholarship in this space. We use our findings to argue that the depoliticization of the policy process and objectivization of the policy space - in ways that obscure its contingent and political nature - through discourses of balance is itself an arch political act. Examining the metaphors used in policy debates and their functions provides important insights that can be used to inform the construction of counter-narratives to industry-favourable discourses, including the creative use of novel metaphors in the service of public health goals., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

A strong economy is essential for U.S. national security. The economic downturn caused by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has again highlighted this basic economic principle. In the context of legalized gambling, Nobel-Prize Laureate Paul Samuelson emphasized that gambling creates "no new money or goods" and "subtracts from the national income." The economic multiplier effect of "consumer dollars" is negated or otherwise substantially diminished when consumer dollars are diverted into gambling dollars. Therefore, the $2.2 trillion economic stimulus of the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stimulus Act (CARES Act) wasted billions of dollars of the $260 billion allocated for unemployment benefits and the $300 billion allocated in payments to U.S. citizens. Intended to put food and other necessities of life in consumer pantries, billions of CARES Act dollars were instead misdirected into lotteries--creating record lottery sales, for example, in Georgia and Texas during the first 30 days of the CARES Act. While shutting down productive consumer businesses, governors declared lotteries to be "essential"--although historically states were receiving only 27 cents per gambled dollar. More importantly, U.S. lotteries take $85 billion out of the U.S. consumer economy each year (with only $23 billion going to state budgets). Accordingly, the cheapest and most effective way to pump-prime the consumer economy would be to shut down the lotteries. This $85 billion would thereby morph into a consumer economic multiplier resulting in approximately $255 billion in new economic spending on consumer goods (or over $1 trillion in 4 years). In his 1999 Martin Luther King Day speech in Chicago, Jesse Jackson emphasized that "[t]he new chains of slavery happen to be . . . lottery tickets." Later in 1999, the state lotteries were savaged by the congressional U.S. National Gambling Impact Study Commission, in its Final Report ("NGISC Final Report"). Academically, it is well-established that lotteries make "poor people poorer" and target-market to minorities contributing to gambling addiction rates of: African Americans (2-4%); Native Americans (2-6%), Hispanics (2-3%), and Caucasians (1.2-2%). As reported in the Wall Street Journal, these social and economic concerns prompted Mr. Les Bernal, the national director of the charity Stop Predatory Gambling ("SPG"), to write to all U.S. governors and state attorneys general detailing the need to close the state lotteries. The 2020 movie Money Machine, however, documented the power of the gambling lobby in suppressing adverse facts. While Columbine and Sandy Hook remain in the psyche of the U.S. public, Money Machine details how the October 1, 2017 Las Vegas killings have been sanitized via "a web of corruption and cover-ups that make the Vegas of yesteryear, when it was still run by the mob, seem positively quaint." The biggest mass murderer in U.S. history, Stephen Paddock, killed 59 people including himself and injured 413 by gunfire. It would be difficult to argue that Paddock did not satisfy the American Psychiatric Association's criteria for being an addicted or problem gambler. All of these facts and trends are well-known to the gambling industry, whose business model has morphed toward abandoning brick and mortar gambling facilities in favor of widespread internet gambling--utilizing sports gambling to build pressure on government decision-makers. Gambling lobbyists are looking to leverage the COVID pandemic and the public's natural affinity for sports into real-time 24/7 gambling on cell phones and throughout video games. In the age of COVID, bans on sports gambling and lotteries would inexpensively and effectively pump-prime the U.S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many Indigenous tribes in the United States count on gaming revenue to provide basic services to their people, but gaming was a critical resource that was lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a qualitative contextual analysis, this research explores the news coverage about economic resource loss in both Indigenous and non-Indigenous news media coverage of COVID-19, particularly where the virus and gaming intersected. It illustrates how coverage from news outlets with an Indigenous focus and/or representation differs from outlets without connections to Indigenous people. Using Indigenous standpoint theory, the analysis revealed the ways non-Indigenous media used parachute reporting to create a one-sided view of the pandemic's impacts when it came to the industries necessary to fund indispensable tribal functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participants in randomized control trials (RCTs) should be representative of those most likely to experience the disorder of focus, yet reviews of psychology research studies consistently find certain demographic groups are overrepresented at the price of others being unincluded. The present review aimed to characterize the demographic representation of US-based RCTs for gambling disorder and compare findings to the population of individuals most likely to experience the disorder. Thirteen US-based RCTs comprising a total of 2,343 participants were reviewed. We found that although gambling disorder is most prevalent among low SES racial minorities, RCTs are mostly conducted among populations who are white, employed, and have some level of college education. Demographic variables that are related to the likelihood of experiencing gambling disorder are not consistently reported, and there are many groups of individuals who experience gambling disorder that have been virtually left out of all treatment study samples to date. We conclude with recommendations for future gambling focused treatment studies, which are geared towards increasing the convergence between characteristics of participants in RCTs and those who experience gambling disorder in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data on U.S. states, this paper studies the factors driving lottery-related crimes, focusing on spillovers from other gambling and corruption. Although state-sponsored lotteries have become quite popular in the United States in recent years, formal research on their causes is rather limited. Results show corruption to increase lottery-related crimes, while higher lottery prize money and greater economic prosperity have the opposite effect. We find crowding out from electronic gaming machines. However, competition from Native American casinos or casino gambling crimes does not significantly impact lottery crimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have compared the clinical characteristics of gambling disorder (GD) from a cross-cultural perspective. In the present study, we aimed to examine differences in gambling-related cognitions, gambling preferences, GD severity and other clinical and sociodemographic variables in individuals with GD in the United States and Spain. Two groups of participants with GD (from the United States of America (US; n = 109) and Spain (n = 243) were compared using the South Oaks gambling screen and the gambling-related cognitions scale. In Spain, the prevalence of participants who reported only non-strategic gambling preferences was higher, whereas in the US, participants tended to engage in a wider breadth of gambling activities. Moreover, Spanish participants reported higher GD severity, while participants in the US endorsed greater gambling-related cognitions. Our findings suggest that there may jurisdictional or cultural differences in terms of gambling-related cognitions, gambling preferences, and GD severity levels among individuals in the US versus Spain. These differences, which may reflect cultural regulatory or other factors, should be investigated further, and considered when developing and implementing interventions for GD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with lasting health and behavioral effects. In this study, we assess the relationship between ACEs and gambling in the state of Nevada. Methods: Using 2018 Nevada Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data, we assessed the relationship between ACEs and gambling behavior among 2768 participants. A composite score was used to assess 10 commonly researched ACEs; this continuous score was additionally categorized into 0 ACEs, 1-2 ACEs, 3 or more ACEs. We used weighted logistic regression to assess the relationship between ACEs scores and frequency of gambling. Results: Approximately 9% of study participants reported frequently gambling (one or more times a month). There was a positive association between the continuous ACEs score and frequently gambling in the fully adjusted model (p = .026). The odds of frequently gambling was 69% higher among those exposed to ≥ 3 ACEs compared to those who had no ACEs exposure (adjusted OR = 1.69; 95% CI 1.00-2.84; p = .048). Conclusions: The results show a relationship between ACEs and gambling in Nevada. This research contributes to the existing understanding of ACEs and their impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States has a complex history of gambling. Modern sport, fantasy sport, and daily fantasy sport (DFS) has complicated legal and moral views on gambling. Modern sport provided a means for widespread gambling; fantasy sport grew in the midst of legislation banning gambling; and DFS rode the coattails of a legal exemption for fantasy sport. DFS provided a bridge between fantasy sport and sports gambling, showing the untenable logic of laws accepting the former while prohibiting the latter, resulting in the trivialization and retraction of federal laws prohibiting sports gambling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined associations between recreational gambling (RG) and at-risk/problem gambling (ARPG), and clinical measures of mental illness and substance use, functionality, homelessness, in a nationally representative sample of U.S. military veterans. Data were analyzed from 781 veterans who participated National Veteran Homeless and Other Poverty Experiences (NV-HOPE) study conducted in 2021. Chi-square tests, analyses of variance (ANOVAs) and logistic regressions analyses were conducted to examine unadjusted and adjusted associations between gambling group status and sociodemographic, psychiatric, substance use, functioning, and homelessness measures. A significant minority of low-income U.S. veterans reported gambling, with 24.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 95% CI 21.12-28.76%) exhibiting RG and 6.7% (95% CI 3.88-9.42%) screening positive for ARPG. The prevalence of ARPG was higher among younger, non-White veterans. ARPG was associated with greater symptoms of substance use and anxiety; poorer physical functioning; history of any mental illness; lifetime history of homelessness; and having any student or car loans relative to NG. Veterans who had RG were more likely to screen positive for drug use disorders relative to NG. Results of the current study provide an up-to-date estimate of the current prevalence of RG and ARPG among low-income U.S. veterans and underscore the importance of routine screening, monitoring, and development of interventions for problematic gambling severity, as well as interventions for ARPG in this population. These findings may inform targeted intervention strategies for this vulnerable subpopulation., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

While past literature suggests that LGBTQ + individuals may be at a greater risk for gambling related-harms and addiction, few studies have specifically looked at gambling behavior among LGBTQ + persons based on gender and gender identity. A study of LGBTQ + individuals in four U.S. States was conducted to assess differences in gender and gender identity for (1) gambling prevalence; (2) gambling behavior based on type and location; and (3) comorbidity with substance abuse and/or other problematic behaviors. Individuals assigned male at birth had greater prevalence of gambling than those assigned female at birth, regardless of current gender identity. Gender identity, on its own, is only significant for certain types of gambling and in some analysis only when combined with gender assigned at birth. Findings suggest that gender assigned at birth has a stronger relationship with gambling prevalence and behavior than adult gender identity., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The objectives of this study were to examine gambling-related problems, risk factors, help-seeking attitudes, community perceptions, and correlates of problem gambling in a Lao sample of Southeast Asian refugees and immigrants and to discuss cultural implications for the treatment and prevention of gambling problems in Southeast Asian refugee and immigrant populations. This was a cross-sectional, community-based interview study. Participants (N = 200, males = 51%, females = 49%) were recruited from a Lao community center in a major US metropolitan area (convenience sample; community center recruitment and peer nomination). Structured interviews on gambling and substance use were conducted by Lao center staff members in both English and Lao languages. Gambling-related problems were measured using the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS), gambling frequency, and quantity measures. In a previous study, we reported a substantial number of participants from the sample endorsed gambling-related harms and problems (SOGS score of five or more = 24%) and common methods of play were slots, house betting, cards at a casino, and sports betting. Among those endorsing five or more gambling problems, reasons for gambling included making money (68%), social life (31.3%), entertainment (58.3%), and reducing boredom (35.4%). Less commonly endorsed reasons were depression or stress (14.6%) and escape (10.4%). Many participants reported a family history of gambling problems. Those with problem gambling had twice the level of sibling problem gambling histories relative to those without problem gambling (35.4% vs. 11.1%). There were substantially more participants in the problem gambling group who had started gambling before the age of 13 years than in non-problem gamblers (P <.05). Many recognized gambling as a significant issue in the community and reported knowing several individuals affected by gambling-related problems. Many participants recognized gambling as a significant issue in the Lao community. We include insights gleaned from a research partnership with a community organization. Although data cannot be generalized to the Lao community because of limitations in sampling methodology, participants viewed gambling as a culturally common social practice. Cultural norms affected where community members gamble, types of games, and betting practices. In this context, community members may view gambling-related harms as both a community-level and individual-level concern. These data suggest a significant need for rigorous research to inform policies and a culturally sensitive approach to public health prevention, intervention, and education. We discuss the challenges and cultural barriers to research and community engagement and offer suggestions for prevention and intervention ideas efforts. • A community-based non-representative convenience study of 200 Lao Southeast Asian refugees and immigrants. • Data demonstrated elevated rates of problem gambling. • Problem gambling was associated with earlier age at first gambling and family history of gambling. • Common reasons for gambling were to make money and for entertainment purposes. • Community impact of problem gambling was significant, most participants did not endorse high confidence in identifying problem gambling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to the general population, military personnel are particularly vulnerable to developing gambling problems. The present study examined the presentation of gambling-including gambling frequency, personal thoughts on reducing gambling and recommendations from others to reduce gambling-across these populations. Additionally, the study measured the association between gambling and various psychosocial risk and protective factors-including psychological distress, suicidal ideation, external encouragement to reduce substance use, days out of role, personal wellbeing, resilience, social support and intimate bonds. Data was extracted from the Global Health & Wellbeing Survey, an online self-report survey conducted in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Of the 10,765 eligible respondents, 394 were military veterans and 337 were active military personnel. Consistent with previous research, a higher proportion of gambling behaviours were observed in both current and ex-serving military samples, compared to the general population. To varying degrees, significant associations were found between the different gambling items and all psychosocial risk and protective factors in the general population sample. However, the military sample yielded only one significant association between gambling frequency and the protective factor 'resilience'. A post hoc stepwise linear regression analysis demonstrated the possible mediating role resilience plays between gambling frequency and other psychosocial risk (psychological distress, and suicidal thoughts and behaviour) and protective factors (personal wellbeing) for the military sample. Given the findings, it is recommended that routine screening tools identifying problem gambling are used within the military, and subsequent resilience focused interventions are offered to at risk personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have been conducted in both the United States (US) and Argentina to validate the Spanish version of the Gamblers' Beliefs Questionnaire (GBQ-S). While similar factor structures of the GBQ-S were found in these studies, more detailed measurement invariance has not been explored. Determining measurement invariance across cultural groups would aid researchers in understanding what types of comparisons on latent constructs can be validly made between cultures using the GBQ-S. A secondary analysis was completed with data from two prior studies in Spanish-speaking samples from the US and Argentina. A modified baseline model that captured the two latent factors of Illusion of Control and Luck/Perseverance was selected for invariance testing. The evaluation of measurement invariance within a structural equation modeling framework established configural and metric, but not scalar, invariance. The GBQ-S can be validly used to measure the same latent variables across groups with comparable strengths between its items and factors; however, latent mean comparisons across groups may require further measurement refinement. The GBQ-S demonstrated notable degrees of measurement invariance between markedly different samples, providing further evidence for the existence of similar constructs and portability of the GBQ-S across populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loot boxes are digital containers of randomised rewards available in many video games. Due to similarities between some loot boxes and traditional forms of gambling, concerns regarding the relationship between spending on loot boxes in video games and symptoms of problematic gambling have been expressed by policy makers and the general public. We present the first investigation of these concerns in large cross-sectional cross-national samples from three countries (Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, and the United States). A sample of 1,049 participants were recruited through Qualtrics' Survey Targeting service from a broad cross-section of the population in Australia (n = 339), Aotearoa New Zealand (n = 323), and the United States (n = 387). Participants answered a survey assessing problem gambling, problem gaming symptomology, and how much they spent on loot boxes per month. On average, individuals with problem gambling issues spent approximately $13 USD per month more on loot boxes than those with no such symptoms. Loot box spending was also associated with both positive and negative moods, albeit with small effect sizes. Analyses showed both interactions and correlations between problematic gambling and problematic gaming symptoms, indicating both some commonality in the mechanisms underlying, and independent contributions made by, these proposed diagnostic criteria. These results provide context for dialogues regarding how best to reduce the impacts of loot box spending among those with problematic gambling symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine convened a panel of experts to provide an evidence-based, best practices document to assist sports medicine physicians and other members of the athletic care network with the detection, treatment, and prevention of mental health issues in competitive athletes. This statement discusses how members of the sports medicine team, including team physicians, athletic trainers, and mental health providers, work together in providing comprehensive psychological care to athletes. It specifically addresses psychological factors in athletes including personality issues and the psychological response to injury and illness. The statement also examines the athletic culture and environmental factors that commonly impact mental health, including sexuality and gender issues, hazing, bullying, sexual misconduct, and transition from sport. Specific mental health disorders in athletes, such as eating disorders/disordered eating, depression and suicide, anxiety and stress, overtraining, sleep disorders, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, are reviewed with a focus on detection, management, the effect on performance, and prevention. This document uses the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT) to grade level of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How are gambling and substance use influenced by cultural factors? We explore survey data from a community-based convenience sample of Southeast Asian refugees (N = 200) on gambling behavior, substance use, and attitudes toward help-seeking for addiction. Results revealed a high rate of gambling and smoking but not alcohol or marijuana use problems. Individual items on the South Oaks Gambling Screen were endorsed at a high rate and a large proportion of the sample reported five or more gambling problems (24%, n = 47). Common methods of play included house betting, slots, and casino games. In addition, respondents indicated a significant community impact of gambling problems. Cultural factors may relate to high rates of problem gambling in this community sample, and culturally informed assessment of gambling problems may benefit clinical practice. Nontraditional help-seeking approaches may be common among Southeast Asian refugees. Recommendations for culturally sensitive intervention, assessment, and treatment approaches are discussed. We discuss the roles of culture-specific practices and influences on addictive behaviors in the Southeast Asian community. Public Significance Statement: The current community-based convenience sample study of adult Southeast Asian Lao refugees and immigrants revealed a significant impact of gambling behaviors and related problems. Common methods of play included casinos, house betting, and slot machines. Culturally adapted treatment and prevention methods are essential in addressing concerns in Southeast Asian communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]