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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]

Electronic gaming machines (EGMs) are a significant source of gambling spend due to their widespread use. Skill-based gambling machines (SGMs) represent an innovative adaptation, merging EGMs' chance-based rewards with video game-like skills. This study aimed to explore the appeal and behavioural consequences of playing SGMs in comparison to traditional reel-based EGMs, particularly focusing on illusions of control, betting behaviour, and the subjective experience of gamblers. Participants (N = 1,260) were recruited online and engaged in an online task simulating either an SGM or a reel-based EGM, with outcomes represented to influence their survey compensation. The study examined the effect of SGMs relative to EGMs on bet size, persistence, enjoyment, illusions of control, game immersion, and the influence of demographic and gambling problem severity. SGMs particularly appealed to younger adults, regular EGM players, and people with more gambling problems. Despite identical payout structures, people assigned to play SGM showed greater illusions of control, believing in the influence of skill on game outcomes and that practice could improve results. However, there was no significant difference in overall betting intensity between SGM and EGM players, although specific demographic groups showed faster betting speeds in SGMs. SGMs, despite not inherently encouraging higher betting intensity, attract vulnerable groups and create illusions of control, posing new regulatory challenges. The visual and interactive features of SGMs, while appealing, might contribute to these perceptions, indicating a need for careful regulation and further research on their long-term impacts on gambling behaviour and harm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gambling patterns among young people are diverse, yet factors that affect changes in their gambling behaviour as they mature remain poorly understood. This study explores gambling trajectories and related sources of influence during childhood, early adolescence and later adolescence, and amongst adolescents at different levels of gambling risk. Qualitative interviews and online communities with 89 Australians aged 12–17 years explored their gambling experiences, from childhood to the present. Reflexive thematic narrative analysis revealed that children often learn how to gamble through their parents. Parents, peers, sports interests, advertising and simulated gambling continue to transfer gambling knowledge and skills throughout adolescence. Gambling is further reinforced through social rewards and is highly normalised through advertising. At-risk/problem gambling adolescents tended to report positive early memories of gambling, but also harmful parental gambling. They reported having friendship groups where betting is highly normalised. They purposefully honed their betting knowledge to demonstrate skill, and also gambled with in-game items (skins). Conversely, non-gamblers reported very little exposure to parental gambling, mirrored their parents’ negative attitudes to gambling, were unlikely to have friends who gambled, and reported less interest in professional sport. Reducing youth gambling and gambling harm requires measures to tackle multiple layers of influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]