Online Gambling Activity, Pay-to-Win Payments, Motivation to Gamble and Coping Strategies as Predictors of Gambling Disorder Among e-sports Bettors

Searching synergy between esport and academy: the role of sport faculties and departments in CEE countries

Objective

To identify the current challenges and barriers within the esports environment in the Central and East European countries and to explore the potential for collaboration between universities, particularly sports faculties, and the esports ecosystem. The research also aims to clarify the perceived roles of universities, including their research domains, within the context of esports.

Methods

The research is based on a qualitative approach. Semi-structured interviews were used in the qualitative research to analyze attitudes toward the esports issues. The interviews were conducted with 18 stakeholders, the recordings were transcribed verbatim, coded and analyzed using the MAXQDA Analytics Pro software.

Results

The analysis led to the following findings: Universities can collaborate with esports teams, players, and other stakeholders to research and analyze players' physical state and performance, offering courses and certifications for coaches and managers of esports teams, where they would learn gaming skills and player's health and physical preparation. Moreover, universities can facilitate interaction between esports teams and experts in the field of nutrition, sleep, etc., potentially leading to improved health and performance of players. Finally, universities can collaborate with esports associations to establish standards and licensing requirements for coaches, managers, and other professionals in the esports industry.

Conclusion

The paper advocates collaboration between universities and esports organizations and encourages flexibility and innovation. Recommendations include establishing formalized training programs for players, coaches, managers and organizers, promoting esports within the university environment, fostering positive perceptions, and supporting university leagues.

Emotional Working Memory Training Treatment for Young Adult Problem Online Sports Bettors: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial

One of the key features of gambling disorder (GD) is impairment in cognitive-emotional control. Considering the negative consequences of GD, the present study investigated the effectiveness of emotional working memory training (eWMT) in improving cognitive control, attention, working memory capacity, and cognitive emotion regulation strategies (CERS) among young adults with GD compared to a placebo group. Following the initial assessment in the pre-test phase, eligible participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: experimental (n = 34) and placebo (n = 30). These groups completed eWMT and a feature matching task for 20 sessions respectively. The post-test and follow-up measures indicated that eWMT significantly improved cognitive control, attention, working memory capacity, and the use of maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies, but it had no significant effect on adaptive CERS. The promising results of the present study suggest the use of eWMT as a new intervention to improve cognitive-emotional control among individuals with online gambling problems.

Loss of resources and gambling during the COVID-19 pandemic: a three-wave longitudinal study

This study is based on the Conservation of Resources theory and investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated resource loss on gambling behaviour among Polish gamblers. The study surveyed 585 individuals engaged in land-based gambling before the pandemic. Participants completed computer-assisted web interviews, responding to questions regarding land-based and online gambling frequencies, the Problem Gambling Severity Index, and the Inventory of Loss of Resources in Pandemics. The findings revealed significant shifts in gambling behaviour due to pandemic-related restrictions. Land-based gambling declined during lockdowns and the third wave of the study, while online gambling surged as gamblers transitioned from land-based venues. Gamblers tended to return to land-based options as restrictions eased. Over consecutive waves, participants reported decreasing resource loss levels. Significantly, resource loss was influenced by gambling frequency rather than vice versa. Both types of gambling experienced parallel declines at the beginning of the pandemic, which subsided as the new situation became normalised. Players engaging more in gambling experienced more significant resource losses during the pandemic. Those with more resources at the pandemic's onset adapted more readily, whereas individuals with limited resources faced resource loss. Conclusions Even with stable gambling levels, heavy gamblers at baseline were at higher risk for issues. The dynamics between resource loss and gambling and problem gambling supported the resource loss spiral concept.

The effect of received social support on preferred coping strategies and perceived quality of life in adolescents during the covid-19 pandemic

The article raises the issue of the quality of life (QoL) of adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic, its relationships with coping and mediating role of the received social support (RSS). The nationwide survey was conducted from September 13, 2021 to October 1, 2021. The total of 4970 individuals aged 10-18 years old were researched in Poland. The KIDSCREEN-27, the Brief COPE by Charles S. Carver in the Polish adaptation and the Berlin Social-Support Scales were employed in the research. SPSS and PROCESS macro were used for descriptive, correlational, and mediation analyses. The results indicate the relationship between the perceived QoL (QoL) with active coping, seeking social support coping and helplessness coping. The essential mediating role of the RSS was confirmed for the relationship between coping with stress and QoL in the group of the individuals researched. The findings imply that both in daily and difficult situations, social systems of support should be activated to provide environment for optimal development of adolescents, diminish consequences of potential risk factors, and enhance the significance of protective factors.

Overtime: Long-Term Betting Trajectories Among Highly-Involved and Less-Involved Online Sports Bettors

Online sports gambling involvement is discontinuous in nature, with small groups of highly involved gamblers exhibiting betting behavior that is distinctly greater than other gamblers. There is some question about whether these groups, defined by exceedingly high levels of play, also have equivalently high rates of gambling problems, and whether they maintain these play levels over time. The current study builds on past work by examining the long-term trajectories of play and voluntary self-exclusion patterns across two years among a cohort of 32,262 highly-involved and less-involved online sports gamblers. We also examine the relative importance of betting behavior change as a risk factor for gambling problems by testing whether high involvement as compared to escalation of involvement is a better predictor of future self-exclusion. Measures included betting activities, transactional activities, and self-exclusion activities on a European online betting platform between February 2015 and January 2017. Results showed that bettors who were most highly involved in the first 8 months of the study in terms of number of bets and net loss were more likely to continue gambling on the platform in months 9-24 than others. Bettors who were most highly involved in the first 8 months of the study in terms of net loss and amount wagered were more likely to use self-exclusion than others, and more likely to have multiple self-exclusions. Escalations in frequency of play and average bet size within the first 8 months emerged as significant predictors of self-exclusion, even when controlling for high involvement.

Understanding Esports-related Betting and Gambling: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Esports gambling has steadily grown in popularity alongside esports itself. While research has been increasing in the field of esports-related gambling, no study has yet reviewed the relevant literature on esports gambling. The present study aimed to comprehensively review all empirical research conducted in the wider field of esports gambling. A systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was undertaken using PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Only empirical studies were included and were also assessed for potential biases using the ROBUST guidelines. A total of 30 studies from eight countries were included in the review. Esports gamblers were found more likely to be young males, likely to score high on problematic gambling scales, and likely to belong to households speaking a non-English language at home in English speaking countries. Esports gamblers are a unique type of gambling population, with rare characteristics and behaviors compared to other types of gamblers. Given the limited number of studies, there is a need for further research in this field to understand these populations, as well as the need for longitudinal research.

Two for the GOES: Exploring Gambling Outcome Expectancies Scores Across Mixed and Offline-Only Gamblers in Relation to Problem Gambling Risk Status

As online gambling becomes more prevalent, understanding the motives of online gamblers has become a key focus for research and practice. The aim of this study was to understand differences in gambling-related outcome expectancies between mixed (both online and offline) gamblers and offline-only gamblers, by incorporating gambling harm risk categories from the problem gambling severity index (PGSI). This study comprised a secondary data analysis of the 2015 Northern Territory Gambling Prevalence and Wellbeing Survey. A sample of 1207 individuals in the Northern Territory who had reported gambling at least once in the previous 12 months were used in the analyses. General linear and structural equation modelling were used to ascertain differences in gambling outcome expectancies, in relation to gambling modality (i.e., mixed, offline-only) and PGSI scores. Mixed gamblers tended to score higher on all outcome expectancies than their offline-only counterparts. Outcome expectancy scores were higher in individuals in higher-risk PGSI categories. The escape outcome expectancy was dependent on both modality and risk category. Invariance testing of a low and problem gambling risk subsample revealed differential relationships for both the escape and excitement outcome expectancies for mixed and offline-only gamblers. The results provide an important contribution to the existing literature regarding motivation and outcome expectancies in relation to gambling modality and problem gambling severity. The findings highlight the importance of considering both gambling outcome expectancies and modality when considering problem gambling.

Targeting the next generation of gamblers? Gambling sponsorship of esports teams

BACKGROUND

Esports fans are a target audience for gambling companies wanting to attract the next generation of bettors to their products. As with other sports, professional esports teams have commercial sponsorship arrangements. Our paper seeks to document the level of gambling sponsorship of the world's top esports teams.

METHODS

A systematic review of the commercial arrangements between the top 20 esports clubs across three of the most followed esports titles was undertaken: Dota 2, League of Legends (LoL) and CS:GO. Data were scraped online relating to the top 20 teams competing at their respective major tournaments between October and November 2021.

RESULTS

Half of the esports teams in Dota 2 and CS:GO's world championship events in 2021 were sponsored by gambling companies. Teams sponsored by gambling companies have a combined total of 25 868 912 followers across three major social media channels. No LoL teams were sponsored by gambling companies, yet sibling teams within the CS:GO and Dota 2 competitions were.

CONCLUSION

The relationship between gambling companies' sponsorship in esports should be considered in line with the calls for change in the relationship between football and gambling with gambling as a public health issue at its heart.

A scoping review of the association between loot boxes, esports, skin betting, and token wagering with gambling and video gaming behaviors

Background and aims

Many new digital gambling-like activities such as loot boxes, esports betting, skin betting, and token wagering have recently emerged and grown in popularity. This scoping review aimed to: (a) synthesize the existing empirical research literature on gambling-like activities and their associations with gambling and video gaming behaviors, including problem gambling and video gaming; (b) identify sociodemographic, psychological, and motivational factors associated with engagement in gambling-like activities; and (c) identify research gaps and areas for further research.

Methods

A systematic search of Ovid, Embsco, and ProQuest databases and Google Scholar was conducted in May 2021 and last updated in February 2022. The search yielded a total of 2,437 articles. Articles were included in the review if they were empirical studies that contained quantitative or qualitative results regarding the relationship between gambling-like activities and gambling or gaming.

Results

Thirty-eight articles met inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Overall, the review results suggest that all forms of gambling-like activities were positively associated with gambling and gaming with small to medium effects. Gambling-like activity participation was also positively associated with mental distress and impulsivity. Gaps identified included a lack of inquiry into skin betting and token wagering, a lack of diversity in the research methods (i.e., mainly cross-sectional surveys), and a paucity of research that includes more ethnically, culturally, and geographically diverse populations.

Discussion

Longitudinal studies with more representative samples are needed to examine the causal link between gambling-like activities and gambling and video gaming.

Health Benefits of Esports: A Systematic Review Comparing the Cardiovascular and Mental Health Impacts of Esports

Sports all over the world are celebrated and embraced as an indicator of triumph of youth and the human experience. Esports have increasingly come to be associated with an industry likened to traditional sports. Professional gamers who continuously define new standards in the areas of gaming, entertainment, and esports have emerged. This systematic review sought to find out the extent to which these virtual sports affect cardiovascular and mental health, both positively and negatively, and if this is comparable to traditional sports to any degree. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses, we reviewed journals and full-text articles that addressed the topic with keywords, such as esports, cardiovascular, mental health, gaming, and virtual reality. Six articles were selected after quality assessment. In summary, rehabilitative medicine currently benefits the most from this entertainment platform, with comparable findings in the positive and negative effects on mental health. Cardiovascular health appears to benefit from esports, with an increase in physical activity with use, but is not at the level of replacing traditional sports. Unlike as seen with traditional sports, addiction to gaming appears to be a steadily emerging issue that mental health practitioners will, in the not-so-distant future, have to lay ground rules for if esports are to be incorporated in everyday affairs.

Skin Gambling Contributes to Gambling Problems and Harm After Controlling for Other Forms of Traditional Gambling

Esports betting and skin gambling involve betting on the outcomes of video game competitions and/or using virtual currencies for betting. The present study evaluated a conceptual model linking video game involvement, video-game related gambling, traditional gambling, and gambling problems and harm. Data were collected via a cross-sectional online survey with 737 participants aged 18 + who engaged in esports cash betting (n = 576), esports skin betting (n = 184), or skin gambling on games of chance (n = 330). The findings highlighted the distinctly different relationships esports cash betting versus skin gambling had with traditional gambling involvement and harmful gambling. Gambling with skins on games of chance was predictive of gambling problems and gambling harm after controlling for participation in traditional gambling (OR = 1.32 and 1.17 respectively). Whereas betting on esports with cash was associated with betting on a variety of other forms of gambling, and there was no unique contribution to problems and harm over and above participation on these other forms (e.g., EGMs, sports betting). Skin gambling is directly implicated in gambling problems and harm, whereas cash betting on esports is only indicative of interest in many forms of potentially harmful gambling. Greater research attention to skin gambling is warranted, and particularly with respect to its role as a virtual currency more easily accessible for gambling.

E-sports playing and its relation to lifestyle behaviors and psychological well-being: A large-scale study of collegiate e-sports players in China

BACKGROUND

The research on e-sports mainly concerns the relationship between game playing behavior and Internet addiction, especially among college students. It remained a question of how college students' e-sports playing was associated with their lifestyle behaviors and psychological well-being in China.

OBJECTIVES

Our study aimed to explore whether collegiate e-sports players' e-sports participation behaviors differ across demographic backgrounds and how their e-sports playing relates to their lifestyle behaviors and psychological well-being.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 1441 collegiate e-sports players in China. The demographic characteristics of collegiate e-sports players were explored. The Bivariate Person correlation, linear and Tobit regression analyses were used to examine how students' e-sports playing was related to their lifestyle behaviors (i.e., sleep quality and physical activity) and psychological well-being (mobile phone addiction, online game addiction, satisfaction with life, and perceived stress).

RESULTS

The results of independent t-test and ANOVA analyses revealed that students from different grades, majors, family residences, and family structures differed in their e-sports participation behaviors. The results of linear regression and Tobit regression analyses also revealed that students' e-sports participation behaviors were related to their lifestyle behaviors and psychological well-being, except for sleep quality and mobile phone addiction. It is noteworthy that the length of time in playing e-sports and e-sports consumption was related to different lifestyle behaviors and psychological well-being.

CONCLUSION

The findings demonstrated that e-sports playing had penetrated college students' daily life. Appropriate time arrangement and rational e-sports consumption are crucial in promoting a healthy lifestyle and psychological well-being among college students.

Motivations for Esports Betting and Skin Gambling and Their Association with Gambling Frequency, Problems, and Harm

This study aimed to examine gambling motivations for esports betting and skin gambling and their association with gambling frequency, problems, and harm. Data were collected via a cross-sectional online survey with 736 participants aged 18 + who engaged in esports cash betting (n = 567), esports skin betting (n = 180), or skin gambling on games of chance (n = 325). Respondents were asked to rate their motivations for the three activities across seven domains: social, financial, positive feelings or enhancement, internal regulation, skill building, competition/challenge, and skin acquisition. The results highlight both similarities and differences in gambling motivations across products. Financial gain and enhancement (i.e., excitement) were the main motivations endorsed for all activities, whereas skin acquisition was an additional motivation for esports skin betting and skin gambling. Across all three products, gambling to escape or improve mood was associated with higher levels of problem gambling and harm. Financial gain motivation was associated with problem gambling only for esports skin betting and skin gambling on games of chance. These findings underscore the importance of considering motivational influences on engagement with emerging gambling activities, especially since some motivations may be a contributing factor in harmful gambling outcomes.

Prediction of problem gambling by demographics, gaming behavior and psychological correlates among gacha gamers: A cross-sectional online survey in Chinese young adults

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to explore the association of problem gambling with demographics, psychological distress, and gaming behavior in young adult gacha gamers in Hong Kong.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cross-sectional data was collected in the first and fifth waves of COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong online. Participants who aged 18-25 years and had been playing gacha games over the past 12 months were recruited. Stepwise multiple regression was used to explore the association among risk of problem gambling, gaming behavior, participation in gaming activities and psychological distress. A two-sided p-value <0.05 was considered as statistical significance.

RESULTS

Three hundred and thirty-seven completed questionnaires were received with no missing data. 34.7% (n = 117) of the participants had non/low-risk of problem gambling. About 40% (n = 136) of them had moderate-risk and the remaining 25% (n = 84) were at high risk of problem gambling. A higher proportion of female participants (78.6%) were found in high-risk group as compared to 39.7% and 55.6% only in the non/low-risk and moderate-risk groups, respectively. The regression model (R 2 = 0.513, F = 71.895, p < 0.001) showed that 51.3% of the variance of the total problem gambling score could be explained by stress, anxiety, monthly expenses on gacha purchases, number of motives for gacha purchase and number of gambling activities engaged.

CONCLUSION

The present study provides empirical evidence to support the association between problem gambling and microtransaction especially for gacha which is the most popular type of video game microtransaction in Asia. The established regression model suggests that gacha gamers with higher risk of problem gambling tend to have greater stress, higher anxiety level, spend more on gacha purchase, have more motives for gacha purchases and engage in more gambling activities. In contrast to the extant literature, higher proportion of female participants in high-risk group indicates that female gacha gamers are also at very high risk of becoming problem gamblers.

Determinants of Quality of Life in the COVID-19 Pandemic Situation among Persons Using Psychological Help at Various Stages of the Pandemic

This article presents the results of three surveys conducted during the initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2020 and in late June/early July 2020, when pandemic restrictions were in force. The surveys covered patients who had used psychological assistance before the pandemic. two were cross-sectional and one was longitudinal. The first survey involved 270 people (age: M = 29.59, SD = 10.74, women 79.3%), and the second one covered 117 subjects (age: M = 29.40, SD = 11.49, women 85.5%). The third, longitudinal, survey covered 83 subjects (age: M = 26.61, SD = 7.17, women 89.2%). In our research we used the Conservation of Resources Evaluation questionnaire, the abbreviated version of the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced, the WHO Quality of Life Scale, and a questionnaire for collecting sociodemographic information. Our analysis of the quality-of-life correlates in the two cross-sectional studies leads to an observation that for people using psychological help, the constant determinants of quality of life during a pandemic are high gain in resources and little loss of resources. In the first phase of the pandemic, active strategies were not linked to the sense of quality of life. This sense, however, was diminished by a number of negative strategies, such as denial, venting, substance use, restraint, and self-blame. After 3 months of the ongoing pandemic, perceived quality of life was positively correlated with strategies related to seeking instrumental support and active coping. this most likely points to a process of adapting to a difficult situation. The results of our longitudinal surveys demonstrate increasing escapism. Our attempt at explaining which factors determined the quality of life after 3 months of the ongoing pandemic showed that the crucial factors are: a sense of quality of life before the occurrence of the pandemic, changes in the distribution of resilience-oriented resources, changed frequency of using passive strategies, and active ways of coping-but only after 3 months into the pandemic. The results thus obtained can be used both in prevention and in work with persons affected by the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Problematic Internet Use among Hungarian Adult Recreational Esports Players

Background: Esports are highly prevalent in modern culture, particularly among young people, and are a healthy hobby for the majority of users. However, there is a possible link between video gaming (including esports) and problematic internet use (so-called internet addiction, IA), mostly involving adolescents. Methods: Here we present an online survey focusing on the prevalence and risk factors of internet addiction among adult esports players. Demographics included age, gender, family type, type of work, working years and daily internet use. Medical conditions associated with IA such as smoking, alcohol and drug intake, hypertension, diabetes, ischemic heart disease, musculoskeletal pain and history of depression were also recorded. Results: Overall, 2313 players including 176 females (7.6%) and 2137 males (92.4%) participated in our online survey. Age distribution was the following: 18−25 years 90.3% (2088/2313), 26−35 years 7.95% (184/2313), 36−45 years 0.86% (20/2313), 46−55 years 0.82% (19/2313), 56−62 years 0.04% (1/2313) and 62 years or older 0.04% (1/2313). Internet addiction was detected in 19.9% of players (461/2313) based on the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire. In a multivariate analysis internet addiction was significantly associated with age between 18 and 25 (OR: 1.675, p = 0.002), being single (OR = 1.505, p = 0.014), internet use > 6 h daily (OR = 4.338, p < 0.001), having < 3 children (OR: 2.037, p = 0.023) and having secondary employment (OR = 1.789, p = 0.037). Regular alcohol intake (OR = 18.357, p < 0.001) and history of depression (OR= 5.361, p = 0.032) were also strongly correlated with IA. Conclusion: This is the first study from Hungary investigating the prevalence and risk factors of internet addiction among adult esports players. One out of five adult gamers suffered from IA. Our study also draws attention to increased risk within this group and risk factors such as younger age, family status and type of employment.

Gambling-related suicide in East African Community countries: evidence from press media reports

Background

Gambling activities and associated mental health problems have become a topic of increased concern globally. Many individuals with a severe gambling disorder have gambling-related suicidality. However, no study has explored gambling-related suicide in East African Community (EAC) countries. The present study investigated the press media reporting of gambling-related suicide cases from EAC countries.

Methods

As there is no established suicide database in that region, media reports were utilized to collect gambling-related suicide data. Gambling-related suicide case reports were searched for in EAC countries’ press media websites using Google. After removing duplicates, a total of 18 suicides were found.

Results

The victims were all males aged 16 to 40 years. The most prevalent reason for the death was university students who had used their university tuition fees for gambling and losing the money (n = 4/17). All the suicide deaths were in Kenya (10/18), Uganda (7/18), and Tanzania (1/18). Betting on soccer was the most common type of gambling reported (n = 11/15), and hanging was the most used mode of suicide (n = 10/16).

Conclusions

Based on the press media reports, 18 males were identified as having carried out gambling-related suicides. The countries with the most widespread opportunities to gamble had more gambling-related suicides, although the number of suicides was very small.

Between two worlds: Exploring esports betting in relation to problem gambling, gaming, and mental health problems

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Esports betting is an emerging gambling activity where individuals place bets on an organized video gaming competition. It represents only one of several gambling activities commonly endorsed by adolescents. To date, limited research has explored the relationship between esports betting and mental health among adolescents and its convergence with both problem gambling (PG) and problem video gaming (PVG). The present study examined the relation between esports betting, PG and PVG, and both externalizing and internalizing problems among adolescents while accounting for adolescents' video gaming intensity (i.e., how often they play 2 h or more in a day) and engagement in other gambling activities.

METHODS

Data was collected from 6,810 adolescents in Wood County, Ohio schools. A subset of 1,348 adolescents (M age = 14.67 years, SD = 1.73, 64% male) who had gambled and played video games during the past year were included in the analyses.

RESULTS

Approximately 20% (n = 263) of the included sample had bet on esports during the past year. Esports betting was positively correlated with other forms of gambling, both PG and PVG, and externalizing behaviors. Mediation analyses revealed esports betting was associated to both internalizing and externalizing problems through PVG and not PG.

CONCLUSIONS

Esports betting may be particularly appealing to adolescents who are enthusiastic video gamers. As such, regulators must be vigilant to ensure codes of best practices are applied to esports betting operators specifically for underaged individuals.

Pay-to-Win Gaming and its Interrelation with Gambling: Findings from a Representative Population Sample

Pay-to-Win gaming describes a common type of video game design in which players can pay to advance in the game. The frequency and value of payments is unlimited, and payments are linked to players' competitiveness or progress in the game, which can potentially facilitate problematic behavioral patterns, similar to those known from gambling. Our analyses focus on assessing similarities and differences between Pay-to-Win and different forms of gambling. Based on a survey among 46,136 German adult internet users, this study presents the demographic and socio-economic profile of (1) Pay-to-Win gamers who make purchases in such games, (2) heavy users who conduct daily payments, and (3) gamers who are also gamblers. Motives for making payments were assessed and participation, frequency and spending in gambling by Pay-to-Win gamers are presented. To assess the similarity of Pay-to-Win gaming and gambling, we tested whether Pay-to-Win participation, frequency of payments and problematic gaming behavior are predictors for gambling and cross-tested the opposite effects of gambling on Pay-to-Win. We find that Pay-to-Win gamers are a distinct consumer group with considerable attraction to gambling. High engagement and problematic behavior in one game form affects (over)involvement in the other. Common ground for Pay-to-Win gaming and gambling is the facilitation of recurring payments.