The Impact of Personalized Feedback Interventions by a Gambling Operator on Subsequent Gambling Expenditure in a Sample of Dutch Online Gamblers

Mapping Youth Awareness of Sports Betting Advertising During the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Young people are known to be highly engaged in sports betting and therefore may be particularly susceptible to the effects of gambling-related advertising. The purpose of the present study was to examine young people's recall of sports betting advertising during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The sample consisted of 190 UK residents aged 18-24 who had watched at least one 2022 World Cup match. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect data on participants' recall of sports betting advertisements across several media types and for different bets and betting offers, as well as their problem gambling scores. The findings indicated that young people were able to recall a high amount of advertising for various types of bets (95.6%) and betting inducements (89.5%). A high proportion of young people recalled advertising for risky bet types and promotions, such as 64.2% for in-play betting and 68.1% for sign-up offers. Overall, higher-risk gamblers recalled encountering more advertising than lower-risk gamblers. Participants recalled encountering sports betting advertisements on social media the most (10-14 ads per week), then on internet banners and television (5-9 ads per week, respectively). Less than half (46.3%) of respondents were aware of advertising for responsible gambling tools. This study underscores the need for policy measures that limit young people's exposure to gambling advertising, particularly for products that may contribute to gambling-related harm, and that increase the promotion of responsible gambling tools.

Nudging Online Gamblers to Withdraw Money: The Impact of Personalized Messages on Money Withdrawal Among a Sample of Real-World Online Casino Players

A number of scholars have argued that online gambling can be more problematic than land-based gambling. Motivating gamblers to withdraw money from their online gambling account could lower losses because there would be less money available to lose. Therefore, the present study investigated whether personalized messages are an effective way of 'nudging' gamblers to withdraw money from their online gambling account. The authors were given access to a secondary dataset by Nederlandse Loterij (the national Dutch Lottery operator) comprising 4049 online gamblers. Two types of messages were used to 'nudge' gamblers to withdraw money from their gambling account (i.e., a 'winning streak' message and a 'withdrawal' message). The findings indicated that (i) 38% of gamblers reading the 'winning streak' messages withdrew money from their gambling account on the same day, and (ii) 18% of gamblers reading the 'withdrawal' messages withdrew money from their gambling account on the same day. Gamblers who read personalized messages also withdrew larger amounts of money from their gambling accounts compared to gamblers who did not read personalized messages. The findings suggest that the personalized messages can have an impact on both the likelihood to withdraw money as well as the amount of money which was withdrawn and could help reduce gambling-related harm.

Behavioural Tracking and Profiling Studies Involving Objective Data Derived from Online Operators: A Review of the Evidence

Studies involving the analysis of objective data from online operators attempt to address common concerns about biases in self-report research. This paper surveys the progress in this area of research over the last 15 years. The findings highlight many areas of achievement, including: the development of a set of behavioural markers that reliably differentiate variations in gambler risk. Online gamblers can be grouped into clusters based on the intensity and frequency of gambling; behavioural variability; or, signs of over-commitment (e.g., deposit frequency or expenditure patterns). Behavioural indicators have also been successfully used to predict proxies of harm such as self-exclusion or account closures. However, relatively few studies have combined objective data with self-report data to achieve independent validation of the risk-status of gamblers. Evidence also supports the potential value of short-term responsible gambling interventions involving the use of voluntary and mandatory limits, messages and behavioural feedback. Less work has, on the other hand, addressed the comparative risk of different online gambling products. The findings suggest the need for further validation of findings against independent measures of gambling risk; consistent definitions of indicators; a greater focus on the differentiation of product risk; and, on the long-term impact of RG interventions.

Comparative Effects of Cognitive Rehabilitation and Photobiomodulation on Drug Craving in Treatment-Seeking Opioid Addicts

Background: Drug addiction refers to a maladaptive pattern of drug use that frequently leads to substance abuse problems and accompanying cognitive and behavioral symptoms. Among the crucial criteria of drug addiction, craving stands out as a potent factor contributing to ongoing drug abuse and relapse following period of abstinence. To date, there is no definitive method for eradicating opioid cravings. The introduction of novel neurocognitive interventions, such as cognitive rehabilitation and photobiomodulation (PBM), into the realm of psychiatric treatments holds promise due to the parallels between drug addiction and other psychiatric disorders. These innovative techniques offer potential value in addressing drug addiction. Objective: This study aimed to assess and compare the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation and PBM in alleviating drug cravings among individuals undergoing addiction treatment in clinical settings. Methods: The research used randomized clinical trial as the chosen research method. The statistical population encompassed all clients receiving treatment for addiction at clinics, selected through the convenience sampling method, with α = 0.05 significance level and an effect size of 85%. Gpower software was utilized to determine three equal groups. Sixty-three participants, each having a mean total score higher than 3 out of 5 on the Desire for Drug Questionnaire (DDQ), were randomly assigned to two experimental groups (n = 21 each) and a control group (n = 21). For the assessment of immediate and periodic opioid craving, the DDQ and the Obsessive Compulsive Drug Use Scale were used. In the low-level laser group, an 810 nm wavelength with continuous irradiation was applied twice a week at a distance of 1 cm by 1 cm to the prefrontal part of the brain for duration of 6 weeks (12 sessions). In the brain rehabilitation group, the stop signal and n-back tasks software were used twice a week for period of 6 weeks (comprising 12 sessions, each lasting 30 min). Results: The results demonstrated that each intervention significantly reduced drug craving in both the post-test and follow-up phases compared to the control group. The Bonferroni post hoc test indicated that PBM was more effective than cognitive rehabilitation in terms of working memory (WM) and inhibitory control for reducing drug craving (p < 0.05). Conclusions: While both PBM and cognitive rehabilitation targeting WM and inhibitory control effectively reduced opioid drug craving, low-level laser therapy proved to be more effective than cognitive rehabilitation in this regard.