Money used in gaming is associated with problem gambling: Results of the ESPAD 2019 Finland

Influence of social determinants of health on gambling in adolescents. Analysis of the results of the ESTUDES 2022 survey

BACKGROUND

There is globally proliferation of pathological gambling among the adolescent population. This public health problem requires the development of effective preventive strategies based on the risk factors. The aim of this study is to analyse the social determinants of health which may be predictors of online and face-to-face gambling in young people.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out using the Survey on Drug Use in Secondary Education in Spain, ESTUDES (2021), as the main data collection tool. The selected sample consisted of N = 22 321.

RESULTS

Gender, age, academic performance and compulsive internet use were found to be predictors of online and face-to-face gambling. Gambling with money was statistically significantly related to male gender, age, presence of truancy, low academic achievement, compulsive internet use, mother's educational level and mother's employment status.

CONCLUSIONS

This study offers a detailed analysis of connection between social and demographic factors that precede gambling beginning and the presence of problem behaviours. Academic achievement and gender differences appear to relate to the pathological gambling in adolescents. These should be taken as a reference when generating preventive strategies that allow us to focus on the most vulnerable population.

Gambling and other addictive behaviors among higher education students in Finland-insights from a large-scale survey

Introduction

Problem gambling forms a continuum of severity from mild to moderate and severe. While most young individuals who gamble do so responsibly, for some gambling becomes a problem with severe negative consequences. Excessive gambling is strongly linked with substance use and other behavioral addictions, particularly among students.

Methods

In this study we draw from a large sample of higher education students to evaluate the links between gambling behavior, socioeconomic status, mental health, alcohol use and other potentially addictive behaviors. We analyzed our data using post-stratification survey weighted logistic regression modeling.

Results

Our main findings were that (i) students in polytechnics were more prone to gamble and experience harms than university students, (ii) self-perceived problem gambling was significantly associated with alcohol use but not with drug use or smoking, and (iii) compulsive internet use predicted gambling problems but not increased gambling activity.

Discussion

Our results underscore the need for early detection of harmful behaviors among students, and early interventions for those with severe problems. Student health checks should be used to screen for harmful gambling habits and difficulties in handling finances.

Scrutinizing the Gateway Relationship Between Gaming and Gambling Disorder: Scoping Review With a Focus on the Southeast Asian Region

Background

The gaming and gambling overlap has intensified with new evidence emerging. However, the relationship between gaming and gambling in the digital space is still inconclusive, especially in resource-limited Asian countries.

Objective

This study aims to review available evidence on the possible interaction and focuses specifically on the gateway interaction between gambling and gaming. Additionally, this review delves into the state of evidence from the Southeast Asian region, providing an in-depth analysis of this underexplored area.

Methods

We performed a scoping review by sifting through the publications in five databases. We focused on the gateway interaction and provided a possible pathway model, while two other convergence relationships were provided for comparison.

Results

The scoping review identified a total of 289 publications, with the majority being empirical (n=181), although only 12 studies used longitudinal designs. A significant proportion of the publications (n=152) concentrated on the correlation or comorbidity between gaming and gambling. Most of the evidence has originated from Global North countries, with very limited research emerging from Southeast Asia (n=8). The most commonly studied gambling-like element in video games was loot boxes (n=105). Other elements investigated included esports betting, skin betting, token wagering, gambling advertisements, and gambling-like features. Several longitudinal studies have highlighted the risk of the gateway effect associated with gamblification involvement. However, emerging evidence suggests more nuanced underlying mechanisms that drive the transition from gaming to gambling.

Conclusions

Overall, there is early evidence of linkage between gambling and gaming, through shared structural and biopsychosocial characteristics. This association possibly extends beyond disparate comorbidity, as such engagement in one activity might influence the risk of partaking in the other behavior. The field requires further longitudinal data to determine the directionality and significant precipitating factors of the gateway effect, particularly evidence from Asia.

Testing the acceptability and feasibility of the lower-risk gambling guidelines in Finland

Background

The lower risk gambling guidelines (LRGG) represent an evidence-based collaborative effort to provide clear advice to people on the limits of safe gambling consumption. The guidelines are as follows: 1) Gamble no more than 1% of household income per month; and 2) Gamble no more than 4 days per month; and 3) Avoid regularly gambling at more than 2 types of games.

Methods

In an online survey study (N = 778), we evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of the LRGG among different subpopulations in Finland.

Results

We found that the guidelines were generally evaluated positively as understandable, sensible, clear, and "just right" in terms of their content. There were some notable differences between subpopulations: Individuals who were at risk of gambling problems evaluated the LRGG more negatively than others, while professionals working in the field of gambling prevention were the most optimistic about the guidelines. Thus, increased level of potentially harmful gambling engagement was linked with a somewhat more pessimistic attitude towards the guidelines. On the other hand, those who had not gambled in the past year viewed the guidelines as too permissive compared with those who had gambled, or those working in gambling prevention.

Discussion

Overall, our results show clear differences of opinion between the various subpopulations, which appear to be associated with the individuals' level and nature of gambling experience. We conclude that the LRGG can likely be adopted into wider use in Finland.

Risk and Protective Factors for Gambling Among Youth by origin: Findings from the three waves of cross-sectional Finnish School Health Promotion Study among 238,939 Students

Gambling is a public health problem that can cause many kinds of harm. The aim of this study was to examine youth gambling by origin, and the risk and protective factors associated with it. The data was drawn from the School Health Promotion Study (n = 238,939) conducted in Finland, representative of the 14 to 16-year-old Finnish schoolchildren. Cross-tabulations and multivariate logistic regression were used in assessing the association between origin and weekly gambling. Interaction terms of origin and background variables related to substance use, peer and family relations and leisure time were then calculated to assess inter-group differences. The study showed that foreign-born, migrant origin and youth from mixed families were more likely to gamble weekly compared to youth with Finnish-born parents. The likelihood of gambling was particularly high among foreign-born and migrant-origin youth. Weekly gambling was significantly more common among boys than girls in all studied youth groups, and it was particularly common among foreign-born boys compared to other groups. Substance use was associated with weekly gambling and even more so among foreign-born youth. There were also differences by origin in the strength of association between other background factors and weekly gambling. Foreign-born boys appear to be especially vulnerable to multiple health and social risks including gambling, making them a particularly important group for targeted preventive programs. Preventive efforts are needed to enhance public awareness, boost parental supervision, and limit gambling-related risks. Special attention is needed to prevent migrant-origin boys from developing problems with gambling.

The cards they're dealt: types of gambling activity, online gambling, and risk of problem gambling in European adolescents

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to identify risk factors associated with gambling engagement and the likelihood of problem behavior, distinguishing by type of gambling activity and examining the impact of online gambling.

METHODS

Data about 85,420 students aged 16 from 33 countries participating in the 2019 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) were analyzed through a three-stage sequential probit model, specifically focusing on four types of activity: lotteries, slot machines, cards, and betting. Furthermore, predicted probabilities were calculated for subsamples of students engaging in different types of gambling activities to explore their influence on the likelihood of problem gambling behavior, conditioned on online gambling involvement.

RESULTS

Certain groups, such as males and those with a history of school difficulties, exhibit a higher likelihood of problematic gambling behavior. Online gaming significantly influences adolescent gambling behavior, with slot machines demonstrating the highest predicted probabilities of risky behavior when combined with online gaming.

POLICY IMPLICATIONS

The findings highlight that gambling is quite common among adolescents, and that gamblers and problem gamblers display different profiles, suggesting the importance of targeted interventions and support for vulnerable individuals. Public policies should prioritize the regulation of high-risk gambling activities, particularly slot machines, by enhancing the enforcement of age restrictions and the education on the real odds of winning and potential harms of gambling, particularly among adolescents. It is crucial to foster policies and interventions that address the risks associated with online gambling for this age group.

Gaming disorder: A summary of its characteristics and aetiology

The emergence, development, and maintenance of gaming disorder (GD) is the result of an interplay between gaming-related factors, individual factors, and environmental factors. None of these alone are sufficient to cause a disordered state, but it is the interactive co-occurrence of all these factors, which in some cases leads to GD. The goal of the present paper is to discuss in detail these three factors based on relevant and recent findings of the literature. Among gaming-related factors, we discuss online vs. offline videogames, the role of game genres, structural characteristics, game design elements, as well as some important monetization techniques. Among individual factors demographic risk factors, personality traits, motivational factors, comorbid psychopathology, genetic predisposition, and neurobiological processes are considered. Finally, among environmental factors we discuss family factors, early life experiences, the role of peers and school-related factors, as well as the broader context of culture including the popularity of esports.

The Adolescent Problem Gambling Prevalence Associated with Leisure-Time Activities and Risky Behaviors in Southern Spain

Gambling addiction is increasing and is becoming a public health concern due to the rise of gambling-related harms affecting the youth. Previous studies suggest a strong link between problem gambling (PG) and substance use and psychosocial and familial factors. Our main objective was to analyze the association between PG and factors like sport, leisure-time activities, and risk-taking behaviors in adolescents. A survey on substance use and addictive behaviors was performed in 2019 on a representative sample of 2240 subjects (14-18 years) from the Southern Spain Region. Data variables like socio-demographic characteristics, sport, leisure and free time activities, family environment, PG (Lie-Bet Scale), compulsive internet use (CIUS Scale), and consumption of alcohol and cannabis were collected using a standardized questionnaire. Weighted PG prevalence was estimated in either sex, as well as the differences between various levels of PG using chi-square tests. Crude and adjusted weighted logistic regression models were used to identify predictors associated with PG. The prevalence of PG was associated with shopping frequency, compulsive internet use, cannabis use in the previous month, higher family economic status, and having a homemaker father which increased the likelihood of PG. On the contrary, cultural hobbies such as playing an instrument, painting, singing, and writing, and having a working mother were inversely associated with PG. Our results suggest that encouraging participation in creative activities along with supervised shopping and monitoring compulsive internet use and cannabis consumption may contribute some protection against adolescent PG.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11469-022-00950-7.