Problem Gambling 'Fuelled on the Fly'

Engagement in New Gambling Practices and its Association with Gambling Disorder, Impulsivity, and Cognitive Distortions: Findings from a Nationally Representative Sample of Spanish Gamblers

Most epidemiological surveys focus on adult gambling behaviors related to traditional gambling forms, while studies on novel forms often focus on loot boxes and cryptocurrency trading individually. This study examines the co-ocurrence of emergent gambling and gambling-like practices, analyzing the demographic and psychological characteristics of involved gamblers. A cross-sectional study surveyed 1429 Spanish individuals aged 18-65, using a web-based questionnaire. The survey assessed participation in 19 gambling (e.g., lotteries, sports betting) and gambling-like activities (e.g., trading of cryptocurrencies and other assets, buying loot-boxes), along with sociodemographic and substance use. Problem gambling (PGSI), Impulsivity (UPPS-P), and cognitive distortions (Labrador's cognitive distortions scale) were also assessed. Participants who gambled over the past year (n = 921) were classified into four groups: traditional gambling (TG) only (64.5%, n = 594), TG with trading activities (27.5%, n = 253), TG with gambling withing video games or streaming platforms (2.5%, n = 23), and TG with both trading and video gambling (5.5%, n = 51). Most gamblers engaged exclusively in traditional formats, but 35.5% also participated in novel gambling forms. Those involved in both trading and video gambling were generally younger, male, with higher levels of impulsivity and gambling-related cognitive distortions compared to TG-only gamblers (p < 0.001). This group also exhibited higher rates of problem gambling and substance use (p < 0.001). This study emphasize the importance of including emerging gambling activities, which are particularly prevalent among high-risk gamblers, in epidemiological surveys. Identifying new gambling patterns and associated risk factors could help optimize public policies and develop more effective regulatory and prevention strategies.

Participants' Utilitarian Choice Is Influenced by Gamble Presentation and Age

No prior behavioral science research has delved into the impact of gamble presentation (horizontal or vertical) on individuals' utilitarian behavior, despite evidence suggesting that such choices can be influenced by comparing attributes like probability and money in gambles. This article addresses this gap by exploring the influence of gamble presentation on utilitarian behavior. A two-factor independent measures design was employed to explore the influence of the type of gamble presentation and age on participants' utilitarian decision-making preferences. The findings showed a reduced likelihood of participants choosing the non-utilitarian gamble with vertically presented gambles compared to horizontal ones. Consequently, participants' utilitarian behavior was influenced by between-gamble comparisons of available attributes, with utilitarian choices (e.g., choosing Gamble A) being more prevalent in vertical presentations due to a straightforward comparison on the probability attribute. Furthermore, the results also revealed that older participants take more time than their younger counterparts when making utilitarian errors. We attribute this to their abundant knowledge and experience. Future research should explore the comparative psychological processing used by participants in risky decision-making tasks.

Impulsivity, Gambling-Related Cognitions, Cognitive Reappraisal and Gambling Behaviour in a Malaysian Sample

The relationships between cognitive reappraisal and problem gambling have been widely studied in different contexts. However, previous research findings remain inconsistent. This discrepancy might be attributed to the effects of interactions between cognitive reappraisal and other risk factors for problem gambling. Using moderation models, this study examined the association between impulsivity, gambling-related cognitive distortions, cognitive reappraisal and problem gambling in a sample of Malaysian gamblers. A total of 149 community gamblers (103 males, 46 females; mean age = 32.18) completed an online questionnaire. Problem gambling was measured with the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS); cognitive reappraisal was measured using the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire-Cognitive Reappraisal Subscale (ERQ-CR); impulsivity was measured with the Short-UPPS-P Impulsive Behaviour Scale (SUPPS-P); and gambling-related cognitive distortions were measured using the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS). The results revealed impulsivity and gambling-related cognitive distortions as significant predictors of problem gambling. At high levels, impulsivity and cognitive distortions are significant moderator variables that strengthen the association between cognitive reappraisal and problem gambling. These findings demonstrate that reappraisal skills could exacerbate problem gambling severity amongst impulsive or self-deceptive gamblers. Future research with larger and more representative samples is needed to validate and generalise these findings.

Gambling Disorder among Porto's University Students

BACKGROUND

Gambling disorder is an emerging problem among young adults and must be researched to provide the necessary support. This study aims to characterise gambling disorders in Porto's university students.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study distributed an online questionnaire to Porto's university students. The authors developed a self-administered questionnaire that included the South Oaks Gambling Screen questionnaire-Portuguese Version (SOGS-PV).

RESULTS

A total of 1123 responses were included. The participants' average age was 22.4 years (SD = 6.2), and 60.9% were women. Gambling activities were performed by 66.4% of the students, most commonly online or video games, "scratch card" games, skill games, lotteries, and sports bets. The final scores of the SOGS-PV suggested 19.7% (95% CI: 17.4-22.0) of students may have a gambling disorder, with 16.6% (95% CI: 14.4-18.8) being "probable pathological gamblers" and 3.1% (95% CI: 2.1-4.1) being "problem gamblers". Gambling in the stocks/commodities market/virtual coins, sports bets, playing cards for money, and the numbers or betting on lotteries presents a higher risk of gambling disorder. The age (OR: 0.953; 95% CI: 0.922-0.986), being male (OR: 2.756; 95% CI: 1.899-4.000), the highest daily gambling amount (OR: 3.938; 95% CI: 2.580-6.012), the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic (OR: 0.129; 95% CI: 0.087-0.191), a mother with gambling disorder (OR: 5.284; 95% CI: 1.038-26.902), the personal services education area (OR: 2.858; 95% CI: 1.179-6.929), and the linguistics education area (OR: 2.984; 95% CI: 1.538-5.788) stand out as contributing factors to the development of this disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

This study reveals a high level of possible gambling disorder among university students and emphasises the importance of this problem in the academic community. Physician awareness and prevention programmes are needed in this population.

Network Analysis of the Structure of the Core Symptoms and Clinical Correlates in Comorbid Schizophrenia and Gambling Disorder

Few studies have analyzed the clinical profile of treatment-seeking patients with the comorbid presence of schizophrenia (SCZ) and gambling disorder (GD), which warrants new research to assess the network structure of this complex mental condition. The aim of this study was to explore the organization of the symptoms and other clinical correlates of SCZ with GD. Network analysis was applied to a sample of N = 179 SCZ patients (age range: 19-70 years, mean=39.5, SD=9.9) who met clinical criteria for gambling disorder-related problems. Variables included in the network were the core GD symptoms according to the DSM-5, psychotic and paranoid ideation levels, global psychological distress, GD severity measures (debts and illegal behavior related with gambling), substances (tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs), and personality profile. The nodes with the highest authority in the network (variables of highest relevance) were personality traits and psychological distress. Four empirical modules/clusters were identified, and linkage analysis identified the nodes with the highest closeness (bridge nodes) to be novelty seeking and reward dependence (these traits facilitate the transition between the modules). Identification of the variables with the highest centrality/linkage can be particularly useful for developing precise management plans to prevent and treat SCZ with GD.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11469-022-00983-y.

Morality, Risk-Taking and Psychopathic Tendencies: An Empirical Study

Research in empirical moral psychology has consistently found negative correlations between morality and both risk-taking, as well as psychopathic tendencies. However, prior research did not sufficiently explore intervening or moderating factors. Additionally, prior measures of moral preference (e.g., sacrificial dilemmas) have a pronounced lack of ecological validity. This study seeks to address these two gaps in the literature. First, this study used Preference for Precepts Implied in Moral Theories (PPIMT), which offers a novel, more nuanced and ecologically valid measure of moral judgment. Second, the current study examined if risk taking moderates the relationships between psychopathic tendencies and moral judgment. Results indicated that models which incorporated risk-taking as a moderator between psychopathic tendencies and moral judgment were a better fit to the data than those that incorporated psychopathic tendencies and risk-taking as exogenous variables, suggesting that the association between psychopathic tendencies and moral judgment is influenced by level of risk-taking. Therefore, future research investigating linkages between psychopathic tendencies and moral precepts may do well to incorporate risk-taking and risky behaviors to further strengthen the understanding of moral judgment in these individuals.

Principles of Nudging and Boosting: Steering or Empowering Decision-Making for Behavioral Development Economics

Behavioral development economics promotes the nudge theory as a mechanism to incorporate people’s cognitive biases, steering their behavior in the desired direction through coercive state intervention. Cognitive biases become a reason to doubt the efficiency of decision-making psychology in the free market process. A fundamental assumption of this approach is that political decision-makers know the people’s means and ends in ways that protect them from cognitive biases. This article reviews and discusses the nudge theory, based on the boost theory developed by the Austrian School of Economics. The boost theory consists of a comparative institutional perspective to provide the empowerment people need to realize their errors and correct them “on the fly” to cultivate economic development. It is argued that the nudge theory overlooks the cognitive biases of political decision-makers, neglects the comparative perspective of the institutional environment in the face of such biases, and does not consider how construction of on-the-fly judgments works. After reviewing the principles of the nudge theory, its main criticisms from the boost theory are discussed, forming novel conclusions about and research avenues on behavioral development economics, according to the steering or empowering quality of the institutional environment.

Prevention and Harm Reduction Interventions for Adult Gambling at the Local Level: An Umbrella Review of Empirical Evidence

Concerns about negative consequences of gambling diffusion are increasing. Prevention and harm reduction strategies play a crucial role in reducing gambling supply and harms. This study aims to conduct an umbrella review of the effectiveness of gambling preventive and harm reduction strategies, which can be implemented at a local level and targeted at adults. It was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Sixteen reviews were analyzed, and 20 strategies were selected and classified in 4 areas with different targets and aims. Reducing the supply of gambling is an effective strategy both for the general population and for risky or problematic gamblers. Demand reduction interventions have been found to have limited effects but most of them are mainly focused on knowledge about risks and odds ratios. Risk reduction strategies aim to reduce contextual risk factors of the area where gambling is provided, change the gambling locations' features, and modify individual behaviors while gambling. Smoking and alcohol bans or restrictions are considered one of the most effective strategies. Finally, harm reduction strategies targeted at problematic gamblers are potentially effective. Some relevant implementation conditions are identified and the results show inconsistent effects across different targets.