@Article{info:doi/10.2196/33066,
author="H{\aa}kansson, Anders
and Sundvall, Andreas
and Lyckberg, Axel",
title="Effects of a National Preventive Intervention Against Potential COVID-19--Related Gambling Problems in Online Gamblers: Self-Report Survey Study",
journal="JMIR Form Res",
year="2022",
month="Mar",
day="9",
volume="6",
number="3",
pages="e33066",
keywords="gambling disorder; problem gambling; COVID-19; harm reduction; behavioral addiction",
abstract="Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been suspected to increase gambling problems in the population. Several governments introduced COVID-19--specific interventions early with the aim to prevent gambling problems, but their effects have not been evaluated. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate a Swedish COVID-19--related temporary legislation imposing an automated weekly deposit limit for online casino gambling. Methods: The study was an anonymous survey sent by a state-owned gambling operator to online gamblers (N=619), among whom 54.0{\%} (n=334) were moderate-risk/problem gamblers who reached the weekly limit on online gambling during the summer of 2020. Results: Overall, 60.1{\%} (372/619) were aware of having been limited by the COVID-19--related deposit limit, and a minority (145/619, 23.4{\%}) perceived the intervention as fairly bad or very bad. Among those aware of the intervention, 38.7{\%} (144/372) believed the intervention decreased their overall gambling, whereas 7.8{\%} (29/372) believed it rather increased it. However, 82.5{\%} (307/372) reported having gambled at more than one operator after the limit, and the most common gambling type reported to have increased at another operator was online casino (42{\%} among moderate-risk/problem gamblers and 19{\%} among others; P<.001). An increase in gambling following the intervention was associated with being a moderate-risk/problem gambler and having negative attitudes toward the intervention. Conclusions: The weekly deposit limit had relatively high acceptability, but the study highlights the limitations of a single-operator deposit limit, given the high number of gamblers also reporting gambling at other operators and the lower effect in clients with gambling problems. ",
issn="2561-326X",
doi="10.2196/33066",
url="https://formative.jmir.org/2022/3/e33066",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/33066",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34678751"
}