The existing literature predominantly focuses on clinical conditions related to gambling, with evidence suggesting the co-occurrence of gambling disorders, major depressive disorders, and personality disorders. This study aimed to broaden our understanding beyond clinical conditions by investigating the impact of different gambling activity groups on mental wellbeing. These activity groups were identified using latent class analysis, which enabled a person-centered approach to examine the types and the number of gambling activities as well as expenditure levels, as a single latent variable. Based on the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, our findings suggested that gambling activity groups were associated with reduced mental wellbeing through problem gambling symptoms. Among respondents with the same levels of problem gambling symptoms and age, men who engaged in multiple gambling activities with high spending tended to have better mental wellbeing than those primarily gambling on lotteries. In contrast, women's mental wellbeing did not differ across gambling activity groups. This study clarifies the roles of problem gambling symptoms and gambling activity groups in reduced mental wellbeing. Gambling activity groups featuring multiple activities, high spending, and electronic gaming machines (EGMs) were related to problem gambling symptoms. This study shifts the focus from examining how gambling influences specific mental health conditions or symptoms to exploring its impact on overall mental wellbeing. The empirical evidence supports the expansion of targeted, evidence-based strategies beyond treatments to preventive measures that promote mental wellbeing.

Gambling can enhance utility for some people but may reduce it when it leads to financial hardship and relationship problems. We hypothesize that, in the case of moderate-risk and problem gambling, the negative effects outweigh any potential benefits, resulting in an overall negative relationship with subjective well-being. Using nationally representative longitudinal data from Australia, we find evidence consistent with this hypothesis. Moderate-risk and problem gambling is associated with lower levels of subjective well-being. This result holds across a range of sensitivity checks, including tests for omitted variable bias, heteroskedasticity-based identification, and propensity score matching. Our findings underscore the importance of strategies that help reduce problematic gambling behavior and limit its potential harms.

Self-exclusion is a promising intervention for reducing gambling behavior and gambling problems. Casino patrons have reported difficulties when requesting information or exercising the option to self-exclude. Employing an audit methodology, a pair of observational studies explored the accessibility of self-exclusion information from casinos within a mid-size metropolitan gambling market. In study 1, investigators telephoned casino customer service numbers and asked about self-exclusion. In study 2, trained research assistants visited those same casinos to ask multiple staff for self-exclusion information. In both studies, questions were asked about general information about self-exclusion, the physical and online materials on self-exclusion, and directions to the physical and online self-exclusion materials. Phone requests for self-exclusion information were found to be inconsistent and unreliable. Casino staff approached at casinos were generally unable to provide information about self-exclusion beyond references to the physical location of the materials in the casino. Across both studies, casino employees could not reliably provide information about self-exclusion over the phone or in person, revealing potential barriers for individuals who may be interested in pursuing self-exclusion.

While personalized feedback interventions (PFIs) are a promising indicated prevention strategy for reducing gambling behavior and gambling harm immediately following intervention, no meta-analysis has examined the durability of these reductions. The current systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the effect of PFIs immediately following the intervention and in the months following the intervention. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed were searched in January 2024 to identify randomized controlled trials comparing PFIs to standard care or inactive control conditions. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool version 2.0 assessed risk of bias. Correlated, hierarchical random effect meta-analysis was conducted to examine the effect of PFIs at postintervention and follow-up. Eighteen studies representing 9,869 participants were identified. PFIs had nonsignificant, small reductions in outcomes relative to comparison conditions at postintervention (g = -0.06, 95% CI [-0.15, 0.02]). However, PFIs produced significant, small reductions in outcomes relative to comparison conditions at follow up (g = -0.10, 95% CI [-0.18, -0.02]). Therapist facilitated PFIs (g = -0.18) had significantly better outcomes than non-therapist facilitated PFIs (g = -0.03), and PFIs incorporating motivational interviewing (g = -0.19) had significantly better outcomes than PFIs not incorporating motivational interviewing (g = -0.02). However, there was limited statistical power to estimate effect sizes at precise time intervals over the follow-up period. The field requires more randomized controlled trials with longitudinal assessments to estimate the effectiveness of PFIs for gambling in the months following receipt of the intervention. PROSPERO (CRD42024567384).

Collegiate athletes in traditional sports are a vulnerable population for problem gambling. Little is known about whether collegiate esports (competitive video gaming) athletes share the same vulnerability. Additionally, existing research combines esports groups into a larger sample of involvement, which does not capture potential distinct behaviors. This cross-sectional comparative study aimed to address this gap by comparing gambling behaviors, gaming behaviors, and psychological characteristics of video gamers (n = 234), esports spectators (n = 137), and collegiate esports athletes (n = 116) from North America. An online survey was distributed to universities and collegiate esports communities through convenience sampling. All participants completed self-report measures assessing gambling behaviors, gaming behaviors, emotional regulation, and impulsivity. Kruskal-Wallis H-tests and post-hoc comparisons were used to assess group differences. Results show esports athletes significantly having the highest proportion of problem gambling (19%) relative to spectators (16.9%) and gamers (5.3%). Esports spectators significantly spent the most median money per day gambling (Median = 0.65), followed by gamers then esport athletes (Median = 0.00). Spectators had the highest problem gaming proportion (16.1%) than esports athletes (6.9%) and video gamers (3.4%). Video gamers scored the lowest on all subscales of gaming motives, whereas spectators reported highest motivations in escapism, coping and fantasy. Esports athletes' motivation was highest in social, competition, and skill development. Esports spectators reported the most difficulties in emotional regulation, followed by esports athletes then video gamers. Findings suggest that the normalization of gambling in esports could be associated with increased gambling engagement. Future research should explore prevention strategies and long-term esports involvement effects on gambling. Word Count: 250.

Poker-machines present a significant problem gambling risk in Australia, with adverse health, financial, and social outcomes. Previous research has demonstrated that gambling cues (e.g., poker-machine sounds) elicit an urge to gamble in poker-machine gamblers, with greater problem gambling severity predicting a stronger cue-reactive urge to gamble. However, the psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship remain largely unexplored. Consequently, the present study investigated whether cue-reactive state mindfulness mediates the relationship between problem gambling severity and cue-reactive urge to gamble. Seventy adults (67% male and 33% female) with an age range of 20 to 66 years (M = 41.1, SD = 10.8) participated in an online, repeated-measures experiment. Participants completed the Problem Gambling Severity Index, then subsequently, at three time points (baseline, post-neutral cue, and post-gambling cue), a visual analogue scale measuring the strength of the urge to gamble, and the State Mindfulness Scale. The urge to gamble significantly increased from neutral cue to gambling cue, after controlling for baseline urge. Cue-reactive state mindfulness did not mediate the relationship between problem gambling severity and cue-reactive urge to gamble. Contrary to predictions, state mindfulness increased following exposure to the gambling cue. The present findings contribute to the body of research supporting cue-reactivity in problem gamblers.

While self-exclusion for individuals who gamble is widely recognized and implemented as an important consumer protection measure worldwide, third-party exclusion, initiated by relatives or gambling providers, is currently only available in a few countries. The aim of this article is to provide a timely descriptive evaluation of the exclusion registry in Germany, where third-party exclusion is mandatory by law, in relation to different types of gambling and the frequency of use by gambling providers. The relevant authority has provided data from licensed providers, broken down by self-exclusion and third-party exclusion. The majority of exclusion requests in 2024 (N = 303,876) were made through self-exclusion. Specifically, 96.8% of all exclusions were initiated by the players themselves, while only 3.2% resulted from third-party requests. The lowest proportions of third-party exclusions were observed in the sectors of gambling halls with German-style slot machines (0.7%), virtual slot machines (1.1%), and online poker (1.5%). The low proportion of third-party exclusions may be due to a conflict of interest, as gambling providers often generate significant revenue from individuals with gambling problems, making this group a lucrative target market. However, preliminary empirical evidence suggests that third-party exclusions have positive effects, showing comparable rates of abstinence and reduced gambling behavior to those who self-exclude. Mandatory third-party exclusions help minimize harm and represent a valuable addition to public health strategies. Nevertheless, further research is needed to expand the limited database, and the low use of third-party exclusions by providers calls for stronger regulatory oversight.

Gambling among young people is a growing public health concern, particularly as gambling becomes more accessible through changing policy and increased online gambling platforms. College students are a high-risk population for problem gambling, yet limited research has synthesized evidence on its academic implications. This scoping review examined the association between gambling behavior and academic performance among undergraduate college students in order to summarize findings, identify methodological patterns, and highlight gaps to inform future research. Eligible studies included peer-reviewed, empirical research that quantitatively assessed the relationship between gambling and academic performance (i.e., grades) among undergraduate college students worldwide. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The majority of studies found a negative association between gambling and academic performance in college, with both general gambling behavior and pathological gambling consistently linked to lower grade point average (GPA). There is a vital need for updated research in the context of a rapidly changing gambling landscape, as the majority of studies in this review were over ten years old. To address methodological limitations of existing research on the relationship between gambling and academic performance among college students, future research should prioritize longitudinal data collection, standardized measures of gambling behavior, and the use of rigorous statistical methods that account for potential covariates. Gambling may impair academic performance in college students, and additional research is needed to better understand this relationship and inform campus-based prevention, harm reduction, and treatment strategies to bolster student success.

This research examines the role of material values, financial well-being, and monetary motivation in shaping gambling behavior in young male sports bettors in Türkiye. A total of 562 participants aged 18-35 were surveyed using validated scales measuring materialism, financial well-being, gambling motives, and sports betting severity. Through latent profile analysis, four distinct profiles were identified: Stability-Oriented Participants, Instability-Driven Risk Takers, Financially Content-Low-Risk Bettors, and Financially Pressured-Materialistic Bettors. ANCOVA results indicated a significant difference in the severity of sports betting across profiles (η² = 0.35), with the most problematic behavior occurring in those with high materialism, low financial well-being, and strong monetary motives. The results were interpreted through the lenses of Contingent Self-Worth Theory, Prospect Theory, and Self-Regulation Theory, and situated within Türkiye's socioeconomic context. This person-centered study makes unique contributions by revealing psychological and structural patterns underlying gambling behavior and offering practical applications for clinical, educational, and policy-level interventions.

In 2021, the Norwegian government implemented a policy requiring individuals gambling with the horse betting monopolist, Norsk Rikstoto, to set personal loss limits, capping the maximum loss limit at 20,000 NOK (10 NOK ∼ 1 €) per month. The present study investigated whether loss limits set in 2021 could predict gambling behavior in 2023, and whether loss limits were associated with the proportion of moderate-to-high risk gamblers. Method: The dataset encompassed the entire population of customers who participated in horse betting in 2021 and at least once in 2023, totaling 104,413 individuals (31.6% women). It included data on expenditure, net winnings, and the number of bets placed, as well as each customer's classification within a problem gambling risk category for 2023. While no clear association was found between 2021 loss limits and 2023 gambling expenditure, higher loss limits predicted more bets, lower net winnings, continued gambling, and a greater likelihood of being classified as moderate-to-high risk gamblers by the operator's monitoring system. Conclusion: The findings show that loss limits may be a valuable predictor of future gambling behavior at the group level.

Veterans are prone to experiencing both mental health challenges and harm from gambling, yet little is known about the psychosocial factors that may increase risk. This study examined predictors of gambling harm severity in a sample of UK Armed Forces veterans with a focus on coping styles and reintegration into civilian employment. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 414 former personnel using validated measures of gambling behavior, coping, and mental health symptoms including alcohol use. Of the 226 (54.6%) who had gambled in the past year, 3.1% had scores suggestive of problem gambling. Results showed that 46% of participants exhibited symptoms suggestive of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), while 8.4% reported severe anxiety, 10.2% severe depression, and 11.1% high-risk alcohol use. Gambling harm severity was positively predicted by difficulties adapting to civilian employment and maladaptive coping strategies such as self-blame and substance use, while use of informational support was found to be protective. Given higher rates of primary care engagement among veterans, routine screening for gambling-related harm in such settings may improve early detection and intervention. The findings underscore the need for integrated mental health services that consider both psychological and social determinants of gambling harm severity in veterans during the military-to-civilian transition.

The prevalence of Irish adolescent gambling is increasing with one quarter of 15-18-year-olds gambling at least once a year. There is little research on Irish adolescent gambling and teacher awareness thereof and this study aimed to fill this gap.

Mobile sports betting is an increasingly popular way to wager in the United States, but few studies have examined the social cognitive predictors of engaging in this specific form of gambling. The present studies were designed to do so with the application of the Reasoned Action Approach (RAA; Fishbein & Ajzen, 2010). Study 1 was a belief elicitation study that identified the most common behavioral, normative, and control beliefs regarding mobile sports betting. Study 1 also reported an initial test of the degree to which attitude, perceived normative pressure, and perceived behavioral control predict intentions to place mobile sports bets. Study 2 examined the predictive validity of the identified beliefs and tested whether future betting behavior can be predicted from the model. The RAA significantly predicted mobile sports gambling intentions and future behavior. The most important beliefs contributing to the prediction of mobile sports gambling were the degree that participants endorsed gambling is fun and easy, leads to addiction, and results in winning money. Implications for future research and interventions are discussed.

Delayed reward discounting (DRD) refers to the phenomenon where future rewards are perceived as less valuable compared to immediate rewards. The extent of this devaluation has been repeatedly linked to addictive behaviors. DRD could play an important role in the development and maintenance of problem gambling. We aim to better understand the relationship between DRD and problem gambling, examine temporal changes in DRD, and evaluate its predictive value for adherence. We conducted a secondary analysis of data from participants in the Win Back Control study (n = 345), a two-arm RCT that demonstrated effectiveness in reducing problematic gambling behavior. DRD was assessed using the Monetary Choice Questionnaire (MCQ), the severity of problem gambling was measured with the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), and gambling symptom severity was evaluated using the Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale (G-SAS). DRD is significantly positively associated with gambling symptom severity (G-SAS: b = 13.90, p = 0.002) and problem gambling severity (PGSI: b = 9.39, p < 0.001). DRD decreased significantly on a weekly basis over the three measurement time points (b = -0.001, p < 0.001). DRD could not be identified as a mediator, which should be further investigated in future studies. DRD is significantly positively associated with problem gambling severity and gambling symptom severity. DRD does not serve as a predictor of adherence. DRD decreases over the three time points along with severities of gambling behavior and gambling symptoms. However, the findings are correlational and may be affected by attrition bias.

The illusion of control (IoC) is a cognitive distortion implicated in risky and problem gambling. This study aimed to validate a comprehensive IoC measure, the Multi-Dimensional Rating Scale for Illusion of Control in Gambling (EEMDIC), in a large non-clinical sample of adult and aging gamblers, and to clarify how IoC relates to gambling severity, game type, and age. A total of 1,311 participants aged 40-75 completed the EEMDIC, the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), and questions on gambling habits and sociodemographics. Exploratory (n = 649) and confirmatory (n = 662) factor analyses assessed scale structure. ANOVAs, linear regressions, Mann-Whitney U tests, and Spearman correlations examined associations with game category, PGSI scores, education, occupation, and age. Factor analyses supported a reduced 14-item EEMDIC with four coherent factors: Luck, Skill, Strategy, and Rituals/Superstitious Behaviors. Higher EEMDIC scores, especially on primary-control dimensions (Skill, Strategy), were associated with greater gambling severity and engagement in strategic betting (sports, horse racing). Education correlated negatively with IoC, and occupational differences emerged. Age was modestly but significantly associated with lower IoC: it explained ≈ 2.8% of total variance and 0.9-4.1% across factors. Framing on gains or losses showed no age effect after controlling for PGSI. The EEMDIC is a reliable, multidimensional tool distinguishing primary and secondary control beliefs. Findings link primary-control beliefs to gambling harm and show modest age-related declines in IoC. The scale can inform targeted prevention and tailored interventions across game types and sociodemographic groups.

The Gambling Motives Questionnaire - Financial (GMQ-F) is the most widely used scale for assessing gambling motives. Although previous research supports the reliability and validity of GMQ-F scores, no study has examined its psychometric properties among sports bettors, which present distinct demographics and clinical characteristics. To this end, this study evaluated the psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the GMQ-F among 920 sports bettors. We hypothesized that the GMQ-F would exhibit a four-factor structure and conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) to test model fit. Participants completed measures assessing their demographic characteristics, sports betting behaviours (frequency, time spent, bet type), and problem gambling. Results indicated that the ESEM model provided an excellent fit, outperforming the CFA model, with a clear four-factor structure (social, enhancement, coping, financial) that better captured the relationship between gambling motives while allowing for minimal cross-loadings. Measurement invariance testing revealed that the GMQ-F was consistent across different types of sports bettors (in-play, single-event, and traditional), gender (man vs. woman), and ethnicity (White vs. Racialized). Regression analyses showed that social, coping, and financial motives were positively associated with problem gambling severity, while enhancement motives were negatively related to problem gambling severity among sports bettors. These findings provide evidence supporting the validity and reliability of GMQ-F scores for assessing gambling motives, and suggest its utility across a range of demographic and sports betting subgroups.

Gambling Disorder (GD) is a highly stigmatised condition with serious psychological, social and financial consequences. Limited public recognition regarding GD may hinder help-seeking, shape beliefs about recovery and reinforce stigma. This study seeks to establish the extent of recognition of GD as well as stigma towards it in Singapore's population using a vignette-based approach. Data from 595 participants from a nationwide vignette-based study on mental health literacy were analysed using weighted analysis and multivariable logistic and linear regression to address the aims. Participants received a vignette on GD and answered questions related to recognition of the condition, sociodemographic information, perception of help-seeking and chances of recovery for GD. Furthermore, the study also assessed stigma across three domains: "weak not sick", "dangerous/unpredictable", and "social distancing". The majority of participants (75.63%) correctly identified the vignette as GD. Informal networks, non-medical professional support and community-based resources were highly recommended help-seeking sources. Majority of the respondents believed that individuals with GD who seek appropriate help can achieve full recovery while those who do not would experience worsening of the condition. Predictors of higher stigma towards GD included older age, female gender, Malay or Indian ethnicity, being married, having friends or family members with similar problem and a high monthly income. While recognition of GD was relatively high among respondents, stigma toward individuals with GD remains prevalent particularly among certain demographic groups. Data from this study can help to improve public health interventions and policy efforts to better support those with GD.

The rapid rate of technological advancement has led to a proliferation of online gambling applications in Africa. This has resulted in an unprecedented rise in problem gambling across sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, the rapid growth of the gambling industry has outpaced laws and regulations aimed at consumer protection, limiting the scope of problem gambling interventions. Using a sample of 905 gamblers from Kenya, this study investigated the impact of peer effects and warning messages on gambling behavior using a lab-in-the-field randomized controlled trial. This study found no evidence that peer effects had an impact on gambling behavior. However, gambling warning messages reduced the total amount wagered by 8% and the number of betting rounds played by 4%. Furthermore, the peer effects and warning message condition increased the number of betting rounds played by 13%. Peer interaction likely caused riskier decisions and compulsive gambling, which could have undermined the effectiveness of the warning message. In conclusion, while warning messages offer a potential strategy for minimizing gambling-related harm, and messaging relating to the effects of peer interaction is likely to increase their effectiveness.

During the mid-2010s, microtransactions within digital games became more common, raising concerns that the gambling-like features in these games would contribute to increases in gambling problems. However, studies on the topic have been mostly cross-sectional. To fill this gap, this study uses longitudinal nationwide survey data collected from 949 adult Finnish participants every six months from the spring of 2021 to the fall of 2024 to investigate the impact of microtransactions on gambling problems-measured using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)-over time. Gambling participation, mental health issues, and alcohol use were used as control variables, and age and gender were used as background variables. The results showed that although microtransactions had significant positive fixed and random effects on gambling problems, the effects disappeared when gambling participation was added to the models. Therefore, the effect of microtransactions on gambling problems may only be indirect. This implies that the main regulatory focus should be on actual gambling participation, whether or not it is encouraged by the purchasable content in some digital games.

Problem gambling (PrG) can lead to severe personal and interpersonal consequences, yet its most harmful effects often remain unrecognized, especially among individuals who do not seek formal treatment. The current study examined how men and women with past-year PrG recounted stressful life events (SLEs) arising from their gambling experiences. Inductive content analysis was conducted on open-ended responses from 218 U.S. adults who reported gambling-related SLEs in a community-based survey. Eight categories of harm were identified: material loss, living hand to mouth, mental health comorbidity, relationship distress, guilt, victimization, perpetration, and red flag cases involving compounded crises such as suicidality, illness, and legal trouble. These harms were not confined to economically disadvantaged populations. Many participants described severe consequences while identifying themselves as socially or economically privileged. Notably, most participants had never sought treatment, despite explicitly linking their gambling to distressing life events. These findings suggest that gambling-related harm may remain invisible when it does not align with dominant clinical or social risk profiles. We coin the concept of Translucent Voices to describe individuals from relatively privileged social groups whose suffering is often muted, misclassified, or overlooked by conventional care systems. We recommend equitable detection and response to gambling-related adversity through the expansion of public health frameworks aimed at identifying these individuals and intervening before gambling-related stressors escalate into SLEs. Routine screening in commonly accessed service settings, such as financial counseling, primary care, and family health services, may help identify and support these Translucent Voices before harms intensify.

Emerging adults are at elevated risk for gambling-related harm, even at low-level of engagement. This study examines how gender, group identification, and social presence interact to affect gambling intensity in novice gamblers. Participants included 48 males (Mage = 18.69, SD = 1.24) and 61 females (Mage = 18.46, SD = 0.74), with ages ranging from 17 to 23 years, were screened using the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale-Chinese Version. Group identification was manipulated using the Cyberball paradigm, and social presence was varied through either a virtual audience (videoconference) or simulated co-actor win announcements. Gambling intensity was assessed using multiple gambling indicators, including remaining chips, risk-taking index, average betting time, average betting size, and total betting size. Multivariate ANOVA revealed significant main effects of gender, along with a significant interaction between gender and group identification. Notably, males with high group identification demonstrated significantly greater gambling intensity-characterized by increased betting frequency, larger wagers and higher risk-taking-compared to those with low identification. In contrast, females showed little susceptibility to group identification. These findings highlight the differential impact of social identity on gambling behavior by gender, suggesting that prevention strategies for novice gamblers should specifically target social identification processes within gambling environments.

This study investigates the impact of childhood adversity on problematic gambling in early adulthood. Data from 16,760 young adults (24-32 years old) who participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) were studied. Gambling behaviors were categorized as no gambling, non-problematic and problematic gambling based on self-reported responses. Multivariable logistic regression modeling examined whether childhood perpetration-related arrests and traumas (neglect, emotional, physical, sexual) predicted gambling behaviors after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Most young adults reported non-problematic gambling (n = 14,228, 85.5%), with 3.9% (n = 591) reporting problematic gambling. Problematic gambling was significantly more common in people who were Non-Hispanic Black (p < 0.01), male (p < 0.01), and who had past 30-day alcohol (p < 0.01), cigarette (p < 0.01), and marijuana use (p < 0.01). Of the nine trauma types examined, participants experienced an average of 0.9 types of childhood trauma, with problematic gambling experiencing significantly more types (mean: 1.2, SD: 0.1, p = 0.04). In comparison to those with non-problematic gambling, participants with problematic gambling had 2.4 increased odds of reporting their health was fair/poor rather than excellent/very good/good (95% CI: 1.4, 4.1), 1.8 increased odds of past 30-day cigarette use (95% CI: 1.2, 2.6), and 0.3 decreased odds of being female (95% CI: 0.2, 0.4). Childhood trauma and perpetration-related arrests were not significant predictors of problematic gambling in young adulthood. Young adults with problematic gambling reported a wider variety of childhood traumas, yet it did not predict future gambling behaviors. Rather, these findings suggest sex and smoking status may be associated with gambling behaviors.

Experiences of gambling-related harm are significant concerns among military veterans, particularly those with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD). CPTSD, as outlined in the ICD-11, includes disturbances in self-organisation (DSO), encompassing affective dysregulation, negative self-concept, and interpersonal difficulties. While anxiety and distress tolerance (DT) have been implicated in PTSD-related maladaptive behaviours, their roles in the relationship between CPTSD and gambling risk severity remain unclear. This study examines whether anxiety and DT mediate the association between CPTSD symptom clusters (PTSD and DSO) and gambling severity in UK Armed Forces veterans. A cross-sectional study was conducted with UK ex-service personnel (n = 346) who completed the International Trauma Questionnaire for CPTSD, the Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale, the Distress Tolerance Scale, and the Problem Gambling Severity Index. Mediation analyses were conducted using bootstrapped regression models. Anxiety was found to be a significant indirect pathway between CPTSD symptoms and gambling risk severity, with a stronger indirect effect observed for DSO symptoms than PTSD-specific symptoms. In contrast, DT did not show a significant indirect pathway, indicating that deficits in DT may not be central to gambling behaviours in veterans with CPTSD. These findings highlight the critical role of anxiety in gambling-related harm among veterans with symptoms of CPTSD, suggesting that interventions targeting anxiety regulation may be beneficial than those targeting distress tolerance in reducing gambling risk severity. Future research should explore additional potential pathways, such as impulsivity and trauma-related dissociation to further clarify associations between CPTSD and gambling severity.

The spread of new technologies has profoundly transformed gambling practices, extending their reach into both private and professional domains. Understanding how managers perceive these phenomena is essential for designing effective preventive interventions in organizational contexts. This qualitative study explored the perceptions of 33 Italian managers regarding gambling, associated risks, and the role of personal devices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Seven themes emerged, organized into three main areas: (1) perceptions of gambling, including differences in prevalence, motivations for gambling, and perceived changes linked to digitalization; (2) perceptions of risk, highlighting both protective factors (e.g., education, awareness, controlled environments) and major risks such as social and family deterioration, economic difficulties, and illegality; (3) use of personal devices, with managers describing blurred boundaries between work and private life, alienating aspects of constant connectivity, but also perceived benefits in terms of efficiency and reassurance. The findings show that managers' perceptions are marked by both awareness and misconceptions, which play a crucial role in shaping organizational responses. Preventive strategies should therefore be grounded in how the phenomenon is actually perceived in workplace contexts, to ensure greater acceptability and sustainability.

This study examined self-labelling, stigma and causal attributions in a sample of 300 people who had currently, or previously experienced, substantial gambling-related problems. Specific aims were to compare people's use of more clinical labels with public health labels relating to gambling harm and to examine whether stigma was stronger in people who made more internal attributions and who adopted clinical labels. The results showed that people rarely adopted public health terminology relating to gambling harm either in self-description or when referring themselves to others. Clinical terms (addicted, problem, compulsive) were commonly endorsed as self-labels, but only 'addicted' was commonly used when referring to themselves to others. Stigma and clinical labelling were stronger when people had more severe gambling problems, but stigma did not independently predict clinical label use and was lower if people made more internal attributions (i.e., gambling caused by their own actions). The findings support the importance of individual preferences and the careful use of appropriate language in public contexts to reduce stigma, but question whether the current emphasis on harm-related labels and the preoccupation in some papers with some clinical labels for gambling disorder may be misplaced.

Large Language Models (LLMs) have transformed information retrieval for humans. People are increasingly turning to general-purpose LLM-based chatbots to find answers to questions across numerous domains, including advice on sensitive topics such as mental health and addiction. In this study, we present the first inquiry into how LLMs respond to prompts related to problem gambling, specifically exploring how experienced gambling treatment professionals interpret and reflect on these responses. We used the Problem Gambling Severity Index to develop nine prompts related to different aspects of gambling behavior. These prompts were submitted to two LLMs, GPT-4o (via ChatGPT) and Llama 3.1 405b (via Meta AI), and their responses were evaluated via an online survey distributed to human experts (experienced gambling treatment professionals). Twenty-three experts participated, representing over 17,000 hours of problem gambling treatment experience. They provided their own responses to the prompts and selected their preferred (blinded) LLM response, along with contextual feedback, which was used for qualitative analysis. Llama was slightly preferred over GPT, receiving more votes for 7 out of the 9 prompts. Thematic analysis revealed that experts identified strengths and weaknesses in LLM responses, highlighting issues such as encouragement of continued gambling, overly verbose messaging, and language that could be easily misconstrued. These findings offer a novel perspective by capturing how experienced gambling treatment professionals perceive LLM responses in the context of problem gambling, providing insights to inform future efforts to align these tools with appropriate guardrails and safety standards for use in gambling harm interventions.

Concerns have increased about online gambling among adolescents. Poor mental health may place adolescents at increased risk of engagement in online gambling, however, longitudinal evidence is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine how mental health relates to engagement in online gambling one-year later in a large cohort of adolescents.