Gambling Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among European Regular Sports Bettors: An Empirical Study Using Behavioral Tracking Data

Auer, Michael; Malischnig, Doris; Griffiths, Mark D.

doi:10.1007/s11469-020-00327-8

Cited by 78 publications

(112 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…To what extent transitioning from online betting to casino playing, provoked by the COVID-19 situation, leads to long-term effects on prevalence of problem gambling (16)(17)(18) remains unknown and is an important topic for future research. Previous research shows that least amongst users of online gambling providers that offer both betting and casino games (as in the current study), there is likely to already be a great overlap such that a large proportion engage in both gambling types (21,32), suggesting that most players who transitioned during the COVID-19 outbreak simply changed their proportion of betting vs. casino gambling. Importantly, our data does not allow us to distinguish between activity from transitions between gambling modalities amongst existing gamblers, from that of new gamblers who may have turned to gambling due to pandemic-related anxiety or boredom (11,12).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 64%

“…See Figure 1 for observed time series along with TBATS-derived components (27); see below for details. The data exhibited a strong weekly trend, with gambling activity at its highest on Saturdays, as in other time series on direct measures of gambling activity (21). The included monthly trend adequately captured the payday phenomenon (occurring on the 25th of each month, or closest weekday, for most working Swedes and those receiving any welfare benefits).…”

Section: Setting and Datamentioning

confidence: 79%

“…e-sports betting and to some degree horse race betting (which in Sweden continues but without an audience). To what extent online casino gambling would increase as betting and offline casino gambling decreased was unclear, with previous research suggesting no major transition effects (21) but that those that did transition were more likely to be problem gamblers (10).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At time of writing, four studies have examined the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on gambling: three cross-sectional survey studies (10,19,20) and one using aggregated time series from a multinational gambling provider (21). Two deserve special mention in the context of the current study.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Transitioning Between Online Gambling Modalities and Decrease in Total Gambling Activity, but No Indication of Increase in Problematic Online Gambling Intensity During the First Phase of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Sweden: A Time Series Forecast Study

Lindner

Forsström

Jönsson

et al. 2020

Front. Public Health

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Introduction: The COVID-19 outbreak will likely have a public health impact beyond immediate disease transmission. Little is known about whether social distancing and other societal changes has provoked an increase in gambling, whether decreased betting opportunities due to paused sports events spurred gamblers to transition to online casino gambling, or whether any of these factors have had an impact on problem gambling. Methods: Data on lookup queries against the Swedish Gambling Paus registry, logging all initiated gambling sessions by all licensed gambling providers, from 2019-01-01 (start of registry) to 2020-04-08 (well into the first phase of the outbreak) were analyzed using TBATS time series forecasting to estimate trends after the first domestic COVID-19 death. Obfuscated data on daily total wagered and deposited amounts, split by modality (casino or betting, and low and high intensity, respectively) for the equivalent period were supplied by a licensed online gambling provider. Results: Total gambling activity decreased by 13.29% during the first phase of the outbreak compared to forecast. Analyses of online gambling data revealed that although betting decreased substantially in synchrony with a slight increase in online casino gambling, there was no increase in likely problematic, high-intensity gambling and neither did total online gambling increase. Lindner et al. Gambling After COVID-19 Outbreak Conclusions: This first, preliminary study revealed no increase in Swedish gambling activity, total or specifically online, in the first phase of the COVID-19 outbreak. Future research should examine whether pandemic-induced transitioning between gambling modalities and/or increased participation in gambling, leads to long-term effects on prevalence of problem gambling.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 64%

Section: Setting and Datamentioning

confidence: 79%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Transitioning Between Online Gambling Modalities and Decrease in Total Gambling Activity, but No Indication of Increase in Problematic Online Gambling Intensity During the First Phase of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Sweden: A Time Series Forecast Study

Lindner

Forsström

Jönsson

et al. 2020

Front. Public Health

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“…Other small studies suggest increases in addictive behaviors (39)(40)(41). Some forms of gambling may have decreased due to financial uncertainties, occupational problems, cessation of sporting events, closure of casinos and other factors (40,41). Discussing another addictive behavior, gaming has been represented to be a coping mechanism during the current stressful conditions (42).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A global survey on changes in the supply, price and use of illicit drugs and alcohol, and related complications during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic

Farhoudian

Radfar

Rafei

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Background and aims: COVID-19 has infected more than 13 million people worldwide and impacted the lives of many more, with a particularly devastating impact on vulnerable populations, including people with substance use disorders (SUDs). Quarantines, travel bans, regulatory changes, social distancing and ′lockdown′ measures have affected drug and alcohol supply chains and subsequently their availability, price and use patterns, with possible downstream effects on presentations of SUDs and demand for treatment. Given the lack of multicentric epidemiologic studies, we conducted a rapid global survey within the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) network in order to understand the status of substance-use patterns during the current pandemic. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Worldwide. Participants: Starting on April 4th, 2020 during a 5-week period, the survey received 185 responses from 77 countries. Measurements: To assess addiction medicine professionals′ perceived changes in drug and alcohol supply, price, use pattern and related complications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings: Participants reported (among who answered ″decreased″ or ″increased″, percentage of those who were in majority is reported in the parenthesis) a decrease in drug supply (69.0%), and at the same time an increase in price (95.3%) globally. With respect to changes in use patterns, an increase in alcohol (71.7%), cannabis (63.0%), prescription opioids (70.9%), and sedative/hypnotics (84.6%) use was reported while the use of amphetamines (59.7%), cocaine (67.5%), and opiates (58.2%) was reported to decrease overall. Conclusions: The global report on changes in the availability, use patterns and complications of alcohol and drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic should be considered in making new policies and in developing mitigating measures and guidelines during the current pandemic (and probable future ones) in order to minimize risks to SUDs. Key words: COVID-19, pandemic, alcohol, drug, substance use disorder, supply, price.

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Gambling Disorder as an Addiction

Macdonald-Gagnon

Potenza

2022

Handbook of Substance Misuse and Addictions

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Gambling Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among European Regular Sports Bettors: An Empirical Study Using Behavioral Tracking Data

Cited by 78 publications

References 19 publications

Transitioning Between Online Gambling Modalities and Decrease in Total Gambling Activity, but No Indication of Increase in Problematic Online Gambling Intensity During the First Phase of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Sweden: A Time Series Forecast Study

Transitioning Between Online Gambling Modalities and Decrease in Total Gambling Activity, but No Indication of Increase in Problematic Online Gambling Intensity During the First Phase of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Sweden: A Time Series Forecast Study

A global survey on changes in the supply, price and use of illicit drugs and alcohol, and related complications during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic

Gambling Disorder as an Addiction

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