Regulatory Measures' Effect on Gambling Participation: Experiences From Norway

Abstract

The purpose of gambling regulation can be to ensure revenue for the public, to prevent crime and gambling problems. One regulatory measure involves restriction of what games can be offered in a market. In this study, the effects of two regulatory market changes are investigated: First, a restriction of availability when slot machines were banned from the Norwegian market in 2007, and second the introduction of regulated online interactive games to the same market in 2014. Data collected from the general population in the period from 2005 through 2018, comprising 2,000 respondents every year, are used to investigate how participation in gambling changed over time. The respondents were asked if they took part in various games or lotteries. Logistic regression analyses were used to predict the proportion participating in five groups of games and if changes in participation coincided with major market changes. The first change was associated with a reduction in gambling on slot machines as well as a reduction in gambling participation overall. Following the slot machine ban, results show an increase in women participating in games offered in land-based bingo premises. A general increase in gambling on foreign websites was also seen, albeit much smaller than the reduction in slot machine gambling. The increases can partly be explained as substitution of one type of gambling with another. New regulated online interactive games were introduced in 2014. Despite the relatively large growth of such games internationally, Norway included, increased online gambling in general and an increased marketing of foreign gambling websites, the participation on foreign websites seemed stable. However, the overall participation in online interactive games increased. The introduction of the regulated alternative seems to have had a channelizing effect. Overall, the changes in gambling participation coinciding with two major regulatory changes can be explained by transformations of physical and social availability, and in terms of mechanisms outlined by the model of total consumption.

A scoping review of gambling policy research in Europe

“…Second, 11 papers measure the impact of gambling policies or regulations on gambling behaviour. Measurements vary from self‐reported data (Auer et al, 2018; Auer & Griffiths, 2020; Engebø et al, 2021; Kairouz et al, 2016; Ludwig et al, 2012; Planzer et al, 2014; Rossow & Hansen, 2016) to multiple impact measurement (Carran, 2013; Miers, 1996; Waugh, 2016) and the financial impact on tax revenue (Gandullia & Leporatti, 2019; Radvan, 2017). Overall, the results of these studies indicate that wide‐reaching public health‐oriented policies, such as availability restrictions, are effective in preventing gambling harm.…”

“…Availability restrictions may be more effective in intensive forms of gambling, such as EGMs and online gambling, than less‐intensive forms such as lotteries (Kairouz et al, 2016). For example, the removal of EGMs in Norway in 2007 reduced overall gambling and problem‐gambling prevalence to an important degree (Engebø et al, 2021; Rossow & Hansen, 2016). The introduction of the online casino by the Norwegian monopoly holder Norsk Tipping in 2014 resulted in an expansion of online‐gambling prevalence (Engebø et al, 2021).…”

“…For example, the removal of EGMs in Norway in 2007 reduced overall gambling and problem‐gambling prevalence to an important degree (Engebø et al, 2021; Rossow & Hansen, 2016). The introduction of the online casino by the Norwegian monopoly holder Norsk Tipping in 2014 resulted in an expansion of online‐gambling prevalence (Engebø et al, 2021). Similarly, the liberalisation of the gambling market in the UK since 2005 resulted in increased gambling expenditure as well as increased harm (Waugh, 2016).…”

“…More systematic evaluations of policy changes are available from Norway and Italy. The EGM removal policy of Norway is a case of perfunctory learning: the impacts have been evaluated in several studies, and the positive evaluations have resulted in a reinforced policy (Engebø et al, 2021; Rossow & Hansen, 2016). The case of EGM reductions in the Italian Piedmont region is one of contested learning: despite technical evaluation showing effectiveness in terms of reduced damage, political evaluation deviated from this and resulted in a termination of the policy (Benedetti & Molinaro, 2020).…”

Disordered gambling among people with psychotic disorders: a systematic review

“…The prevalence in different parts of the world is estimated to be between 0.1 and 5.8% in 2019 5 . Gambling behaviours are influenced by regulatory measures including physical restrictions (e.g., banning of specific games) and social accessibility (e.g., where certain games are socially unacceptable), as well as by cognitive accessibility (e.g., where games are difficult to comprehend) and by “substitution of games” when new games replace existing ones 6 .…”