The researchers described cell phone apps that people in Australia can use to deal with their problem gambling (PG). The researchers searched three app stores for apps that were free, in English, and meant to help reduce, stop, or control a person’s gambling behaviour. Overall, there were many more apps for gambling than there were for PG. The researchers assessed 42 apps that met their criteria using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). Most of the apps were not created specifically for PG. Many apps were created by developers who did not have a relationship to addiction services. Most apps focused on helping people stop gambling but did not use a known treatment strategy. The quality of the apps varied. Apps that were affiliated with a government or non-government organization had higher quality. More research is needed to create useful apps for people with PG and make them easy to find.
