Awareness and perceptions of similarities between video gaming and gambling

View Open Access Article View Snapshot Back to Search Results

snapshot summaries

Author(s): Wieczorek, Łukasz ; Bujalski, Michal ; Dąbrowska, Katarzyna

Journal: Journal of Gambling Studies

Year Published: 2023

Date Added: April 22, 2024

The purpose of this study was to examine whether people who play video games and those diagnosed with gambling disorder who have experience playing video games are aware of and perceive the similarities between video gaming and gambling. Interviews were conducted with 40 adults in Poland in 2020. The same set of questions were asked of both groups of participants. The researchers identified five themes that described the link between playing video games and gambling: (1) structure of video games and gambling games; (2) social benefits and losses; (3) misconceptions of control; (4) experienced emotions; and (5) escape from reality.

Citation: Wieczorek, Ł., Bujalski, M., & Dąbrowska, K. (2023). ‘I can tell you it’s a bit of a gamble’: A qualitative analysis of how people who engage in gaming and gambling understand a link between these two behaviours. Journal of Gambling Studies. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-023-10275-2

Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-023-10275-2

Keywords: gambling ; gambling disorder ; risk perception ; video games

Conceptual Framework Factors: Exposure - Convergence of Gaming and Gambling ; Psychological - Judgement and Decision Making ; Gambling Exposure

Study Design: Qualitative: Content Analysis

Geographic Coverage: Poland

Study Population: A total of 40 participants at least 16 years old who lived in Poland and played video games at least once a week. Half of the participants (n=20) also had gambling disorder and were currently undergoing treatment at a specialized facility.

Sampling Procedure: People who met the inclusion criteria and were undergoing addiction treatment in the Warsaw area were invited to participate in the study through their therapists. Participants who met the inclusion criteria and were not undergoing addiction treatment were invited to participate through social media and online forums; snowball sampling was also used.

Study Funding:

This study was funded by the Gambling Problem Solving Fund through the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Poland.