Although online gambling has become increasingly popular, many people still gamble at land-based venues. Electronic gaming machines (EGMs) have been found to be particularly linked to gambling harms. It has been suggested that EGM session length could be a good indicator for identifying people at risk of gambling harms; however, research findings have been mixed.
In this study, the researchers examined the relationships between problem gambling (PG) and EGM session length and break length. Using datasets provided by two Australian land-based casinos, they analyzed if higher Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) scores would be associated with longer EGM sessions, shorter break length between sessions, and more continuous gambling without a break in between sessions. Overall, there no meaningful relationships between PGSI scores and session length, break length, or continuous gambling. The results suggest that the length of gambling sessions on its own may not be a good indicator of gambling harms.
