Personalized feedback interventions reduce gambling behaviours among people who gamble online in the Netherlands

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Author(s): Auer, Michael M. ; Griffiths, Mark D.

Journal: Journal of Gambling Studies

Year Published: 2022

Date Added: February 11, 2023

Personalized feedback interventions (PFIs) are a type of responsible gaming tools that can help decrease problem gambling. The researchers examined how a PFI by a gambling operator might impact gambling behaviours among people who gamble online in the Netherlands. The researchers used a data set involving 2,576 people in the Netherlands who bet on sports or online casinos. These people were contacted through email or by phone by the gambling operator because they showed signs of problematic gambling. When compared to matched control members who were not contacted, those who were contacted by the gambling operator deposited and wagered less money in the following month. Those who were contacted also made fewer monetary deposits and spent less time gambling than the control group members. But there was no impact on the number of days spent gambling. The impact of the PFI on gambling behaviours was the same between those who were contacted by phone and those contacted by email. Also, the impact of the PFI on gambling behaviours was the same across different age groups and gender.

Citation: Auer, M., & Griffiths, M. D. (2022). The impact of personalized feedback interventions by a gambling operator on subsequent gambling expenditure in a sample of Dutch online gamblers. Journal of Gambling Studies. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-022-10162-2

Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-022-10162-2

Keywords: gambling ; gambling expenditures ; gambling operators ; interventions ; online gambling ; personalized feedback ; problem gambling

Topics: Gambling Resources ; Information for Operators ; Information for Treatment Providers ; Online Gambling

Conceptual Framework Factors: Exposure - Gambling Setting ; Types - Structural Characteristics ; Environment - Responsible Gambling ; Exposure - Accessibility ; Resources - Harm Reduction, Prevention, and Protection ; Gambling Environment ; Gambling Resources

Study Design: Secondary Data Analysis

Geographic Coverage: Netherlands

Study Population: Adults who gambled online with Nederlandse Loterij (the national Dutch Lottery operator) on casino games and sports betting and who had been contacted by email or telephone for showing signs of problematic gambling between November 2021 and March 2022 (n = 2,576), and controls who were not contacted (n = 369,961). Of the participants who were contacted, 1,592 could be matched to at least one control (62%). On average, people who were matched with at least one control and were contacted by email were 39 years old. About 26% were women. They deposited an average of €5,036 and wagered €37,832 in the month before contact. On average, people who were matched with at least one control and were contacted by telephone were 41 years old. About 21% were women. They deposited an average of €8265 and wagered €60,736 in the month before contact.

Sampling Procedure: The researchers used a secondary dataset from the Nederlandse Loterij. The Nederlandse Loterji is the national Dutch Lottery operator that offers online sports betting and an online casino. The Nederlandse Loterij used a behavioural tracking tool called mentor to identify signs of problem gambling. The dataset for this study included tracking information for about 2,576 people who were contacted between November 2021 and March 2022 because they showed signs of problem gambling. This group was referred to as the target group. The researchers matched everyone from the target group with none, one, or more control group members based on age, gender, amount wagered 30 days prior to contact, and amount deposited 30 days prior to the contact. But control group members were not contacted by the gambling operator.

Study Funding:

No funding was received for this study.