The effects of short- and long-term voluntary self-exclusions on gambling

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Author(s): Hopfgartner, Niklas ; Auer, Michael M. ; Helic, Denis ; Griffiths, Mark D.

Journal: Journal of Gambling Studies

Year Published: 2023

Date Added: May 18, 2023

Gambling operators are required to implement responsible gambling tools to help people who gamble. One such tool is voluntary self-exclusion (VSE). This tool allows people to exclude themselves from a gambling platform for a chosen amount of time. The researchers analyzed a real-world sample of UK adults who gambled on online casino games and opted for a VSE. Most of the people (75%) who took a short-term VSE gambled again afterwards. Most people (99%) who took a long-term VSE did not return to gamble. People who returned to gamble on the same platform did not change the amount of money they wagered. The researchers identified several factors associated with a higher chance of returning to gamble after a VSE.

Citation: Hopfgartner, N., Auer, M., Helic, D., & Griffiths, M. D. (2023). The efficacy of voluntary self-exclusions in reducing gambling among a real-world sample of British online casino players. Journal of Gambling Studies. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-023-10198-y

Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-023-10198-y

Keywords: breaks in play ; gambling ; problem gambling ; responsible gambling ; self help tools ; self-exclusion

Topics: Gambling Resources ; Information for Operators

Conceptual Framework Factors: Environment - Responsible Gambling ; Resources - Harm Reduction, Prevention, and Protection ; Gambling Resources ; Resources - Interventions

Study Design: Secondary Data Analysis

Geographic Coverage: United Kingdom

Study Population: People who gambled online on casino games who had a self-voluntary exclusion (VSE) during the study period (n = 3,203; mean age of 39.4 years old and 51.3% men). A control group matched in terms of gender, age, money wagered before the person’s VSE, number of days gambled, and game type played was also created (n = 1,413).

Sampling Procedure: A British online casino operator gave the researchers access to an anonymized dataset of all active players between January 1, 2021 and August 5, 2022.

Study Funding:

Open access funding provided by Graz University of Technology.