Casino Self- and Forced Excluders' Gambling Behavior Before and After Exclusion

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Therapy Research Institute (Institut für Therapieforschung)
  • University of Southern Denmark

Abstract

Casino exclusion programs are intended to prevent or limit gambling-related harm. Although previous research showed that self-exclusion is associated with reduced gambling, it remains unknown whether self- and forced excluded subjects show different patterns of gambling behavior and if exclusion from casino gambling affects all gambling activities. The present study retrospectively investigated (1) the role of voluntariness of exclusion for the first time, and (2) general gambling behavior of excluded individuals before and after exclusion. A total of N = 215 casino excluders (self-excluders: n = 187, forced excluders: n = 28) completed an online survey or a face-to-face interview up to 8 years after enrollment. Self- and forced excluders showed similar rates of abstinence (self-excluders: 19.3%, forced excluders: 28.6%) and reduction (self-excluders: 67.4%, forced excluders: 60.7%), even though forced excluders reported a significantly greater initial gambling intensity compared to self-excluders (e.g., pre-exclusion gambling time; self-excluders: 3.2 days/week, forced excluders: 4.3 days/week). Overall, results indicated that 20.5% of excluders stopped all gambling activities and another 66.5% reduced their gambling. Those who continued gambling significantly reduced this behavior in every segment, except for gambling halls. Findings indicate that self- and forced exclusion are associated with similarly reduced gambling behavior, even in non-excluded segments. However, unchanged gambling in gambling halls emphasizes the importance to implement consistent exclusion programs over all gambling segments.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)597-615
Number of pages19
JournalJournal of Gambling Studies
Volume34
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2018
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85046671798
PubMed 29128959
ORCID /0000-0002-1612-3932/work/142251073

Keywords

Keywords

  • Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aggression, Behavior Control/methods, Behavior, Addictive/prevention & control, Female, Gambling/prevention & control, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Patient Compliance, Retrospective Studies, Self Efficacy, Surveys and Questionnaires, Young Adult