Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Oct 3;9(3):766-784.
doi: 10.1556/2006.2020.00049. Print 2020 Oct 12.

Training gamblers to re-think their gambling choices: How contextual analytical thinking may be useful in promoting safer gambling

Tess Armstrong  1 , Matthew Rockloff  2 , Matthew Browne  2 , Alexander Blaszczynski  3
Affiliations

Training gamblers to re-think their gambling choices: How contextual analytical thinking may be useful in promoting safer gambling

Tess Armstrong et al. J Behav Addict. .

Abstract

Background and aims: Harmful gambling has been associated with the endorsement of fallacious cognitions that promote excessive consumption. These types of beliefs stem from intuitively derived assumptions about gambling that are fostered by fast-thinking and a lack of objective, critical thought. The current paper details an experiment designed to test whether a four-week online intervention to strengthen contextual analytical thinking in gamblers is effective in changing gamblers cognitions and encouraging safer gambling consumption.

Methods: Ninety-four regular gamblers who reported experiencing gambling-related harm were randomly allocated to either an experimental (n = 46) or control condition (n = 48), including 45 males, ranging from 19 to 65 years of age (M = 36.61; SD = 9.76). Following baseline measurement of gambling beliefs and prior week gambling consumption, participants in the experimental condition were required to complete an adaption of the Gamblers Fallacy Questionnaire designed to promote analytical thinking by educating participants on common judgement errors specific to gambling once a week for four weeks. Post-intervention measures of beliefs and gambling consumption were captured in week five.

Results: The experimental condition reported significantly fewer erroneous cognitions, greater endorsement of protective cognitions, and reduced time spent gambling post-intervention compared to baseline. The control group also reported a reduction in cognitions relating to predicting and controlling gambling outcomes.

Conclusion: Cognitive interventions that encourage gamblers to challenge gambling beliefs by reflecting on gambling involvement and promoting critical thinking may be an effective tool for reducing the time people invest in gambling activities.

Keywords: analytical thinking; erroneous beliefs; gambling-related cognitions; harm minimisation.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

TG has received funding for her doctoral placement from the Australian Government via the RTS program, research funding from the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, and the National Association of Gambling Studies for conference attendance. MR has received research grants from the Queensland Treasury, the Victorian Treasury, the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, the New Zealand Ministry of Health, the NSW Dept of Industry and Trade, the Department of Social Services, the Alberta Gambling Research Institute and Gambling Research Australia. He declares that he has no conflicts of interest in relation to this manuscript. MB received grants from the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, the New Zealand Ministry of Health the NSW Dept of Industry and Trade, the Department of Social Services, the Alberta Gambling Research Institute and Gambling Research Australia. He declares that he has no conflicts of interest in relation to this manuscript. For the period 2015–2020, AB has conducted research funded directly by Australian or international government, or government-related funding agencies, and industry operators. These include Gambling Research Exchange Ontario, ClubsNSW, Dooleys Club Lidcombe, Aristocrat Leisure Industries, Gaming Technologies Association, Gambling Research Australia, Responsible Wagering Australia, Commonwealth Bank, Crown Casino, NSW Department of Trade and Investment (NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing), La Loterie Romande (Switzerland), Camelot (United Kingdom), La Française des Jeux (France), Loto-Quebec (Canada), and National Lottery (Belgium), Australian Communications and Media Authority’ and the National Association for Gambling Studies. He has received honorariums from Manitoba Gambling Research Program and GambleAware (formerly UK Responsible Gambling Trust) for grant reviews, and royalties from several publishers for books and book chapters. He has also received travel and accommodation expenses from Leagues Clubs, Gambling Research Exchange Ontario, USA National Council on Problem Gambling, Japan Medical Society for Behavioural Addiction, Le Comité d'organisation Congrès international sur les troubles addictifs, Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries, and New Horizons (British Columbia Lottery Corporation to attend conferences and meetings. All professional dealings have been conducted with the aim of enhancing responsible gambling and harm minimisation policies and practices, training counsellors in the treatment interventions, and advancing our understanding of the psychology of gambling.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Minutes per week gambling frequency distribution for baseline and week five, experimental condition (n = 45)
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Minutes spent gambling on a typical session frequency distribution for baseline and week five, experimental condition (n = 42)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Aarnio, K., & Lindeman, M. (2005). Paranormal beliefs, education, and thinking styles. Personality and Individual Differences, 39(7), 1227–1236. 10.1016/j.paid.2005.04.009. - DOI
    1. Armstrong, T., Rockloff, M., & Browne, M. (2020). Gamble with your heart and not your heart: A conceptual model for how thinking-style promotes irrational gambling beliefs. Journal of Gambling Studies, 36, 183–206. 10.1007/s10899-019-09927-z. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Armstrong, T., Rockloff, M., Browne, M., & Blaszczynski, A. (2019a). Development and validation of the protective gambling beliefs scale (PGBS). International Gambling Studies, 9(1), 1–18. 10.1080/14459795.2018.1500624. - DOI
    1. Armstrong, T., Rockloff, M., Browne, M., & Blaszczynski, A. (2019b). Encouraging gamblers to think critically using generalised analytical priming is ineffective at reducing gambling biases. Journal of Gambling Studies, 36, 851–869. 10.1007/s10899-019-09910-8. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Armstrong, T., Rockloff, M., Browne, M., & Blaszczynski, A.(2020). Beliefs about gambling mediate the effect of cognitive style on gambling problems. Journal of Gambling Studies, 36, 871–886. 10.1007/s10899-020-09942-5. - DOI - PubMed