This time with feeling: In-play sports betting as a vehicle for emotion regulation.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, Vol 37(8), Dec 2023, 1080-1088; doi:10.1037/adb0000966Objective: The purpose of this research was to assess factors (i.e., emotion regulation, impulsivity) that motivate in-play sports betting. Specifically, we examined whether individuals report increased excitement after placing an in-play bet and whether trait negative and positive urgency moderate the effect of emotion regulation motives on in-play betting frequency. Method: Three cross-sectional studies were conducted, each following a major sporting event: Superbowl LVI (56) (Study 1), March Madness Final (Study 2), and Union of European Football Associations Champions League Final (Study 3). Participants were U.S. (NStudy 1 = 111; NStudy 2 = 121) and U.K. (NStudy 3 = 239) residents who reported placing at least one in-play bet during the respective sporting events. Participants completed self-report measures of excitement, emotion regulation motives, in-play betting frequency, problem gambling, and trait affective impulsivity. Data from the three studies were pooled to conduct an integrative data analysis (IDA). Results: Participants reported increased excitement after placing an in-play bet (p
Source: Psychology of Addictive Behaviors - Category: Addiction Source Type: research