Internet-Based Structural Characteristics of Sports Betting and Problem Gambling Severity: Is There a Relationship?

This study aims to explore the association between the use of new structural characteristics of online betting and gambling severity. Five characteristics are examined here: (i) live in-play betting; (ii) cash out feature use (as example of in-play betting in-built features); (iii) fantasy sports gaming; (iv) location of betting; and (v) device or platform used to make bets. A cohort (N = 659) of Spanish gamblers who had bet on sports during the previous year was recruited through an online survey. The results suggested that those bettors scoring higher on gambling problems also utilized more often such new structural characteristics, in a proportion not explained only by thei r higher overall gambling activity. Mobile betting was especially frequent among problem gamblers.
Source: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction - Category: Addiction Source Type: research