IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i21p11482-d669501.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Contentious Issues and Future Directions in Adolescent Gambling Research

Author

Listed:
  • Paul Delfabbro

    (School of Psychology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia)

  • Daniel L. King

    (College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia)

Abstract

Background. There is currently considerable public policy and regulatory interest in the nature and prevalence of underage gambling. Research in this area has purported to show that adolescents are at elevated risk of problem gambling and that early exposure to gambling or gambling-like activities could be a potential precursor to future harm. Method. In this commentary, we provide a critical appraisal of these arguments with reference to major studies in the field of gambling studies. It is argued that adolescent gambling research is a contentious area. Some questions remain concerning the validity of adolescent problem gambling measures, the strength of the association between adolescent and adult gambling and the impact of simulated gambling activities. Results. The paper summarises the conceptual and methodological issues that should be considered and addressed in future studies to strengthen the validity of research in this area. Conclusion. The paper encourages the greater use of harm-based measures, longitudinal and individual-level transition analyses and questions that capture the influence of activities rather than just their temporal sequencing.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Delfabbro & Daniel L. King, 2021. "Contentious Issues and Future Directions in Adolescent Gambling Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-11, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:21:p:11482-:d:669501
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/21/11482/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/21/11482/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Daniel L. King & Paul H. Delfabbro & Jeffrey L. Derevensky & Mark D. Griffiths, 2012. "A review of Australian classification practices for commercial video games featuring simulated gambling," International Gambling Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(2), pages 231-242, January.
    2. Sally M. Gainsbury & Nerilee Hing & Paul H. Delfabbro & Daniel L. King, 2014. "A taxonomy of gambling and casino games via social media and online technologies," International Gambling Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(2), pages 196-213, August.
    3. Frédéric Dussault & Natacha Brunelle & Sylvia Kairouz & Michel Rousseau & Danielle Leclerc & Joël Tremblay & Marie-Marthe Cousineau & Magali Dufour, 2017. "Transition from playing with simulated gambling games to gambling with real money: a longitudinal study in adolescence," International Gambling Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(3), pages 386-400, September.
    4. Aaron Drummond & James D. Sauer, 2018. "Video game loot boxes are psychologically akin to gambling," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 2(8), pages 530-532, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nerilee Hing & Cassandra K. Dittman & Alex M. T. Russell & Daniel L. King & Matthew Rockloff & Matthew Browne & Philip Newall & Nancy Greer, 2022. "Adolescents Who Play and Spend Money in Simulated Gambling Games Are at Heightened Risk of Gambling Problems," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-15, August.
    2. Sharon Lawn & Candice Oster & Ben Riley & David Smith & Michael Baigent & Mubarak Rahamathulla, 2020. "A Literature Review and Gap Analysis of Emerging Technologies and New Trends in Gambling," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-20, January.
    3. Ó Ceallaigh, Diarmaid & Timmons, Shane & Robertson, Deirdre & Lunn, Pete, 2023. "Problem gambling: A narrative review of important policy-relevant issues," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number SUSTAT119, June.
    4. McCaffrey, Matthew, 2019. "The macro problem of microtransactions: The self-regulatory challenges of video game loot boxes," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 62(4), pages 483-495.
    5. von Meduna, Marc & Steinmetz, Fred & Ante, Lennart & Reynolds, Jennifer & Fiedler, Ingo, 2020. "Loot boxes are gambling-like elements in video games with harmful potential: Results from a large-scale population survey," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    6. Koeder, Marco Josef & Tanaka, Ema, 2017. "Game of chance elements in free-to-play mobile games. A freemium business model monetization tool in need of self-regulation?," 28th European Regional ITS Conference, Passau 2017 169473, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    7. Koeder, Marco Josef & Tanaka, Ema & Mitomo, Hitoshi, 2018. ""Lootboxes" in digital games - A gamble with consumers in need of regulation? An evaluation based on learnings from Japan," 22nd ITS Biennial Conference, Seoul 2018. Beyond the boundaries: Challenges for business, policy and society 190385, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    8. Ningyuan Chen & Adam N. Elmachtoub & Michael L. Hamilton & Xiao Lei, 2021. "Loot Box Pricing and Design," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(8), pages 4809-4825, August.
    9. Xiao, Leon Y., 2020. "Regulating Loot Boxes as Gambling? Perspectives from Psychology, Behavioural Economics and Ludology," LawArXiv cdr69, Center for Open Science.
    10. Anthony King & Gloria Wong-Padoongpatt, 2022. "Do Gamers Play for Money? A Moderated Mediation of Gaming Motives, Relative Deprivation, and Upward Mobility," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-21, November.
    11. David Zendle & Paul Cairns, 2019. "Loot boxes are again linked to problem gambling: Results of a replication study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(3), pages 1-13, March.
    12. Jean-Jacques Rémond & Lucia Romo, 2018. "Analysis of Gambling in the Media Related to Screens: Immersion as a Predictor of Excessive Use?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, January.
    13. Álvaro Botella-Guijarro & Daniel Lloret-Irles & José Vicente Segura-Heras & Víctor Cabrera-Perona & Juan Antonio Moriano, 2020. "A Longitudinal Analysis of Gambling Predictors among Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-18, December.
    14. Julie Giustiniani & Magali Nicolier & Madeline Pascard & Caroline Masse & Pierre Vandel & Djamila Bennabi & Sophia Achab & Frédéric Mauny & Emmanuel Haffen, 2022. "Do Individuals with Internet Gaming Disorder Share Personality Traits with Substance-Dependent Individuals?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-15, August.
    15. Xiao, Leon Y., 2024. "Illegal loot box advertising on social media: an empirical study using the Meta and TikTok ad transparency repositories," OSF Preprints s92j3, Center for Open Science.
    16. D. Leahy, 2022. "Rocking the Boat: Loot Boxes in Online Digital Games, the Regulatory Challenge, and the EU’s Unfair Commercial Practices Directive," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 45(3), pages 561-592, September.
    17. Gathoni Ndungu Benson & Simon P. Munayi & Janet Wanjira & Justus Inyega, 2021. "Examining the effects of online sports betting on the perceived economic wellbeing of student-athletes," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 10(7), pages 242-248, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:21:p:11482-:d:669501. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.