Simulated gambling consumption mediation model (SGCMM): disentangling convergence with parallel mediation models

ABSTRACT

Simulated Internet gambling (SG) raises concerns, especially with regard to adolescents, because it may facilitate monetary gambling or problem gambling (PG). Only scarce research examined mechanisms via which SG prospectively impacts gambling onset or PG. The study fills this gap by using longitudinal survey-data (12 months; N = 1,178 pupils from Northern Germany; M = 13.6 years; 47.5% male). Parallel mediation models in different types of SG (via video games, apps, social networks, demo games) were applied to disaggregate bivariate associations of last year participation at the first stage of the survey with two outcomes: (1) PG, (2) gambling onset, both after 12 months. Mediating effects via patterns of consumption, cognition or other problematic online behaviors were examined. Both outcomes were impacted by different types of SG via quite different mechanisms: SG impacted PG mostly via indirect effects of gambling depth (maximum gambling frequency), irrational cognitions, and problematic Internet gaming (problematic Internet use revealed to be a PG decreasing mechanism). Onset was impacted via increased perception of advertising (only for SG in video games and social networks). Prospective parallel mediation models reveal relevant etiological pathways of SG on PG or gambling onset in a more exhaustive way than prior research.

KEYWORDS:

• Gambling
• video games
• addiction
• advertising
• behavior

Conflict of interest

Tobias Turowski and Tim Brosowski declare they have no conflict of interest. Tobias Hayer currently receives grants for gambling research from the Federal Ministry of Health, the Ministry of the Interior of Lower Saxony, and the German Lotto and Toto Block.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed were in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments. In each involved federal state, supervisory school authorities approved the study materials and design. A written declaration of agreement from parents was a general precondition of participation in the study. In addition and regardless of this, pupils were able at any time to refuse to participate in the survey. Matching of questionnaires from different stages for data analysis purposes relied on a coding system that guaranteed the anonymity of participants in all cases.

Re-use of data

Parts of this study re-analyze already published data (https://doi.10.1007/s10899-018-9755-1) in an extended manner and with advanced methods of data analysis in order to explicate etiological mechanisms more precisely than previous research did.

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This study was developed with research funding from the Hamburg Department of Health and Consumer Protection. The funding was not subject to any restrictions or specific instructions with regard to data collection, analysis, interpretation, or to publication of the results.

Notes on contributors

Tim Brosowski

Tim Brosowski is a psychologist (Diploma) and data analyst with particular expertise in behavioral addictions, data mining and statistical modeling. He graduated in 2011 at the University of Bremen and is still working at the University of Bremen on several research projects about gambling as well as on his dissertation project about big data in gambling research.

Tobias Turowski

Tobias Turowski studied Psychology at the University of Bremen (bachelor’s degree) and at the University of Lübeck (master’s degree). He graduated in 2019. In 2018, he was a member of a research group that investigated the effectiveness and optimization of social concepts (including a newly established multi-venue exclusion program) in gaming halls in Hesse, Germany.

Tobias Hayer

Dr. Tobias Hayer has received his Ph.D. (University of Bremen) in 2012 by preparing a doctoral thesis on ‘Adolescents and gambling-related problems.’ For almost 20 years, his research focuses on various facets of gambling and gambling addiction. This includes, among other things, the prevention of gambling-related problems; the effectiveness of certain player and youth protection measures; the risk potential of various gambling forms as well as the interface of gaming and gambling.