Limit-setting in gambling: Some further thoughts and observations on Delfabbro and King (2021)

ABSTRACT

A recent review by Delfabbro and King (2021) published in International Gambling Studies examined the efficacy of voluntary versus mandatory limit-setting in gambling. The review examined 25 empirical studies (18 on voluntary limit-setting and seven on mandatory limit-setting). In this short commentary, we outline a few other thoughts and observations as a supplement to their review. Of the 25 studies reviewed, only ten were published in peer-reviewed journals and given the high reliance on studies in the grey literature, there were other studies that could have been included. There were also other studies not meeting Delfabbro and King’s inclusion criterion that could have provided some further useful data.

KEYWORDS:

• gambling
• problem gambling
• limit-setting
• responsible gambling
• player protection
• harm minimization

View correction statement:

Correction

Funding sources

No funding sources were declared by the authors in relation to this manuscript.

Constraints on publishing

No constraints on publishing were declared by the authors in relation to this manuscript.

Competing interests

The first author’s university currently receives funding from Norsk Tipping (the gambling operator owned by the Norwegian Government). The first author has received funding for a number of research projects in the area of gambling education for young people, social responsibility in gambling and gambling treatment from Gamble Aware (formerly the Responsibility in Gambling Trust), a charitable body which funds its research program based on donations from the gambling industry. The first and second authors undertake consultancy for various gaming companies in the area of social responsibility in gambling..

Preregistration statement

No preregistration was declared by the authors in relation to this manuscript.

Data availability statement

No data set was declared by the authors in relation to this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The first author’s university currently receives funding from Norsk Tipping (the gambling operator owned by the Norwegian Government). The first author has received funding for a number of research projects in the area of gambling education for young people, social responsibility in gambling and gambling treatment from GambleAware (formerly the Responsibility in Gambling Trust), a charitable body which funds its research program based on donations from the gambling industry. The first and second authors undertake consultancy for various gaming companies in the area of social responsibility in gambling.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mark D. Griffiths

Dr. Mark Griffiths is Distinguished Professor of Behavioural Addiction at the Nottingham Trent University, and Director of the International Gaming Research Unit. He has published over 1150 refereed research papers, six books, and 160+ book chapters. He has won 23 national and international awards for his work.

Michael Auer

Dr. Michael Auer is Business Unit Manager, Responsible Gaming, neccton ltd (Vienna, Austria). He completed his PhD at Nottingham Trent University. Dr. Auer is a regular speaker at gambling conferences, collaborates with recognized scientists in the field, and has published numerous peer-reviewed papers on player tracking and responsible gambling.