Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Gambling and self-reported changes in gambling during COVID-19 in web survey respondents in Denmark

Håkansson, Anders LU (2021) In Heliyon 7(7).
Abstract

Problem gambling is among the public health hazards which may increase due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences on society. Results from a few countries have hitherto been diverse with respect to gambling during the pandemic. The present study aimed to study gambling behaviors during COVID-19 in Denmark, with the same methodology as previously used in Sweden, and also to provide a comparison to previously published Swedish data. A web survey was answered by 2,012 individuals, from December 2, to December 10, 2020. Four percent reported increased gambling habits, and three percent reported decreased gambling, during COVID-19. Self-reported increase in gambling was associated with spending more time at home, mental distress, and... (More)

Problem gambling is among the public health hazards which may increase due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences on society. Results from a few countries have hitherto been diverse with respect to gambling during the pandemic. The present study aimed to study gambling behaviors during COVID-19 in Denmark, with the same methodology as previously used in Sweden, and also to provide a comparison to previously published Swedish data. A web survey was answered by 2,012 individuals, from December 2, to December 10, 2020. Four percent reported increased gambling habits, and three percent reported decreased gambling, during COVID-19. Self-reported increase in gambling was associated with spending more time at home, mental distress, and higher gambling severity. Prevalence of self-reported, increased gaming during COVID-19 was significantly lower in Denmark than in Sweden. Although the overall changes in gambling patterns during COVID-19 may be limited, people who increase their gambling during the pandemic may be at particular risk. Stakeholders should pay attention to individuals who report altered gambling habits during the pandemic.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Behavioral addiction, Covid-19, Gambling disorder, Mental health, Pandemic, Problem gambling
in
Heliyon
volume
7
issue
7
article number
e07506
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:34337174
  • scopus:85110549785
ISSN
2405-8440
DOI
10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07506
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3f15ca4f-94fe-401b-a5e6-eeb820320cbb
date added to LUP
2021-09-09 13:44:35
date last changed
2024-04-06 08:40:10
@article{3f15ca4f-94fe-401b-a5e6-eeb820320cbb,
  abstract     = {{<p>Problem gambling is among the public health hazards which may increase due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences on society. Results from a few countries have hitherto been diverse with respect to gambling during the pandemic. The present study aimed to study gambling behaviors during COVID-19 in Denmark, with the same methodology as previously used in Sweden, and also to provide a comparison to previously published Swedish data. A web survey was answered by 2,012 individuals, from December 2, to December 10, 2020. Four percent reported increased gambling habits, and three percent reported decreased gambling, during COVID-19. Self-reported increase in gambling was associated with spending more time at home, mental distress, and higher gambling severity. Prevalence of self-reported, increased gaming during COVID-19 was significantly lower in Denmark than in Sweden. Although the overall changes in gambling patterns during COVID-19 may be limited, people who increase their gambling during the pandemic may be at particular risk. Stakeholders should pay attention to individuals who report altered gambling habits during the pandemic.</p>}},
  author       = {{Håkansson, Anders}},
  issn         = {{2405-8440}},
  keywords     = {{Behavioral addiction; Covid-19; Gambling disorder; Mental health; Pandemic; Problem gambling}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{7}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Heliyon}},
  title        = {{Gambling and self-reported changes in gambling during COVID-19 in web survey respondents in Denmark}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07506}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07506}},
  volume       = {{7}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}