Reducing gambling harm through digital self-help intervention: a pilot study in mild to moderate gambling disorder

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Gambling Disorder (GD) causes significant harm, yet treatment seeking is low, especially for mild to moderate cases.
• Online interventions offer accessible solutions, but their cultural adaptation requires investigation.
• This study assessed a brief Canadian online intervention for Israeli individuals with mild/moderate GD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the feasibility, engagement, and cultural compatibility of a brief online gambling intervention.
• To evaluate the intervention's effectiveness for individuals with mild and moderate Gambling Disorder (GD) not seeking treatment.
• To explore user experience and factors influencing engagement in a digital harm reduction tool.

Main Methods:

• 102 participants recruited; 92 randomly assigned to an interactive website or control group for 1 week.
• Gambling Disorder (GD) assessed via PGSI and SCID; daily self-reports measured engagement.
• Focus groups explored user experience, engagement factors, and cultural relevance.

Main Results:

• Participants with mild GD in the website condition showed increased interest and perceived benefit (p<0.01).
• Moderate GD participants in the control group showed decreased engagement.
• Engagement drivers included practical tools, privacy, accessibility, and cultural fit.

Conclusions:

• A brief, self-directed online intervention is feasible and engaging for mild GD.
• The intervention demonstrated high perceived acceptability and cultural compatibility in Israel.
• Findings support cross-cultural scalability of digital harm reduction tools for gambling.