Catalyst or circuit-breaker? A prospective study to assess COVID-19’s effects on relationships between gambling availability, gambling and harmful gambling, and social, psychological and financial wellbeing

This study assessed gambling and harmful gambling in Australia over three waves in May 2020, May 2021 and May 2022, following changes in availability to gambling due to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions. The study is broken into four time periods; before the national lockdown (Time 1), during the lockdowns (Time 2), one year after the lockdowns (Time 3), and two years after the lockdowns (Time 4).

As a result of restrictions, such as the closure of pokies and casino venues, the curtailment of sports betting, and the restriction of race betting to online modes, there was an immediate marked decline in gambling participation and gambling problems.

Individuals who reported more psychosocial stressors were more likely to sustain or increase their gambling and report increases in harmful gambling, even though there was a net drop in gambling and gambling problems during lockdowns.

Once restrictions started to lift and gambling availability returned, the study showed that participation numbers and gambling problems reached (near) pre-pandemic levels.

Overall, the study indicates that gambling behaviour is curbed when supply is reduced, as shown through the restricted access to gambling services and products during the COVID lockdowns. That, in turn, directly reduces gambling problems and associated harms.

Key findings

Results from Aim 1: Examine how the changed availability of gambling products and modes impacted on gambling behaviour and harmful gambling 

• During lockdowns:
• almost one-quarter of the sample ceased gambling entirely
• there was decreased participation in:
• pokies (from 46 per cent to 10.4 per cent)
• sports betting (from 38.4 per cent to 17.4 per cent)
• race betting (from 48.3 per cent to 30.2 per cent)
• lotteries (from 83.8 per cent to 61.5 per cent)
• nearly half (46.5 per cent) of online gamblers increased their frequency of online gambling.
• Lockdowns acted as a temporary circuit-breaker of problem gambling for about one-sixth (15 per cent) of respondents, and lessened problem gambling severity for one-quarter (25 per cent) of respondents by Time 2.

Results from Aim 2: Determine the characteristics of gamblers that are associated with different transitions in gambling behaviour

• During lockdowns, respondents who increased the frequency of their gambling tended to have higher pre-lockdown Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) scores.
• One year after lockdown, males were more likely than females to continue rather than cease online gambling.
• When venues re-opened and sports events recommenced, respondents tended to resume or increase their gambling.
• People with higher problem gambling severity, younger people, and those with psychosocial and financial vulnerabilities were more likely to increase their gambling and gamble on illegal forms during lockdowns.

Results for Aim 3: Identify the characteristics and gambling behaviours of gamblers who transitioned in levels of harmful gambling

• During lockdowns, significant decreases in problem gambling severity were found for respondents:
• who decreased the frequency of gambling on pokies, casino games, sports betting, or race betting
• whose sports betting or race betting occurred at the same frequency, and for those who engaged in online gambling.
• Findings indicate that harmful gambling fluctuated with the availability of gambling.
• Respondents with psychosocial vulnerabilities were relatively more likely to experience harmful gambling both during and after lockdowns compared to others at those times.

Results for Aim 4: Identify the characteristics of gamblers who ceased gambling and the impacts on their wellbeing 

• During lockdowns, respondents who ceased race betting were more likely to report lower pre-lockdown PGSI scores, be female, be more educated and report less financial hardship.
• Sizeable minorities of respondents (21–47 per cent) endorsed that ceasing gambling during lockdowns had benefited several aspects of their wellbeing.
• Respondents with lower PGSI scores, females, older respondents, those with higher educational attainment and those with lower levels of psychosocial vulnerability were more likely to cease gambling on various activities during and after lockdowns.