Abstract
Systematic mapping of evaluations of tools and interventions that are intended to mitigate risks for gambling harm. Scoping Review and z-curve analysis (which estimates the average replicability of a body of literature). We searched 7 databases. We also examined reference lists of included studies, as well as papers that cited included studies. Included studies described a quantitative empirical assessment of a game-based (i.e., intrinsic to a specific gambling product) structural feature, user-directed tool, or regulatory initiative to promote responsible gambling. At least two research assistants independently performed screening and extracted study characteristics (e.g., study design and sample size). One author extracted statistics for the z-curve analysis. 86 studies met inclusion criteria. No tools or interventions had unambiguous evidence of efficacy, but some show promise, such as within-session breaks in play. Pre-registration of research hypotheses, methods, and analytic plans was absent until 2019, reflecting a recent embracement of open science practices. Published studies also inconsistently reported effect sizes and power analyses. The results of z-curve provide some evidence of publication bias, and suggest that the replicability of the responsible product design literature is uncertain but could be low. Greater transparency and precision are paramount to improving the evidence base for responsible product design to mitigate gambling-related harm.
Highlights
Interventions and tools for the safe use of inherently risky consumer products take many forms
Cars have mandatory structural features that autonomously mitigate the effects of accidents, include optional user-directed tools that assist with safe driving practices, and are subject to regulations that promote safe driving at large
To identify potentially relevant studies, on February 5, 2020, we searched the following bibliographic databases covering a variety of scientific disciplines: Medline, Embase; PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO; Global Health; the Education Resources Information Center [ERIC]; and the Social Science Premium Collection
Summary
Interventions and tools for the safe use of inherently risky consumer products take many forms. Understanding the strength of evidence for various safety features and interventions can help stakeholders decide which to implement. There is concern that popular gambling products, especially electronic gaming machines and internet gambling platforms, include features that increase risky gambling behavior [1, 2]. Researchers have called for a greater emphasis on implementing safety features and interventions for gambling products [4]. It would be premature to make implementation recommendations without first determining whether existing evidence is based on sound research practices. We report findings from a scoping review that quantitatively summarizes key features of existing research on game-based responsible gambling tools and interventions [5]. We use the main result from each study to estimate the replicability of research on product safety in gambling
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