Abstract
Recent research investigating changes in gambling behaviors during periods of COVID-19 social restrictions, such as enforced lockdowns, are somewhat limited by methodology, being generally cross-sectional in nature and with participant samples recruited via online panels. The present study overcame these limitations via a secondary analysis of data collected in 2012 and 2015 from a New Zealand (NZ) longitudinal gambling study, with questions related to gambling behaviors due to COVID-19 lockdown periods included in an additional data collection, of participants who had previously scored as a risky gambler, during 2020/21. Almost one-quarter of online gamblers increased their gambling during lockdown with this most likely to be on overseas gambling sites, instant scratch card gambling and Lotto. The only sociodemographic risk factor for increased online gambling was higher education. Behavioral risk factors included being a current low risk/moderate risk/problem gambler, a previously hazardous alcohol drinker or past participation in free-to-play gambling-type games. These past behaviors could act as trigger points for health services or family and friends to monitor a person’s gambling behaviors during lockdown, or future stressful periods when usual terrestrial gambling opportunities are curtailed or unavailable, and to support safer gambling practices.
Highlights
New Zealand (NZ) is a small geographically isolated country located in the PacificOcean, with a population of approximately 5 million people [1]
Half of the sample were of NZ European/other ethnicity (50.2%), one-quarter (24.6%) were of Māori ethnicity (NZ’s indigenous population), 14.3% were of Pacific ethnicity and 11% were of Asian ethnicity
Most studies of online gambling behaviors during periods of COVID-19 lockdown have been cross-sectional in nature
Summary
New Zealand (NZ) is a small geographically isolated country located in the PacificOcean, with a population of approximately 5 million people [1]. Less than four weeks later, the country moved into self-isolation entering Alert Level 3 on 23 March and Level 4 on 25 March. In effect, both Level 3 and Level 4 were states of national lockdown with people instructed to stay home in a household ‘bubble’ and not to integrate with other household bubbles. Level 3 restrictions allowed businesses to operate, but only in a contactless manner with social distancing and hygiene guidelines. In Level 4, people could only leave home to access essential services or for exercise in the local area, maintaining social distancing from others. Essential services could operate (i.e., health and emergency services, pharmacies, supermarkets and petrol stations) with all other client-facing services closed
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