Gambling digital tools across the player spectrum: Promising practices & future opportunities

The work focuses on how technology can be leveraged to provide information and support to gamblers across the spectrum of involvement and harm.

Categories

Research Summary:

The research explores how digital tools can support players across the spectrum of gambling involvement—from low-risk to high-risk—by providing information, prevention, and treatment support through technology. Key findings:

• User-Centered Design Is Essential: Tools should be co-designed with users, visually appealing, intuitive, and easy to use. They must be flexible, free, and integrated into platforms players already use.
• Evidence-Based Approaches Work: Tools using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and psychoeducation are most effective. Both guided and self-guided formats are valuable.
• Tool Visibility and Framing Matter: Tools should be easy to find, framed positively (e.g. “budgeting” vs. “limits”), and promoted at the right time (e.g. sign-up, post-loss).
• Tailoring Increases Impact: Tools should be customized by demographics (age, gender, culture), behaviors (spending, game type), and risk level. Personalized and normative feedback enhances engagement.
• Barriers Remain: Challenges include limited funding, lack of standardization, data privacy concerns, low awareness, stigma, and difficulty achieving behavior change.
• Collaboration and Evaluation Are Critical: Cross-sector partnerships and independent evaluations are needed to identify what works, for whom, and under what conditions.

These insights support the development of a standardized, evidence-based suite of digital tools, integrated into a broader culture of responsibility across the gambling industry. For full details, please refer to the complete document.

Interested in the full report?