Drink in Hand, Limit in Mind: Simultaneous Alcohol Use Does Not Attenuate the Relation Between Monetary Limit Setting and Gambling Harm

Session Title

Poster session

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Start Date

27-5-2026 12:00 AM

Abstract

Responsible gambling strategies include a range of behavioral strategies to minimize gambling harm. One such strategy is setting monetary limits before gambling, which has been associated with reduced gambling expenditure. The simultaneous use of alcohol while gambling is associated with greater gambling-related harm severity, reduced receptivity to warning messages during play, and may affect gambling behavior when intoxicated. The present study explored the relation between monetary limit setting and gambling- and alcohol-related harm, and the extent to which these relations are moderated by the simultaneous alcohol use while gambling, in a sample of 495 individuals reporting sports betting and using alcohol during the past month. Limit setting was negatively associated with both gambling- and alcohol-related harm and drinking while gambling was positively associated with gambling- and alcohol-related harm. The proportion of gambling time spent drinking potentiated the strength of the relation between limit setting and harm, such that the negative association between limit setting and gambling harm was greater for those with relatively higher proportions of gambling time spent drinking. These findings suggest that setting monetary limits is associated with reduced gambling harm, irrespective of the extent to which individuals report simultaneous alcohol use while gambling.

Author Bios

Matthew Andersland is an advanced Clinical Psychology doctoral student at The University of Memphis. He is a therapist in The Gambling Clinic and conducts research as a member of the Tennessee Institute for Gambling Education and Research. His current research interests include the nexus between substance use and gambling, and the application of mindfulness-based techniques in gambling disorder treatment.

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May 27th, 12:00 AM

Drink in Hand, Limit in Mind: Simultaneous Alcohol Use Does Not Attenuate the Relation Between Monetary Limit Setting and Gambling Harm

Responsible gambling strategies include a range of behavioral strategies to minimize gambling harm. One such strategy is setting monetary limits before gambling, which has been associated with reduced gambling expenditure. The simultaneous use of alcohol while gambling is associated with greater gambling-related harm severity, reduced receptivity to warning messages during play, and may affect gambling behavior when intoxicated. The present study explored the relation between monetary limit setting and gambling- and alcohol-related harm, and the extent to which these relations are moderated by the simultaneous alcohol use while gambling, in a sample of 495 individuals reporting sports betting and using alcohol during the past month. Limit setting was negatively associated with both gambling- and alcohol-related harm and drinking while gambling was positively associated with gambling- and alcohol-related harm. The proportion of gambling time spent drinking potentiated the strength of the relation between limit setting and harm, such that the negative association between limit setting and gambling harm was greater for those with relatively higher proportions of gambling time spent drinking. These findings suggest that setting monetary limits is associated with reduced gambling harm, irrespective of the extent to which individuals report simultaneous alcohol use while gambling.