Evaluating Gambling Awareness and Mitigation Education Program to Reduce Underage Gambling and Gambling-Related Harm
Session Title
Player Protection, Gambling Literacy, & Risk Reduction
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation
Start Date
28-5-2026 12:00 AM
Abstract
The prevalence of underage gambling is alarmingly high, with reports indicating that between 58% to nearly 70% have gambled in the past year. This underscores the need for intervention strategies to prevent gambling-related harms. In many areas, underage gambling can lead to legal repercussions, including fines and jail. Evidence suggests that diversion programs, which are alternative interventions to legal penalties, are more effective than punitive measures in reducing recidivism among youth. However, few jurisdictions offer such empirically supported programs. The Gambling Awareness Mitigation and Education diversion program for underage gambling is a literature-informed module development program, led by a collaborative team of researchers, professional marketing and creation team, and a community panel of emerging adults who provide feedback on the content and presentation of the modules. To evaluate this program, 80 underage participants (18-20 years) have been recruited to complete a baseline questionnaire based on the diversion program's knowledge test. They will then be randomized into an intervention group and a control group. Those in the interventional group complete the diversion program in 5 days. Then, all participants retake the knowledge test and answer questions related to their confidence in controlling their future gambling behavior and about their understanding of the outcomes of gambling.
Evaluating Gambling Awareness and Mitigation Education Program to Reduce Underage Gambling and Gambling-Related Harm
The prevalence of underage gambling is alarmingly high, with reports indicating that between 58% to nearly 70% have gambled in the past year. This underscores the need for intervention strategies to prevent gambling-related harms. In many areas, underage gambling can lead to legal repercussions, including fines and jail. Evidence suggests that diversion programs, which are alternative interventions to legal penalties, are more effective than punitive measures in reducing recidivism among youth. However, few jurisdictions offer such empirically supported programs. The Gambling Awareness Mitigation and Education diversion program for underage gambling is a literature-informed module development program, led by a collaborative team of researchers, professional marketing and creation team, and a community panel of emerging adults who provide feedback on the content and presentation of the modules. To evaluate this program, 80 underage participants (18-20 years) have been recruited to complete a baseline questionnaire based on the diversion program's knowledge test. They will then be randomized into an intervention group and a control group. Those in the interventional group complete the diversion program in 5 days. Then, all participants retake the knowledge test and answer questions related to their confidence in controlling their future gambling behavior and about their understanding of the outcomes of gambling.