Highlight of the month: Research on gambling disorder saves lives

What a great opportunity to get to know one of Europe’s leading research groups in the field of gambling addiction!

My name is .  I am a health psychologist, university teacher, and PhD student. I am also a member of the (B17-23 R) at the and the . Our group is led by together with . Thanks to my university and , I was awarded an Erasmus+ grant that allowed me to undertake a short research stay at the Centre for Research on Addiction, Control and Governance at the University of Helsinki.

Allow me to introduce my research group. We have two main research lines: one focuses on mindfulness and the other on gambling, and it is within this latter area that I am developing my PhD thesis. From a gender perspective, we are developing the first preventive tool focused on gambling for women: , an app designed exclusively for women. This is where much of my group’s current work is concentrated, as well as a large part of my own work as a PhD student in psychology.

We are developing the first preventive tool focused on gambling for women.

Other programmes developed by our research team have helped us to identify, at an early stage, different patterns and risk indicators related to gambling. One example is , a gamified assessment of gambling-related variables and the predictive value of these assessment measures. In addition, we have brought prevention into the classroom through an Escape Room format designed to be engaging for young people. This is the focus of our programme.

In addition, our future research will focus on three main areas: the costs associated with gambling, the mechanisms involved in online slot machines, and the relationship between mindfulness and gambling. In this last area, we will also expand our focus from prevention to intervention by developing mindfulness-based approaches, an area in which our team specialises.

My team’s research focus differs from those I have had the opportunity to learn about in Finland. Nevertheless, both teams share a public health-oriented perspective and recognise that scientific evidence is essential if we are to continue making progress in this field. Without a doubt, the Finnish perspective will help enrich my research, particularly in areas related to the marketing strategies used by the gambling industry, which are very often shaped by a highly masculinised perspective and involve the objectification of women. It will also contribute to my understanding of the legal dimension, where legislation moves between restrictions and the protection of citizens, and the demands of an industry that is, unfortunately, widespread throughout Europe.

 The Finnish perspective will help enrich my research, particularly in areas related to the marketing strategies used by the gambling industry, which are very often shaped by a highly masculinised perspective and involve the objectification of women.

From a European perspective, the gambling industry is not simply seeking future customers. It does not want people to start gambling only when they turn 18; rather, it seeks to ensure that young people, once they reach adulthood, already know exactly what gambling is and want to continue gambling. This idea extends to every space frequented by the gambling sector, both offline and online, contributing to what we might call the gamblification of life, driven by the industry’s purely economic interests.

In Spain, 60% of young people between the ages of 16 and 25 have gambled at least once. The latest reports from the central government show an increase in problematic gambling among students aged 14 to 18. And yes, despite gambling being legally prohibited for them, we are talking about minors who gamble. This is extremely concerning when we consider research from the Finnish university indicating that more than 30% of people experiencing gambling-related problems have experienced suicidal ideation, driven by the multifactorial risks associated with gambling. These risks can affect every aspect of life—physical, mental, and financial—and can also cause profound social harm.

European approach would make it possible to advance in terms of control, restriction, and regulation, with the aim of establishing similar limits and avoiding major differences between countries.

Science must therefore continue to take the lead in responding to the expansion pursued by the gambling industry. A European approach would make it possible to advance in terms of control, restriction, and regulation, with the aim of establishing similar limits and avoiding major differences between countries. This is clear: a person who has self-excluded from gambling in Spain should not be able to gamble elsewhere.

The psychological mechanisms used by the gambling industry to encourage and maintain gambling behaviour are becoming increasingly sophisticated. More than ever, it is in our hands to continue highlighting the importance of health and research and to reduce the scope for action of those who undermine healthy forms of leisure simply in order to make money.

I will conclude by saying that what people say about Finnish people - their brief conversations or their supposedly cold character, similar to the city’s climate - is absolutely false. This research experience in Helsinki has been filled with warmth, kindness, and encouragement to continue our work.

I am sure that this is an important starting point for collaboration between the north and south of Europe, bringing both research groups together around a shared motto: Health in all policies, a gender perspective in every field, and prevention to tackle gambling and reduce gambling disorder.

Eternally grateful.

Moi, moi!
Itxaso C.G.