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Gambling during and after the state of emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic:  The experiences of players and friends/family members

The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching societal implications worldwide. Authorities around the world have launched various restrictive measures to control the spread of the virus. One of the effects has also been related to gambling, and in particular the partial restriction of the supply of gambling.

In Finland, the state gambling monopoly Veikkaus announced that it will close electronic gaming machines in convenience locations, as well as gambling arcades and the casino on the 13 of March in 2020. Coupon games and lotteries are still available at points of sale, but the government’s recommendation to avoid spending time in public places may also reduce their consumption. The organization of sports betting is hampered by the lack of sports events, as almost all sports leagues have suspended games. Gambling on the internet and on mobile is available as usual. Some gambling support services have also had to shut down.

In this study, we explore how changes in the gambling supply and reduced opportunities for gambling support services affect gambling behavior, problem gambling, and the experiences of players and their friends or family members.

The study is part of a wider Nordic collaboration in which the CEACG Research Center of the University of Helsinki and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) are investigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on gambling consumption in collaboration with University of Bergen and Stockholm University. The aim is to get a broad overview of the effects of the state of emergency caused by the coronavirus on gambling in the Nordics, and to compare possible differences between the countries.

The Finnish survey is conducted in collaboration with the gambling treatment and prevention agencies and associations, which include Peluuri, Peliklinikka, Sosped Foundation and and EHYT Finnish Association for Substance Abuse Prevention. The Sosped Foundation and EHYT are also running their own surveys at the same time, with the aim of developing these services.

By participating in the survey, you give the researchers and the partners the right to use the responses in research and in the development of the services. All responses to the survey are anonymous. The responses are used as a data for scientific publications produced by the University of Helsinki and Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). In addition, the data can be shared with the above-mentioned partners.

At the end of the questionnaire, we ask for an email address for further investigation. The follow-up study consists of group interviews conducted after the end of the state of emergency. Both participation in interviews and the provision of an email address are voluntary. Giving your email does not oblige you to participate in interviews. Emails will be not linked to the information provided in the questionnaire and it is not possible to identify an individual respondent. If you have given your email but wish to withdraw it, please contact the researchers using the email addresses below.

All the data and e-mail addresses collected with the questionnaire are stored behind a password on the servers of the University of Helsinki. The email addresses and survey responses will be deleted upon completion of the study and will not be disclosed to outsiders.

The survey has been carried out in accordance with the guidelines of the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity (TENK) and the EU General Data Protection Regulation. You can find information on the privacy policy here. (In Finnish)

The CEACG Research Center at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki is responsible for the research. The researcher in charge of the research is Virve Marionneau, PhD.

If you need more information about the study, you can contact the researchers by e-mail: tuulia.lerkkanen@helsinki.fi, virve.marionneau@helsinki.fi.