Online gambling and Loneliness: A State of Knowledge.

Background: Online gambling (OG) is gaining popularity worldwide. Beyond its recreational aspect, OG is identified as one of the most harmful forms of gambling, with the potential to cause harm to the gambler, their surroundings, and the community. Among the harms associated with OG, it appears that individuals engaging in OG are more likely to report experiencing loneliness compared to those engaging in offline gambling. Globally recognized as a public health issue, loneliness is an emotional state resulting from a perceived gap between the social connection one has and the desired level of connection, whether in terms of quantity or quality. Public health-wise, the risk associated with loneliness is comparable to well-established mortality risk factors such as smoking or physical inactivity. In the realm of addictive disorders, loneliness has been linked, notably, to gambling and gambling disorder. The presence of loneliness in a gambler is associated with experiencing gambling-related harm and the development of gambling disorder. On the other hand, gamblers identify loneliness as a risk factor for developing gambling-related harm or experiencing negative consequences related to gambling. According to studies, OG may both prevent and induce loneliness ; the direction of the relationship between OG and loneliness appears uncertain and seems to vary based on the profiles of gamblers. Therefore, this project aims to present the state of knowledge drawn from scientific literature on OG and loneliness.

Method: The project employs the systematic review approach developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. This method allows for a comprehensive and unbiased synthesis of numerous relevant studies, summarizing existing knowledge from quantitative, qualitative, and mixed studies published in the last twenty years, coinciding with the period when OG became widely accessible. With the intention of conducting a comprehensive study, a search in grey literature has been included in the method.

Results: The systematic search lead to 14 published studies. Research in grey literature is currently underway. Preliminary results indicate a growing interest in the theme since the Covid-19 pandemic. The gathered scientific literature identifies risk and protective factors and outlines the consequences of the OG-loneliness coexistence.

Conclusion: Ultimately, the results of the systematic review provide insights into risk and protective factors that can guide preventive actions against harms related to OG participation and loneliness. The collected data can inform concrete prevention actions for preventing the onset of loneliness in OG participants or guide efforts to prevent OG-related harms in individuals dealing with loneliness.