Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40281558›Full record

ArticleHarm reduction journal2025

A qualitative investigation of the feasibility and acceptability of lower risk gambling guidelines.

Michael Egerer, Paula Jääskeläinen, Virve Marionneau, Riitta Matilainen, Jussi Palomäki, Eija Pietilä, Mika Tsupari, David C Hodgins, Matthew M Young, Sari Castrén

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Harm reduction journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Michael EgererUniversity of Helsinki Centre for Research on Addiction, Control, and Governance CEACG, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, P.O. Box 42, FI-00014, Finland. michael.egerer@helsinki.fi.ORCID 0000-0002-3983-4489
Paula JääskeläinenUniversity of Helsinki Centre for Research on Addiction, Control, and Governance CEACG, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, P.O. Box 42, FI-00014, Finland.ORCID 0000-0003-1002-2249
Virve MarionneauUniversity of Helsinki Centre for Research on Addiction, Control, and Governance CEACG, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, P.O. Box 42, FI-00014, Finland.ORCID 0000-0003-2476-5094
Riitta MatilainenEHYT Finnish Association for Substance Abuse Prevention, Elimäenkatu 17-19, Helsinki, 00510, Finland.ORCID 0000-0001-7074-7976
Jussi PalomäkiFinnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Promotional and Preventive Work, Helsinki, Finland.ORCID 0000-0001-6063-0926
Eija PietiläEHYT Finnish Association for Substance Abuse Prevention, Elimäenkatu 17-19, Helsinki, 00510, Finland.ORCID 0009-0009-8818-4484
Mika TsupariUniversity of Helsinki Centre for Research on Addiction, Control, and Governance CEACG, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, P.O. Box 42, FI-00014, Finland.ORCID 0009-0006-7236-6249
David C HodginsDepartment of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-2737-5200
Matthew M YoungGreo Evidence Insights, Guelph, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-6125-4678
Sari CastrénFinnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Services, P.O. Box 30, Helsinki, FI-00271, Finland.ORCID 0000-0003-0492-9610

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Effective and comprehensive harm reduction strategies to mitigate gambling-related harms are needed worldwide. The development of such strategies is however resource intensive. Using existing models in multiple contexts would thus be advisable. This study is part of a larger project investigating the feasibility and acceptability of the Canadian Lower Risk Gambling Guidelines (LRGG) within a Finnish cultural context. The Canadian guidelines recommend not gambling more than 1% of one's household income, not gambling more than 4 days per month, and to avoid regularly gambling at more than 2 types of gambling products.13 Focus group interviews were conducted (N = 37, 23 women, 14 men) across five subpopulations: individuals gambling at no-risk/low-risk levels, individuals with past experiences of problematic gambling, concerned significant others of those with gambling problems, professional gamblers, and social workers and health care professionals. The analysis utilised a deductive approach.While the subpopulations differed in their assessment of the LRGG in some regards, we were able to synthesise three concrete suggestions to adjust the Canadian LRGGs into the Finnish context. Participants proposed rephrasing the guidelines as follows: (1) Limit gambling to a fixed percentage of monthly personal income after taxes and other fixed expenses, (2) Restrict the number and duration of weekly gambling sessions, (3) Avoid regular participation in the most harmful forms of gambling, such as online casino games.Overall, the LRGG were considered as useful also in the Finnish context. However, our results suggest that some culturally specific rewording may be advisable. The main challenge in the implementation of the LRGG is that respondents across groups considered the guidelines to be aimed at someone else. Implementation therefore requires clear communication that these guidelines are for all individuals who gamble, not only those experiencing problems.

Indexed as

GamblingGuidelines as TopicHarm ReductionAdultCanadaFeasibility StudiesFemaleFinlandFocus GroupsHumansMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchFeasibility, acceptabilityFocus-group interviewGambling guidelinesLower-risk gambling limitsPreventionQualitative

Identifiers

PMID40281558
PMCPMC12023663

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.