ArticleJournal of gambling studies2026
Illusion of Control in Gambling Behavior in a Non-Clinical Sample of Adults Aged 40-75.
Article in Journal of gambling studies, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
Abstract
The illusion of control (IoC) is a cognitive distortion implicated in risky and problem gambling. This study aimed to validate a comprehensive IoC measure, the Multi-Dimensional Rating Scale for Illusion of Control in Gambling (EEMDIC), in a large non-clinical sample of adult and aging gamblers, and to clarify how IoC relates to gambling severity, game type, and age. A total of 1,311 participants aged 40-75 completed the EEMDIC, the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), and questions on gambling habits and sociodemographics. Exploratory (n = 649) and confirmatory (n = 662) factor analyses assessed scale structure. ANOVAs, linear regressions, Mann-Whitney U tests, and Spearman correlations examined associations with game category, PGSI scores, education, occupation, and age. Factor analyses supported a reduced 14-item EEMDIC with four coherent factors: Luck, Skill, Strategy, and Rituals/Superstitious Behaviors. Higher EEMDIC scores, especially on primary-control dimensions (Skill, Strategy), were associated with greater gambling severity and engagement in strategic betting (sports, horse racing). Education correlated negatively with IoC, and occupational differences emerged. Age was modestly but significantly associated with lower IoC: it explained ≈ 2.8% of total variance and 0.9-4.1% across factors. Framing on gains or losses showed no age effect after controlling for PGSI. The EEMDIC is a reliable, multidimensional tool distinguishing primary and secondary control beliefs. Findings link primary-control beliefs to gambling harm and show modest age-related declines in IoC. The scale can inform targeted prevention and tailored interventions across game types and sociodemographic groups.
Indexed as
Identifiers
41222758What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.