As a group of 29 addiction journal editors from 12 countries, we are urgently drawing our readers’ attention to the abrupt and drastic changes in science policy now being enacted by the current US government. We are issuing a clarion call to the addiction science community to reverse the unethical, illegal and unscientific activities of the Trump Administration, and by analogy the activities of other governments that interfere with the pursuit of scientific knowledge to manage addiction-related problems (Balfe 2023, Hall, et al., 2012;). There are three reasons for this call to action. First, the Administration is attempting to censor scientific discourse within peer-reviewed publications. Following President Trump’s Executive Order on “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth,” the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mandated that all scientific manuscripts authored by CDC personnel and currently undergoing peer review be withdrawn so that certain “forbidden terms” relating to gender can be removed (Clark & Abbasi, 2025; Heidt, 2025; Mandavilli, 2025). The terms include ‘gender’, ‘transgender’, ‘pregnant person’, ‘transsexual’ or ‘non-binary’. This is clearly unethical (removing authors who contributed to a publication), possibly illegal (changing an article after copyright has been transferred to a journal), and definitely unscientific (editors should not publish articles that fail to accurately describe sample characteristics in terms of sex, gender and sexual minority composition, where relevant). Censorship by the Administration runs counter to long-standing efforts by the International Society of Addiction Journal Editors (ISAJE) to promote accurate and complete reporting of sex and gender information in scientific research (Heidari, et al., 2016) and to improve gender representation across member journals (Babor, et. al., 2023). Even worse, CDC and other government agencies have removed from public view epidemiological datasets related to a range of health topics, including the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, without explanation or justification (Clark and Abbasi, 2025; Cox, et al., 2025)...

Positive Play describes non-problematic gambling behaviour. The term avoids the ambiguity of the term ‘Responsible Gambling’, and the negative connotations associated with ‘Problem Gambling’. This purpose of the paper was to identify demographic groups who score consistently low on the positive play in order to determine where interventions are most needed. The study is a secondary analysis of general population data, collected online by AskingCanadians on behalf of Ontario Lottery and Gaming that examined data on positive play and harm reduction related to gambling. The paper included the analysis of survey data from players who reported engaging in one of the four target gambling activities (N = 3701): Lotteries (n = 1832), casinos (n = 1272), online (n = 300), and charity bingo (n = 297). People who scored low on all four of the Positive Play scales were more likely to be young, male, single, have a low or middle range income, have at least some university education, and to have been born outside of Canada. In addition, people who scored low on Positive Play scale were more likely to play online games or charity games compared to lotteries. These findings were mostly consistent across game types however due to the small sample sizes for online gamblers and charitable gamblers, some effects did not reach significance. Awareness efforts for Positive Play should be directed at younger players, males, and recent immigrants. In addition, more effort in encouraging Positive Play needs to be directed at online gamblers and bingo gamblers.

This paper examines an innovation by the game industry that makes it possible to earn credits for gift cards while playing video games. This turns video gaming into something like an indirect form of gambling. One spends money to win awards through gift cards. It is indirect because the player spends money on one or more game software applicationss, and then uses a different software application to collect the rewards. For this paper we downloaded one of these payment application and several games to examine how much money one can earn, incentives to spend money, and the potential risk of these applications. Additional issues related to gambling content and advertising in these software applications are also discussed. It is argued that governments regulators need to examine this type of scheme to determine if it is gambling and if regulations are needed to protect consumers, especially youth, and to monitor the integrity of the game.

BACKGROUND:The aim of this paper is to provide a system-level snapshot of the operational status of mental health, substance use, and problem gambling services 2 years into the pandemic in Ontario, Canada, with a specific focus on services that target individuals experiencing vulnerable circumstances (e.g., homelessness and legal issues). METHODS:We examined data from 6038 publicly funded community services that provide mental health, substance use, and problem gambling services in Ontario. We used descriptive statistics to describe counts and percentages by service type and specialisation of service delivery. We generated cross-tabulations to analyse the relationship between the service status and service type for each target population group. RESULTS:As of March 2022, 38.4% (n = 2321) of services were fully operational, including 36.0% (n = 1492) of mental health, 44.1% (n = 1037) of substance use, and 23.4% (n = 78) of problem gambling services. These service disruptions were also apparent among services tailored to sexual/gender identity (women/girls, men/boys, 2SLGBTQQIA + individuals), individuals with legal issues, with acquired brain injury, and those experiencing homelessness. CONCLUSION:Accessible community-based mental health, substance use and problem gambling services are critical supports, particularly for communities that have historically contended with higher needs and greater barriers to care relative to the general population. We discuss the public health implications of the findings for the ongoing pandemic response and future emergency preparedness planning for community-based mental health, substance use and problem gambling services.

In this paper we examine the nature of calls for the Ontario Problem Gambling Helpline from June 2021 to Jan 2023 to determine if the increased marketing of online and sports gambling has changed the nature of calls to the helpline. An interrupted time series model comparing the monthly calls before and after the expansion of online gambling and advertising (April 2023), found a significant effect. Calls related to the other games examined did not have a significant interrupted time series effect of from the expansion and advertising of online gambling. The results of this analysis clearly indicate an association between the expansion of legalized gambling and gambling advertising with the number of people who call the helpline for problem related to online gambling.

None

Background : During the Covid-19 pandemic, online gambling venues remained accessible while treatment services were met with constraints. Mental health service providers needed to adapt quickly to continue supporting clients. This exploratory study examined the experiences of problem gambling counsellors and other treatment professionals who worked throughout the Covid-19 pandemic in terms of (1) how they were impacted by the pandemic, (2) about how they adapted to the pandemic, and (3) their training needs in order to be better prepared for future pandemics. Method : Counsellors in Canada were surveyed using closed and open-ended questions. The study was conducted in two waves, one in May to July 2021 in the middle of the pandemic, and the second from April to June 2022 as many public health restrictions were being removed and the casinos were being reopened. Results : The results indicated increases in counsellor distress during the pandemic. In addition, the counsellors also reported increased stress in their clients. The participants reported a shift towards phone and online treatment during the pandemic but also expressed a need for additional training on remote counselling methods. The counsellors reported concerns over technological issues, privacy issues and problems with keeping clients engaged. There were also concerns regarding populations who do may not have access to technology such as homeless people and seniors. Conclusions : There is a need for research to define best practices for remote methods of counselling.

Objective and Method:Electronic gambling machines are a prominent cause of significant gambling harms globally. We use simulations of a simplified video poker game to show how changes in game volatility, defined primarily by the size of the main prize, affect patterns of wins and losses as well as winning streaks.Results:We found that in low- and medium volatility games the proportion of winning players quickly drops to zero after about 30 h of play, while in the high volatility game 5% of players are still winning after playing for 100 h. However, the proportion of winning streaks was significantly higher in the low- and medium volatility games compared with high volatility: the simulated players were on a winning streak about 26.3, 25.6 and 18% of the time in the low-, medium- and high volatility games, respectively.Conclusions:Fast-paced video poker with varying volatility levels but identical return-to-player rates and win frequencies can yield highly different result patterns across individuals. These patterns may be counter-intuitive for players and difficult to realize without simulations and visualizations. We argue that the findings have relevance for responsible gambling communication and for building a better understanding of how cognitive biases influence gambling behaviour.

This issue of the Journal of gambling issues, included 4 papers that focus on how Covid-19 effected problem gamblers. One paper is a systematic review, two papers use qualitative methodology to examine the impact of covid, and the fourth paper uses a combination of survey and open-ended questions to explore the impact of covid on treatment professionals. The results suggest that Covid-19 had a relatively positive effect on problem gamblers and their families, but many returned to gambling once the lockdown restrictions were relaxed.

Purpose: This project is focused on the social determinants of health associated with problem gambling and examined gambling-related disparities and the determinants of negative health outcomes. Social determinants include social class education, ethnic group, age, and sex (Elton-Marshall, et al., 2017). The main aims of the study were as follows: Aim 1: In this study, we used the large data set to determine subpopulations who are experiencing social inequity (e.g., youth, older adults, women, Black people and other minority ethnic groups, and people with low income; see Elton-Marshall, et al., 2017) to determine how much they are impacted by gambling. Aim 2: We tested the data as an interaction model to see if there are disparities in the impact of gambling by sociodemographic variables. The analysis included tests of the factorial structure of the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) across subpopulations (e.g., young vs. old, low-income vs. higher income, and Scotland vs England). Aim 3: In addition, we conducted interviews with a small number of key stakeholders who were treatment providers or administrators of problem gambling services to discuss the research findings and to help us understand the data and develop a dissemination plan. Methodology: This project consisted of a secondary analysis of the “Gambling in England and Scotland, 2016: Combined Data from the Health Survey for England and the Scottish Health Survey.” We concatenated the data from 2012, 2014, and 2016. This study is a secondary analysis of a large data set. The project incorporated a series of statistical analysis including logistic regression, multinominal regression, cluster analysis and confirmatory factor analysis and to explore the relationship between gambling and social and demographic variables. Results: Based on our analysis combining the DSM and PGSI, about half a percent of the adults in England and Scotland met the threshold for a severe gambling problem. In terms of gambling behaviors, the most common games were national lottery tickets, scratch cards, and other lotteries. As expected, social and demographic variables were both significantly associated with problem gambling. Significant social and demographic risk factors for problem gambling include sex (male), age (being younger, 25 to 34), marital status (being single or never married), social class (manual and routine labour), ethnic /racial group (Black or other), and education (lower levels of education). In addition, being a heavy drinker, a current smoker and having a lower level of Wellbeing were also related to problem gambling. Although the results suggest that people in Scotland gamble somewhat more often especially on lotteries, Country (England vs. Scotland) was not associated with gambling problems. In terms of games played, according to the logistic regression, the largest association was for electronic gambling machines (EGMs), followed by Sports gambling and then online gambling. The interaction of games with sex is interesting suggesting that the male vs. female differences is smaller for EGMs and online gambling, but larger for sports gambling. As Part of Aim 2, we tested the psychometric properties of the PGSI gambling inventory and found that the PGSI was a valid construct for measuring problem gambling in the United Kingdom (UK). Moreover, we found that the PGSI scale operated similarly for respondents from both England and Scotland, suggesting generalisability across the UK. In terms of Aim 3, the key stakeholder interviews, most of the stakeholders felt that the reported frequencies were lower than they expected and questioned the accuracy of the prevalence estimates. Several stakeholders noted that some ethnic communities (Chinese, Muslims) were not adequately represented in the survey, and speculated that this was due to under reporting. Several stakeholders also suggested that the prevalence of gambling problems among women who gamble may be higher than males who gamble, however analysis did not support this view. In terms of directions for future research, the stakeholders suggested the need to better understand the impact of trauma on gambling, the potential side effects of medication(s), and a more comprehensive examination of environmental factors during childhood that increase the risk of problem gambling during adulthood. Overall, the stakeholders felt that the results provide useful information but note that more research is needed to better understand gambling problems. Finally, several stakeholders believed that both government and industry should do more to help reduce problem gambling; however, one stakeholder cautioned that over regulation could backfire and push gamblers to non-regulated gambling sites. Conclusions: The results of this research provide a detailed examination of the association between problem gambling and the social determinants of health in the UK. In summary, the key findings are that social and demographic risk factors for problem gambling include sex (male), age (being younger, 25 to 34), marital status (being single or never married), social class (manual and routine labour), ethnic /racial group (Black or other), education (lower levels of education), are significant factors in determining problem gambling. In addition, being a heavy drinker, a current smoker and having a lower level of Wellbeing, more psychological distress, and a greater rate of mental health problems, were also related to problem gambling. This knowledge will help to inform public health strategies in the UK related to the prevention and treatment of gambling disorders, as well as the prevention of gambling-related harm at the population level and for different groups (e.g., age groups, income groups, ethnic groups). Implications: 1. Problem gamblers are more likely to have lower levels of education, were less likely to be in managerial work, and in terms of ethnic group were Black or other. 2. Problem gamblers are physically healthy, but have an elevated risk of mental health problems, have a poorer sense of well-being and are more likely to smoke or engage in heavy drinking. 3. The results found that country (England vs. Scotland) was not associated with differences in gambling problems, however, people in Scotland gamble somewhat more often especially on Lotteries. 4. In terms of Aim 2, the results suggest that the PGSI is a valid measure of gambling in the Great Britain and that it is equally valid for both England and Scotland. 5. Non-problem gamblers appear to be a relatively healthy population and had the best scores in terms of mental health and well-being, though the contrasts with non-gamblers were trivial. 6. Non-problem gamblers had a somewhat greater rate of smoking, heavy drinking and obesity compared to non-gamblers suggesting they may have more health problems eventually. Effort should be made to encourage more physical activity amongst recreational gamblers.

Objective: Most people with gambling-related problems do not seek treatment.Possible barriers to seeking treatment include stigma, travel distance, and competing obligations (e.g., childcare).Online group therapy may help reduce some of these barriers.Method: The current paper presents a small case study to assess the feasibility of an 8-week online group therapy program.This program called Skills for Change Online was designed as an introduction to treatment using a cognitive behavior therapy approach.It includes teaching coping skills, mindfulness, dealing with erroneous beliefs and emotions.Sixteen people consented to participate in the study, three were included in the group, but only two participants completed the treatment.The group was evaluated using a longitudinal case study design (pre-test, post-test, with a 1-year follow-up).In addition, 8 waitlist controls completed the follow-up up survey.Measures included the Problem Gambling Screening Index (PGSI), Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Random Events Knowledge Test (REKT), Perceived Social Support (PSS), Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6), and Quality of Life (QLI).Results: Both participants reported increases in their MAAS (d =.56), and REKT scores (d =1.06), and decreases in problem gambling, and gambling craving (d =-0.30) after treatment.In addition, both participants had clinically significant decreases in PGSI scores dropping from a severe problem gambling to a moderate level of gambling problems.These positive outcomes were sustained according to a 12-month follow-up survey.Participants provided feedback during treatment, that the treatment services were helpful but also discussed technological challenges involved in online group therapy.A group of participants who were not included in the treatment showed less overall improvement in gambling, mindfulness based on the MAAS and knowledge of random chance based on the REKT.Conclusion: The results are encouraging.However, the sample is very small and there is a need for further research with larger samples and randomized controlled designs.The difficulties of running on-line groups are discussed.

The prevalence of problem gambling in the correctional system is about 10 times higher than in the general population, but programming for gambling problems in the correctional system is scarce. Examined barriers to treatment for problem gamblers in the correctional system, sex or gender differences, and options for program design. We conducted interviews with 16 experts who had worked with problem gamblers in the correctional system and analyzed the data in terms of themes. For barriers, the experts discussed a lack of awareness about problem gambling, as well as stigmatization and lockdowns. Experts described the content of current programs as equally applicable to both men and women, but that emotional components were more important for women. Finally, the experts had mixed views on whether programming should be integrated with other programs such as substance abuse. Programming implications for this population are discussed.

This paper examines the items of two scales, the Random Events Knowledge Test (REKT) and the Chance Test, and examines their relationship with problem gambling (N = 1375). Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, the REKT was broken down into four sub-scales: Due to Win, Counterintuitive Nature of random chance, Odds Do Not Improve, and Biases and Wins. The Chance Test was broken down into three sub-scales: abstract Odds, Table Odds, and Chance Odds. These sub-scales were regressed onto of problem gambling severity and revealed that more knowledge about random chance on all sub-scales of the REKT and Abstract Odds from the Chance Test were negatively related to problem gambling. On the other hand, we found that higher score on the Table Odds and Chance Odds from the Chance Test were positively related to problem gambling. The results illustrate that compared to people who do not have a gambling problem, problem gamblers have a more accurate understanding of some aspects of the chances of winning specific games, but have a poorer understanding of various implications of the independence of random events. The findings suggest potential strategies for the prevention and treatment of problem gambling.

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed major strains on programs and organizations designed to help those in crisis. It has also significantly impacted the gambling industry, with incredible shortfalls for traditional land-based gambling, and concurrent record profits in online gambling platforms. The current study explores trends in the calls to gambling crisis helplines in Ontario using interrupted time-series analyses to examine the impact of the pandemic on problem gambling. We found that gambling helpline calls decreased dramatically with the onset of the pandemic. There was also a shift in the types of games people reported playing; the decrease in calls were more pronounced for electronic gambling machines than for gambling related to sports and card games. We also found that the proportion of younger adult callers increased during this time. Taken together, the results from this study indicate a reduction in calls to the Ontario gambling helpline, as well as a shift in the types of gambling people engaged in. The effects of the pandemic on gambling behaviours should continue to be monitored to better understand how it has translated into gambling and non-gambling-related harms.