The following projects investigated the impact of COVID-19 on gambling in Victoria.
Catalyst or circuit-breaker? A prospective cohort study to assess COVID-19’s effects on relationships between gambling availability, gambling behaviour, harm and social, psychological and financial wellbeing
- Professor Nerilee Hing
- CQUniversity
- $146,501
This project measured the impact of changed gambling availability on gambling behaviour and harm, the psychosocial, financial and demographic characteristics associated with different transitions, and sought to identify the determinants of harm and wellbeing. The project aimed to understand if COVID-19 and the change to the gambling environment acted as a catalyst to further harm or acted as a circuit breaker to facilitate natural recovery. An online, prospective longitudinal cohort study was completed across 3 waves, with data captured before, during, shortly after, and approximately 12 months after the initial lockdown.
Economic insecurity and gambling behaviours in Victoria in the COVID-19 society
- Professor Lisa Farrell
- RMIT University
- $127,085
This project aimed to understand the complex relationships between economic insecurity and gambling behaviours within the context of the Victorian gambling landscape and the COVID-19 economic impacts. It explored how both economic insecurity in the global economy (the macroeconomic environment), and personal economic insecurity can impact on individual health and wellbeing and can act as a trigger for gambling behaviours and associated harm.
How Victorian venue gamblers kept busy during COVID-19 venue closures: Can substituted leisure activities reduce gambling urges and the risk of gambling harm?
- Sarah Hare
- Schottler Consulting
- $125330.00
This project examined the substitution of leisure activities by gamblers while gaming venues were closed during COVID-19. The aim of this project was to understand if substituted leisure activities undertaken by venue-based gamblers during lockdown can reduce gambling urges and the risk of harm. The study examined both adaptive (i.e. hobbies, exercise, relationships with others) and potentially maladaptive activities (i.e. shift to online gambling, increased alcohol consumption). This mixed methods project consisted of qualitative interviews and an online survey of venue-based gamblers.
Preventing a new epidemic during a pandemic: The influence of COVID-19 related stressors on gambling behaviour in the moment and in the real world
- Associate Professor Nicki Dowling
- Deakin University
- $99,994
This project assessed the impact of COVID-19 stressors such as mental health concerns, consumption of alcohol and other drugs, social isolation, financial stress, relationship conflict and the experience of family violence on gambling behaviour. The project aimed to identify risk and protective factors that increase/decrease the risk of gambling in response to these stressors and to examine the medium-term effects of these stressors on gambling behaviour and harmful gambling among a cohort of regular gamblers.
Online gambling in a world changed by COVID-19; trajectories for people in the Sunraysia Aboriginal community
- Associate Professor Sarah MacLean
- La Trobe University
- $50,828
This project investigated the pathways in and out of online gambling during and after COVID-19 lockdowns in a community known to be at risk of harm; Aboriginal Victorians in the Sunraysia region. The project aimed to identify the social and cultural contexts in which levels of harm from online gambling increase, stabilise or abate after COVID-19.
Focus on families: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the harms and support needs of families and friends of gamblers
- Dr Stephanie Merkouris, Early career researcher, mentored by Associate Professor Nicki Dowling
- Deakin University
- $49,906
This project aimed to explore the impact of COVID-19 on the harms and support needs of families and friends of gamblers. It examined how COVID-19 and related stressors (e.g., stress and trauma, social isolation, job loss and economic insecurity) impacted gambling behaviour and harm experienced by gamblers, the harms experienced by affected others due to changes in the gambler during this time, and how affected others attempted to support the gambler and themselves during this period.