Longitudinal Assessment of Changes in Gambling and Co-morbid Substance Use and Risky Online Behaviours During the COVID-19 Pandemic Casino Closures [Funder: Carleton University COVID-19 Rapid Research Response Grants]

In late March 2020, due to mounting concern over the COVID-19 pandemic, the gambling industry took the unprecedented step to close gambling venues worldwide. The result for gamblers was a sudden reduction in access to gambling. A recent survey of gamblers in Ontario, conducted by the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC), found high rates of negative economic impacts, increased reports of depression, anxiety, and substance use, as well as risky behaviours such as online gambling. In the proposed program of research, we will conduct a secondary analysis of the RGC data and a second wave of data collection with the participants from the RGC study to examine changes in mood, anxiety, substance use and a variety of online behaviours, including gambling, occurring throughout the pandemic and the continued closure of land-based gambling venues. Results will yield critical information about possible addiction substitution during COVID-19, and the means of mitigating casino-closure associated harms.