Watch and yearn? Effects of watching gambling livestreams on cravings.

BACKGROUND

Gambling content on streaming platforms has gained popularity. Given their intense, cue-laden nature, watching gambling streams may trigger cravings among viewers. At the same time, people who gamble may be motivated to watch gambling streams in an attempt to regulate their cravings.

METHODS

We tested these ideas across two preregistered online studies, recruiting i) people who gamble to compare a subgroup of gambling stream viewers with non-viewers (Study 1; nviewers = 221, nnon-viewers = 642), and ii) a group of gambling stream viewers (Study 2; nviewers = 271).

RESULTS

Gambling stream viewers were younger, tended to identify as men, and displayed higher levels of problem gambling and gambling cravings compared to non-viewers. Problem gambling severity was correlated positively with both the motivation to use gambling streams to regulate cravings and with cravings elicited by watching gambling streams.

DISCUSSION: Our findings indicate that while viewers with higher levels of problem gambling may use gambling streams to regulate their cravings, doing so might evoke cravings.