Who makes in-play bets? Investigating the demographics, psychological characteristics, and gambling-related harms of in-play sports bettors

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Sports betting has increased markedly in recent years, in part due to legislative changes and the introduction of novel forms of sports betting (e.g., in-play betting). Some evidence suggests that in-play betting is more harmful than other types of sports betting (i.e., traditional and single-event). However, existing research on in-play sports betting has been limited in scope. To address this gap, the present study examined the extent to which demographic, psychological, and gambling-related constructs (e.g., harms) are endorsed by in-play sports bettors relative to single-event and traditional sports bettors. METHODS: Sports bettors (N = 920) aged 18+ from Ontario, Canada completed an online survey containing self-report measures of demographic, psychological, and gambling-related variables. Participants were classified as either in-play (n = 223), single-event (n = 533), or traditional bettors (n = 164) based on their sports betting engagement. RESULTS: In-play sports bettors reported higher problem gambling severity, endorsed greater gambling-related harms across several domains, and reported greater mental health and substance use difficulties compared to single-event and traditional sports bettors. There were generally no differences between single-event and traditional sports bettors. DISCUSSION: Results provide empirical support for the potential harms associated with in-play sports betting and inform our understanding of who may be at risk for increased harms associated with in-play betting. CONCLUSIONS: Findings may be important for the development of public health and responsible gambling initiatives to reduce the potential harms of in-play betting, particularly as many jurisdictions globally move towards legalization of sports betting.