EPA-0464 – Tracking and Treatment of Online Problem and Pathologic Poker Gamblers: Cross-sectional Assessment Followed by an Internet-based Randomized Controlled Trial of Brief-interventions Protocol Presentation

Abstract

Introduction:

Internet-based randomized controlled-trial is an emergent design that could be particularly pertinent in problem and pathologic online gamblers.

Aim:

The proposed design of this first online randomized controlled trial among moderate risk problem and pathologic online poker gamblers with a naturalistic recruitment on the online poker operator website Winamax.

Objectives:

The first part of the study is a cross sectional phase, aiming to identify a screening tool of moderate risk problem and pathologic gambling among routine registered-by- operator data by comparison to the clinical diagnosis tool ‘Canadian Pathological Gambling Index’ (CPGI). The second part is an interventional phase, aiming to assess efficacy of 3 internet-based brief interventions on problem gamblers at 6 and 12 weeks compared.

Methods:

The cross sectional phase will be proposed systematically to all online problem poker gamblers. The interventional phase will be proposed to all online problem poker gamblers with a CPGI score ≥ 5. Subjects will be randomized in 4 groups: 1. Control= waiting list; 2. email with personal normative information ; 3. self-help program to be downloaded (based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interview) ; 4. Same program provided by weekly email contacts with a psychologist. The first judgment criterion will be the decrease in CPGI at six weeks.

Conclusion:

The perspectives of this study are to enhance problem and pathologic online gamblers profiling by operators by proposing a surrogate endpoint of problem and pathologic gambling and to propose an easy, acceptable, minimal-efficient online behavioral intervention to problem and pathologic gamblers.