It can be hard to measure the impact of problem gambling prevention and treatment efforts, especially at a time when gambling — and reported instances of gambling addiction — are on a rapid rise. But thanks to the development of a comprehensive database of helpline calls initiated by the California Council on Problem Gambling (CALPG) — in conjunction with TELUS Health — there is now a framework for analyzing data on a granular level.
The database captures California helpline data dating back to 1998. While data was collected voluntarily, meaning not every caller answered questions, the database is exhaustive, amassing approximately 55,000 calls to the helpline. New data is added monthly.
The data, which can be viewed at www.calpg.org/hidd, can be sliced and diced in numerous ways. Some of these aspects include: age; gender; ethnicity; primary gambling preference; caller language; stage of change; education level; age of first gambling experience; and type of gambler (action or escape).
“The value in the database is that we can analyze it based on changes in targeted helpline marketing efforts as well as identify new trends,” says Robert Jacobson, executive director of the CALPG who helped develop the dashboard. For example, Robert noted that the impact of resources aimed at increasing engagement with California’s Hispanic community could be seen in the data through the use of different filters.
Although California gambling helpline data doesn’t necessarily reflect behavior in other states, including Minnesota, it’s likely that the trends are significant. Here are some findings from the data:
· Helpline volume (calls, texts and chats) reached its lowest point in 2020 due to the pandemic. However, total contacts (text, chat and calls) in 2023 increased by 25% compared to 2019.
· Forty-one percent of people in the 46-55 age group chose to enroll in motivational text messaging when given the option, compared to about 38% each in the 26-35 and 36-45 age groups, and 35% in the 18-25 group.
· Only 4.4% of helpline callers reported having a problem with gambling on the lottery in 2009. That has increased to 8.7% in 2024, nearly double.
· Day stock traders represented 0.1% of calls in 2009 but, possibly due to crypto trading, has increased nearly twentyfold to just under 2% of calls year to date.
· Since 2009, sports betting callers have increased from 2.2% to 11.8%, an increase of more than five times, despite sports betting not being legal in California.
· Thirty percent of 5,576 help seekers since 2018 said that playing video games has cost them more time or money than they can afford.
The TELUS data analysis model, first conceptualized by California, has been rolled out to several states, including Minnesota, which has a basic version.
The potential of the database is immense. “Our vision is for the database to be consolidated with as many states as are willing to participate,” says Robert. “That will give us an even better picture of gambling behavior.”