Gambling in the Digital Age | Tampere universities

Much of gambling nowadays takes place online. The aim of the Gambling in the Digital Age (2021-2024) -research project is to analyze new forms of gambling among Finnish people, particularly focusing on the role of the internet in gambling and the possible risks involved in the new forms of gambling. The research project investigates how the internet has changed Finnish people’s gambling habits and what is the role of the internet in Finnish people’s gambling practices today. Increased gambling on the internet has enabled the formation of virtual communities around gambling, which may extend problem gambling.

The project also examines the fusion between gambling and digital gaming by analyzing multiple-wave survey data. In addition to traditional and new forms of gambling, the project takes into consideration digital games that necessitate using money to play and gambling problems of digital gamers.

In addition, the project investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Finnish people’s gambling and digital gaming habits and problems related to gambling and gaming. The pandemic has significantly transformed the everyday life of Finnish people and it is likely that the crisis has sped up the rate at which gamblers have moved to play on the internet. During social isolation and distancing, social networks and resources available on the internet may have become exceedingly important. This may have also increased the motivation to gamble and spend money on digital gaming and gambling.