JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The gaming and gambling overlap have intensified with new evidence emerging. However, the relationship between gaming and gambling in the digital space is still inconclusive. The reality stands that the two are virtually intertwined and has penetrated many developing Asian countries.

Objective:

The present study aims to review available evidence on the possible interaction and focuses specifically on the gateway interaction between gambling and gaming.

Methods:

We performed a scoping review by sifting through the publications to differentiate between reviews, empirical publications, and viewpoint papers. We focused on the gateway interaction and provided a possible pathway model, while the other two interactions were provided for comparison.

Results:

The scoping review identified that a majority of empirical data employed cross-sectional designs. A higher proportion of publications focused on gaming-gambling correlation or comorbidity. The majority of evidence has been coming from Global North countries and almost none coming from Southeast Asia. There has been a paucity of data elaborating the specific risk and protective factors on gateway relationship of gambling and gaming, critically in the virtual world.

Conclusions:

Overall, there is early evidence of linkage between gambling and gaming, through shared structural and biopsychosocial characteristics. This association possibly extends beyond disparate comorbidity, as such engagement in one activity might influence the risk of partaking in the other behavior. The field requires further longitudinal data to determine the directionality and significant associated factors of the gateway effect, particularly evidence from Asia.