Study backs Norwegian gambling operator’s personalised intervention measures

The research suggests that state-owned Norsk Tipping’s personalised calls to at-risk gamblers can lead to measurable reductions in gambling behaviour.

Norway.- A new study has found that personalised intervention calls to at-risk gamblers can lead to measurable reductions in gambling behaviour. They can be particularly effective when early warning signs are addressed, the research found.

The study was conducted by the state-owned monopoly gambling operator Norsk Tipping using account data from 4,752 customers who were contacted between 2022 and 2024 as part of its duty-of-care programme. Researchers compared gambling activity in the 12 weeks before and after call attempts.

Of the gamblers contacted, 68.2 per cent answered at least one call, while 57.3 per cent completed a full conversation. The study found consistent declines across several indicators, including days gambled, total wagers, net losses, theoretical loss, and number of deposits. The most pronounced reductions were seen in days gambled, net losses, and theoretical loss.

Stronger effects were observed among players flagged by the operator’s risk-assessment tool Spillepuls, which identifies heavy losers among young players as well as new customers with large losses, and those escalating into high-risk categories. Customers who completed calls showed greater reductions in gambling, with variations depending on the trigger.

During these conversations, 43.7 per cent of participants chose to lower their loss limits, 12.6 per cent opted for self-exclusion, and 0.7 per cent chose to take a temporary break. Limit reductions were especially common among self-referring customers (60.7 per cent) and younger players. Those who adjusted their limits subsequently showed sharper declines in gambling activity compared to those who did not.

The findings highlight that action on early-risk indicators like Spillepuls flags, recent high-risk escalation, self-referral, or large losses among young/new customers led to higher engagement and greater reductions in gambling. In contrast, players with more entrenched high-risk patterns were less responsive to a single call.

Norsk Tipping began making personalised calls to at-risk gamblers over a decade ago in 2015. Calls are triggered by factors such as significant losses within certain age groups or high losses among newly registered players. Persistent or recent high-risk status identified by Playscan, another monitoring tool, can also prompt interventions.

Staff use a motivational interview approach, making up to three attempts per customer. The study concludes that proactive outreach appears to be an effective tool in reducing harmful gambling behaviour, particularly when applied early and tailored to risk signals.