A recent study conducted in Norway indicates that proactive, personalized calls to at-risk gamblers can effectively reduce their gambling activity. This research, which analyzed player data from Norsk Tipping, the country’s state-owned gambling operator, focused on 4,752 customers who received duty-of-care calls from 2022 to 2024. Norsk Tipping has been initiating these care calls since 2015.
The analysis revealed that approximately 68.2% of customers engaged with at least one call attempt, while 57.3% successfully completed a call. The study assessed gambling behavior by comparing data from the 12 weeks prior to the calls with the 12 weeks following them.
Post-call, participants showed marked reductions in several key gambling metrics, including the number of days gambled, total wagers, net losses, theoretical loss, and the number of deposits made. Though the effect sizes ranged from small to moderate, they were consistently observed. The most substantial decreases were noted in the frequency of days gambled, net losses, and theoretical loss.
Particularly noteworthy were the stronger impacts on players identified by Norsk Tipping’s risk-assessment tool, Spillepuls, including young players with significant losses, new customers experiencing high losses, and individuals recently escalating to high-risk categories. Customers who completed calls exhibited more pronounced reductions in gambling activity, showing variability based on their risk triggers.
During these interactions, 43.7% of customers opted to lower their loss limits, 12.6% chose to self-exclude, and 0.7% took temporary breaks from gambling. Reductions in loss limits were particularly prevalent among self-referring customers, with a high of 60.7% and among younger players. Those who adjusted their limits during the calls showed more significant declines in their gambling behavior compared to those who did not.
The study also highlighted that early-risk indicators, such as flags from Spillepuls, recent escalations in high-risk behavior, self-referrals, or substantial losses among younger or new players, correlated with higher engagement and greater reductions in gambling activity. In contrast, customers exhibiting chronic high-risk patterns showed less responsiveness to a solitary call.
Calls were initiated when players experienced large losses that fell within specific age categories or when newly registered players were flagged for high losses. Other triggers included persistent or recent high-risk status, utilizing insights from Norsk Tipping’s Playscan tool. These calls were approached through motivational interviewing techniques, with trained personnel attempting up to three times to reach each customer.
