Mobile App Sports Betting and Daily Emotions (MADE)

Gambling to cope with negative emotions is a risk factor for developing problem gambling. With the accessibility of mobile app sports betting, gambling to cope with the regular ups and downs of the day is now possible and even encouraged by in-app, gamified features. To understand how negative emotions and mobile app sports betting are related, we propose to study college students and student athletes ages 18-25 with an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol. In short, participants will report their mood via text message several times daily for a period of two weeks, and we will compare mood to their real-world betting behavior submitted through an app data upload. This work will give us insights into the timing and trajectory of mobile app sports betting to cope with negative emotions, which can inform the development and delivery of just-in-time interventions throughout the day.