NCT07028450

Effects of Proactive Call to Customers of Norsk Rikstoto (Horse Gambling Operator in Norway): A Randomized Controlled Study

Effects of Proactive Calls: A Randomized Controlled Study

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 195 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Bergen · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 50 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Customers/gamblers gambling at Norsk Rikstoto (gambling monopolist in Norway providing horse gambling products with potential gambling problems will be randomly allocated to receive a proactive phone call (encouraging them to change their gambling behavior - e.g., be lowering the loss limit) or to a control condition. Outcomes will be short and long terms registered gambling behavior.

Detailed description

Norsk Rikstoto (gambling monopolist in Norway providing horse gambling products) enforces registered play, hence all gambling transactions and outcomes of stakes of all customers are registered and stored for 5 years. Based on daily algorithms high risk gamblers are identified. Gamblers 18-50 years who for at least 5 of the last 30 days have been identified as high risk gamblers will according to a 1.5:1 ratio be allocated to a proactive call condition or to a control condition. The call will be based on principles from motivating interviewing and will contain encouragements to alter gambling behavior (e.g., lowering loss limits). Primary outcome comprises theoretical loss (total bet x house advantage ((100% - payback%) / 100)). Secondary outcomes comprises total stakes made by the customer and loss percentage (proportion of stake that is lost). Baseline data comprises gambling behavior the 30 days before the call. Short-term effects comprise cumulative registered gambling behavior the first 90 days after the call whereas long-term effects consist of cumulative registered gambling behavior day 91-180 after the call. A random block design will be used where 15 eligible customers each week will be allocated either to the proactive call condition (n=9) or to the control condition (n=6).

Conditions

• Gambling Problem

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Proactive call	The proactive call will be based on the principles of motivational interviewing. The content of the call comprises: 1) Asking the gambler/recipient to reflect on their gambling behavior, 2) providing to the gambler/recipient an overview of their gambling account and financial history, 3) offering to the gambler/recipient information about responsible gambling tools, such as setting lower limits, locking limits, taking a break, or self-exclusion, and 4) providing to the gambler/recipient information about relevant support services and the Gamban tool in cases where a need is expressed.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-02-23
• Primary completion: 2026-12-31
• Completion: 2026-12-31
• First posted: 2025-06-19
• Last updated: 2026-02-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Norway