Drawing Problem Gamblers’ Profile in Italy: A Comprehensive Categorization from a Behavioral, Psychological, and Socio-demographic Perspective

In recent years, the problem gambling rate has increased in international and national contexts. Meanwhile, the attention devoted to responsible and safe gambling has risen in academic and institutional areas, aiming to define mitigation actions to prevent the problem gambling phenomenon. In such a scenario, literature has highlighted the need to distinguish players based on their unique characteristics, considering demographics and behavioral, psychological, and physiological specificities. Furthermore, the psychographic segmentation of players is paramount for companies actively promoting safe gambling, giving them critical information to design customized interventions and programs. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify different profiles of players, target those who can be labeled as problematic players, and differentiate them in terms of socio-demographics, behavioral and psychological aspects. A survey was carried out between December 2021 and January 2022 involving the online customer base of Sisal, a company operating in the gambling industry. The subsequent analysis focused only on those respondents who displayed maladaptive gambling behaviors, with a final sample of 1118 individuals. A k-means cluster analysis identified three distinctive profiles: cluster 1 (“The Relax Seekers”) was composed of players who see gambling as a way to unwind and relax; cluster 2 (“The Disappointed Gain-Oriented”) included people who are driven mainly by the desire to win and who tend to worsen their emotional state after playing; last, in cluster 3 (“The Adrenaline-Filled”) individuals are driven mainly by the pursuit of excitement and strong emotions, without a recognition of any potential risk. Leveraging these results, practical implications are discussed that address the specific features of each group in the design of promotion and prevention activities, campaigns, and interventions.