Examining factors that hinder the efficacy of responsible gambling messages: modeling predictors and effects of responsible gambling message fatigue

Seth P. McCullock, Eric R. Louderback and Debi A. LaPlante

International Gambling Studies, 2025, vol. 25, issue 1, 46-64

Abstract: Message fatigue is an aversive psychological state that is characterized as feelings of boredom resulting from repeated exposure to messages promoting the same health behavior. Because responsible gambling messages are widely distributed, it is possible that feelings of fatigue could reduce their efficacy. This cross-sectional study of N = 822 U.S. adults recruited from an online panel (i.e. Amazon’s Mechanical Turk) explores potential predictors of fatigue and examines the effects of fatigue on gambling related outcomes through reactance and inattention using a structural equation modeling approach. The results indicated that industry employment history, problem gambling status, and gambling frequency emerged as significant predictors of fatigue. Fatigue was significantly associated with participants’ psychological reactance and inattention to responsible gambling messages. Both reactance and inattention were associated with participants’ gambling intentions and intentions to share responsible gambling messages with others. Responsible gambling messages could be improved by using strategies that can help to mitigate feelings of fatigue.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/14459795.2024.2409430

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International Gambling Studies is currently edited by Katie Donnelly, David Marshall, Bronwyn Stuart, Alex Blaszczynski and Jan McMillen

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