Study finds almost half of Norsk Tipping ‘care call’ recipients reduced gambling loss limits

A Norwegian study has revealed that tailored proactive calls to at-risk gamblers can significantly decrease gambling activity, especially when early problem behaviour warning signs are acted upon.

The study, released by Norsk Tipping analysed player account data for 4,752 of its customers targeted for duty-of-care calls between 2022 to 2024. NT, Norway’s state-run gambling monopoly has been conducting care calls since 2015.

The researchers compared gambling behaviour over the 12 weeks before and after call attempts. Around 68.2% of customers answered at least one call attempt with 57.3% completing a successful call.

Behavioural impact of care calls

Across the full sample, significant reductions were seen post-call in several gambling indicators. These included days gambled, total wagers, net losses, theoretical loss and number of deposits. The effect sizes were small to moderate but consistent.

The greatest reductions were found across number of days gambled, net losses and theoretical loss.

Stronger effects were found for players flagged by the operator’s risk-assessment tool Spillepuls – young big losers, new customers with large losses and those recently escalating to high-risk.

Analysis of customers who completed calls showed larger effects on gambling reduction, with similar variation by trigger.

Uptake of responsible gambling measures

The study showed that during calls, 43.7% of customers chose to reduce their loss limits, while 12.6% opted for self-exclusion and 0.7% took a temporary pause from gambling.

Loss limit reductions were more common among self-referring customers (60.7%) and younger players.

Players reducing limits during calls exhibited larger subsequent declines in gambling activity compared to those who did not adjust their limits.

Early-risk indicators (e.g., Spillepuls flags, recent high-risk escalation, self-referral, or large losses among young/new customers) are associated with higher engagement and larger gambling reductions.

Conversely, customers with persistent high-risk gambling patterns were less responsive to a single call.

Method

Calls during the time period were triggered when players suffered big losses within a specific age bracket, or when the operator flagged high losses among newly registered players.

Other key indicators that prompted calls were persistent or recent high-risk status, according to NT’s Playscan tool, which served to reinforce the flags from the company’s real-time self-assessment tool (Spillepuls).

Calls were conducted using a motivational interviewing approach, with trained staff making up to three call attempts per customer.