Talebi F, Bazrafshan F. Effectiveness of preventive gambling interventions in adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Addict Behav. Nov 2025;170:108436. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108436
This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the effectiveness of gambling prevention interventions targeting adolescents. This paper aimed to examine factors influencing outcomes, and offer recommendations for future programs. Studies were included if they were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-experimental designs with adolescents aged 12–18, and provided sufficient statistical data (e.g., 95% confidence interval, standard error, or standard deviation) at baseline and post-intervention for both treatment and control groups. Exclusion criteria included lack of a control group, missing essential data, or use of purely observational designs. The final analysis included 15 studies (14 RCTs and one quasi-experimental) with a total of 4,201 participants (2,562 intervention; 1,639 control). While these studies generally followed a parallel design, many exhibited methodological weaknesses such as unclear allocation concealment, absence of blinding, and limited reporting of adherence and dropout rates, leading to a moderate risk of bias. As a result, the overall certainty of evidence was low, and current findings do not robustly support the effectiveness of gambling prevention programs for adolescents. A discrepancy emerged between subgroup and meta-regression analyses. Subgroup results showed no significant differences in outcomes based on session number, duration, or intervention type, whereas meta-regression revealed a negative linear trend—suggesting that longer, more intensive interventions were less effective. These findings imply that concise, engaging, and well-structured programs may be more beneficial for adolescents than lengthy ones. The review concludes by emphasizing the need for future research to strengthen methodological rigor, refine intervention design, and examine long-term effects.