Gaming disorder and the COVID-19 pandemic: Treatment demand and service delivery challenges

Daniel L King; Sophia Achab; Susumu Higuchi; Henrietta Bowden-Jones; Kai W Müller; Joël Billieux; Vladan Starcevic; John B Saunders; Philip Tam; Paul H Delfabbro

doi:10.1556/2006.2022.00011

Gaming disorder and the COVID-19 pandemic: Treatment demand and service delivery challenges

J Behav Addict. 2022 Apr 12;11(2):243-248. doi: 10.1556/2006.2022.00011. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Daniel L King¹, Sophia Achab^{2

3}, Susumu Higuchi⁴, Henrietta Bowden-Jones^{5

6

7}, Kai W Müller⁸, Joël Billieux^{9

10}, Vladan Starcevic¹¹, John B Saunders¹², Philip Tam¹³, Paul H Delfabbro¹⁴

Affiliations

¹ 1 College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Australia.
² 2 Outpatient Centre for Behavioral Addictions ReConnecte, Addiction Division, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland.
³ 3 Clinical and Sociological Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
⁴ 4 National Hospital Organization Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center, Yokosuka, Japan.
⁵ 5 National Centre for Gaming Disorders, United Kingdom.
⁶ 6 Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom.
⁷ 7 Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge University, United Kingdom.
⁸ 8 Outpatient Clinic for Behavioral Addictions, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy at the University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany.
⁹ 9 Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
¹⁰ 10 Centre for Excessive Gambling, Addiction Medicine, Lausanne University Hospitals (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.
¹¹ 11 University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Medical School, Nepean Clinical School, Sydney, Australia.
¹² 12 National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
¹³ 13 The Psych Matters Clinic, Concord, Sydney, Australia.
¹⁴ 14 School of Psychology, The University of Adelaide, Australia.

Abstract

Gaming activities have conferred numerous benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, some individuals may be at greater risk of problem gaming due to disruption to adaptive routines, increased anxiety and/or depression, and social isolation. This paper presents a summary of 2019-2021 service data from specialist addiction centers in Germany, Switzerland, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Treatment demand for gaming disorder has exceeded service capacity during the pandemic, with significant service access issues. These data highlight the need for adaptability of gaming disorder services and greater resources and funding to respond effectively in future public health crises.

Keywords: addiction; behavioral addiction; gaming disorder; problematic gaming; service delivery; treatment.