{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,11]],"date-time":"2025-09-11T18:41:44Z","timestamp":1757616104316,"version":"3.44.0"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,5]],"date-time":"2025-09-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1757030400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The proliferation of online gambling platforms has heightened concerns over their potential to intensify problematic gambling behaviors. While previous research has examined various risk factors, the influence of prior online gaming experience on gambling transitions remains underexplored. This study investigates whether and how engagement with online gaming facilitates the migration from offline to online gambling. Using survey data from 742 adults in South Korea, the analysis demonstrates that individuals with prior online gaming experience are significantly more likely to engage in online gambling, place bets more frequently, and spend larger amounts on real-money online betting. Among this group, higher expenditures on in-game purchases are positively associated with increased gambling frequency and spending, indicating a behavioral link between financial investment in online gaming and subsequent online gambling behavior. The study further identifies two prominent features of online gambling\u2014platform anonymity and the perceived advantage of data-driven decision-making\u2014as especially appealing to experienced online gamers. These findings reveal key psychological and behavioral mechanisms that connect online gaming to online gambling engagement. They also underscore the need for regulatory frameworks that address the evolving risks posed by digitally mediated gambling environments.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0331451","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,5]],"date-time":"2025-09-05T17:28:34Z","timestamp":1757093314000},"page":"e0331451","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The impact of prior online gaming experience on the migration of offline gamblers to online gambling platforms"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Young-Hee","family":"Ko","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8726-6685","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Hohyun","family":"Kim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0331451.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"108037","DOI":"10.1016\/j.addbeh.2024.108037","article-title":"The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on gambling: A systematic review","volume":"155","author":"A Catalano","year":"2024","journal-title":"Addict Behav"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0331451.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"545","DOI":"10.1037\/adb0000885","article-title":"Safer gambling and consumer protection failings among 40 frequently visited cryptocurrency-based online gambling operators","volume":"37","author":"M Andrade","year":"2023","journal-title":"Psychol Addict Behav"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0331451.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2000","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18042000","article-title":"Understanding Online Voluntary Self-Exclusion in Gambling: An Empirical Study Using Account-Based Behavioral Tracking Data","volume":"18","author":"M Catania","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"pone.0331451.ref004","first-page":"1","article-title":"Why you gamble matters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between gambling motivation and problem gambling","volume":"40","author":"Y Allami","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Gambl Stud"},{"key":"pone.0331451.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2015.12.020","article-title":"Impact of Internet gambling on problem gambling among adolescents in Italy: Findings from a large-scale nationally representative survey","volume":"57","author":"N Canale","year":"2016","journal-title":"Comput Hum Behav"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0331451.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"749","DOI":"10.1007\/s10899-015-9558-6","article-title":"The Challenge of Online Gambling: The Effect of Legalization on the Increase in Online Gambling Addiction","volume":"32","author":"M Ch\u00f3liz","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Gambl Stud"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0331451.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"185","DOI":"10.1007\/s40429-015-0057-8","article-title":"Online Gambling Addiction: the Relationship Between Internet Gambling and Disordered Gambling","volume":"2","author":"SM Gainsbury","year":"2015","journal-title":"Curr Addict Rep"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0331451.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444818786216","article-title":"eSports, skins and loot boxes: Participants, practices and problematic behaviour associated with emergent forms of gambling","volume":"21","author":"J Macey","year":"2018","journal-title":"New Media Soc"},{"key":"pone.0331451.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"519","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2458-13-519","article-title":"An analysis of problem gambling among the Finnish working-age population: a population survey","volume":"13","author":"S Castr\u00e9n","year":"2013","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0331451.ref010","first-page":"59","article-title":"Adolescent gambling on the internet: a review","volume":"22","author":"MD Griffiths","year":"2010","journal-title":"Int J Adolesc Med Health"},{"volume-title":"Interactive gambling","year":"2014","author":"N Hing","key":"pone.0331451.ref011"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0331451.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"511","DOI":"10.1007\/s10899-015-9548-8","article-title":"Risk Factors for Gambling Problems: An Analysis by Gender","volume":"32","author":"N Hing","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Gambl Stud"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0331451.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"339","DOI":"10.1080\/14459795.2011.628684","article-title":"Defining the online gambler and patterns of behaviour integration: evidence from the British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2010","volume":"11","author":"H Wardle","year":"2011","journal-title":"Int Gambl Stud"},{"key":"pone.0331451.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"779","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2017.00779","article-title":"Risk Factors for Gambling Problems on Online Electronic Gaming Machines, Race Betting and Sports Betting","volume":"8","author":"N Hing","year":"2017","journal-title":"Front Psychol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0331451.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"166","DOI":"10.1007\/s11469-018-0009-3","article-title":"Video Game Monetization (e.g., \u2018Loot Boxes\u2019): a Blueprint for Practical Social Responsibility Measures","volume":"17","author":"DL King","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int J Ment Health Addiction"},{"key":"pone.0331451.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"344","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2017.11.027","article-title":"Investigating relationships between video gaming, spectating esports, and gambling","volume":"80","author":"J Macey","year":"2018","journal-title":"Comput Hum Behav"},{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0331451.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0206767","article-title":"Video game loot boxes are linked to problem gambling: Results of a large-scale survey","volume":"13","author":"D Zendle","year":"2018","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0331451.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1165","DOI":"10.1007\/s10899-018-9742-6","article-title":"An Exploration of How Simulated Gambling Games May Promote Gambling with Money","volume":"34","author":"T Armstrong","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Gambl Stud"},{"key":"pone.0331451.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106254","DOI":"10.1016\/j.addbeh.2019.106254","article-title":"Loot box engagement and problem gambling among adolescent gamers: Findings from a national survey","volume":"103","author":"S Kristiansen","year":"2020","journal-title":"Addict Behav"},{"key":"pone.0331451.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1016\/j.addbeh.2019.05.016","article-title":"The relationship of loot box purchases to problem video gaming and problem gambling","volume":"97","author":"W Li","year":"2019","journal-title":"Addict Behav"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0331451.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"859","DOI":"10.1007\/s10899-023-10275-2","article-title":"\u201cI Can Tell You It\u2019s a Bit of a Gamble\u201d: A Qualitative Analysis of How People Who Engage in Gaming and Gambling Understand a Link Between These Two Behaviours","volume":"40","author":"\u0141 Wieczorek","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Gambl Stud"},{"key":"pone.0331451.ref022","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107605","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2022.107605","article-title":"The gamblers of the future? Migration from loot boxes to gambling in a longitudinal study of young adults","volume":"141","author":"GA Brooks","year":"2023","journal-title":"Comput Hum Behav"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0331451.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"459","DOI":"10.1186\/s40359-025-02766-1","article-title":"A longitudinal replication study testing migration from video game loot boxes to gambling in British Columbia, Canada","volume":"13","author":"L Palmer","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC Psychol"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0331451.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"689","DOI":"10.1556\/2006.2022.00064","article-title":"Sports betting around the world: A systematic review","volume":"11","author":"R Etuk","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Behav Addict"},{"key":"pone.0331451.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"104418","DOI":"10.1016\/j.childyouth.2019.104418","article-title":"Examining risk and protective factors of problem gambling among college students in South Korea","volume":"105","author":"SM Jang","year":"2019","journal-title":"Child Youth Serv Rev"},{"key":"pone.0331451.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"110389","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pnpbp.2021.110389","article-title":"Gambling and the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review","volume":"111","author":"M Brodeur","year":"2021","journal-title":"Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry"},{"volume-title":"Bicycle and Motorboat Racing Act, No. 18245","year":"2021","key":"pone.0331451.ref027"},{"key":"pone.0331451.ref028","first-page":"4856684","article-title":"Online gambling policy effects on tax revenue and irresponsible gambling","author":"W Taylor","year":"2024","journal-title":"SSRN"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0331451.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1319","DOI":"10.1007\/s10899-022-10155-1","article-title":"Attitude Towards Deposit Limits and Relationship with Their Account-Based Data Among a Sample of German Online Slots Players","volume":"39","author":"M Auer","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Gambl Stud"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0331451.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1056","DOI":"10.1556\/2006.7.2018.106","article-title":"The effect of loss-limit reminders on gambling behavior: A real-world study of Norwegian gamblers","volume":"7","author":"M Auer","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Behav Addict"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0331451.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0031586","article-title":"A randomized controlled trial of a personalized feedback intervention for problem gamblers","volume":"7","author":"JA Cunningham","year":"2012","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0331451.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1186\/s12954-024-01150-3","article-title":"Limit-setting in online gambling: a comparative policy review of European approaches","volume":"22","author":"V Marionneau","year":"2025","journal-title":"Harm Reduct J"},{"key":"pone.0331451.ref033","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2024","DOI":"10.1007\/s11469-021-00498-y","article-title":"Gaming-Gambling Convergence: Trends, Emerging Risks, and Legislative Responses","volume":"20","author":"K Kolandai-Matchett","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Ment Health Addict"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0331451.ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"264","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbusres.2015.07.039","article-title":"Professionalized consumption and identity transformations in the field of eSports","volume":"69","author":"Y Seo","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Bus Res"},{"key":"pone.0331451.ref035","article-title":"Better than industry self-regulation: Compliance of mobile games with newly adopted and actively enforced loot box probability disclosure law in South Korea","author":"LY Xiao","year":"2024","journal-title":"J ACM"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0331451.ref036","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"190049","DOI":"10.1098\/rsos.190049","article-title":"Adolescents and loot boxes: links with problem gambling and motivations for purchase","volume":"6","author":"D Zendle","year":"2019","journal-title":"R Soc Open Sci"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0331451.ref037","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"530","DOI":"10.1038\/s41562-018-0360-1","article-title":"Video game loot boxes are psychologically akin to gambling","volume":"2","author":"A Drummond","year":"2018","journal-title":"Nat Hum Behav"},{"volume-title":"The age of surveillance capitalism: The fight for a human future at the new frontier of power","year":"2019","author":"S Zuboff","key":"pone.0331451.ref038"},{"volume-title":"Nudge: The final edition","year":"2021","author":"RH Thaler","key":"pone.0331451.ref039"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0331451.ref040","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"311","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.32.2.311","article-title":"The illusion of control","volume":"32","author":"EJ Langer","year":"1975","journal-title":"J Pers Soc Psychol"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0331451.ref041","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"490","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1360-0443.2010.03300.x","article-title":"Prevalence of comorbid disorders in problem and pathological gambling: systematic review and meta-analysis of population surveys","volume":"106","author":"FK Lorains","year":"2011","journal-title":"Addiction"},{"key":"pone.0331451.ref042","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"597615","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2021.597615","article-title":"Changes Over Time and Predictors of Online Gambling in Three Norwegian Population Studies 2013-2019","volume":"12","author":"S Pallesen","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Psychiatry"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0331451","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,5]],"date-time":"2025-09-05T17:28:51Z","timestamp":1757093331000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0331451"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Marc N.","family":"Potenza","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"editor","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,5]]},"references-count":42,"journal-issue":{"issue":"9","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,5]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0331451","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"1932-6203"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,5]]}}}