The effect of repeated exposure to virtual gambling cues on the urge to gamble

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of using a virtual reality (VR) casino environment in cue exposure therapy (CET) for gambling. The main objective of this study was to assess the ability of five VR casino cues to elicit subjective reactions and physiological responses that can be used within the CET paradigm. A second objective was to analyze changes in participants' urge to gamble after repeated exposure to a VR casino program and relaxation training. Methods: Twelve recreational gamblers were exposed to five virtual environments with casino-related cues that reproduced typical gambling situations. Self-reported subjective urges and psychophysiological responses were recorded during exposure. Results: All virtual environments with casino-related cues generated craving in recreational gamblers, whereas no increase in the psychophysiological variables was observed. In addition, urges to gamble elicited by VR casino environment reduced through repeated exposure and relaxation training. Conclusion: These findings provide evidence of the effectiveness of VR for simulating casino environments in the treatment of gambling.