INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of @entity74 worldwide has been estimated at 2.3%. Only a small minority of disordered gamblers seek specialist face-to-face treatment, and so a need for alternative treatment delivery models that capitalise on advances in communication technology, and use self-directed activity that can complement existing services has been identified. As such, the primary aim of this study is to evaluate an online self-directed cognitive-behavioural programme for @entity74 (GamblingLess: For Life). METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The study will be a 2-arm, parallel group, pragmatic randomised trial. @entity1 will be randomly allocated to a pure self-directed (PSD) or guided self-directed (GSD) intervention. @entity1 in both groups will be asked to work through the 4 modules of the GamblingLess programme over 8   weeks. @entity1 in the GSD intervention will also receive weekly emails of guidance and support from a gambling counsellor. A total of 200 @entity1 will be recruited. @entity1 will be eligible if they reside in Australia, are aged 18   years and over, have access to the internet, have adequate knowledge of the English language, are seeking help for their own gambling problems and are willing to take part in the intervention and associated assessments. Assessments will be conducted at preintervention, and at 2, 3 and 12   months from preintervention. The primary outcome is gambling severity, assessed using the Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale. Secondary outcomes include gambling frequency, gambling expenditure, @entity458 , quality of life and additional help-seeking. Qualitative interviews will also be conducted with a subsample of @entity1 and the Guides (counsellors). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has been approved by the Deakin University @entity1 Research and Eastern Health @entity1 Research Ethics Committees. Findings will be disseminated via report, peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12615000864527; results.

GAMBLINGLESS: FOR LIFE study protocol: a pragmatic randomised trial of an online cognitive-behavioural programme for XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['participants', 'Participants', 'Human'] @entity74 :: ('MESH:D030342', 'Disease') :: ['disordered gambling'] @entity458 :: ('MESH:D020018', 'Disease') :: ['psychological distress']
@entity74 :: (MESH:D030342,Disease) :: ['disordered gambling']
