Gambling DisorderCOMET-7NCT07828782
COMpulsive Gambling: Efficacy of DEEP Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation With H7 COIL
A study testing active r-TMS in people with Gambling Disorder, run by Sveti Ivan Psychiatric Hospital.
Trial summary
This study aims to investigate whether a treatment called high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can help reduce the symptoms of gambling disorder and whether it is safe and well tolerated. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 64 years, men only
- Conditions the study is for
- Gambling Disorder
- What is being tested?
- active r-TMS
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- Oct 2026to Dec 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 64 years
- Men only
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- confirmed GD diagnosis according to ICD-10 (F63.0)
- age between 18 and 64 years
- male gender
- enrolled in GD treatment at the GD-DH of the UPC Sveti Ivan within two weeks of study inclusion.
- right-hand dominance
Who cannot join
- diagnosis of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (ICD-10, F20-F29)
- diagnosed psychotic episode within six months prior to inclusion
- current suicidality
- clinically relevant neurological disorder or history of cerebrovascular insult
- diagnosis of a mental and behavioral disorder due to the use of psychoactive substances (ICD-10, F10-F19) (except nicotine dependence)
- diagnosed moderate or severe dementia
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- presence of intracranial implants
- inability to independently complete questionnaires
- refusal to participate due to discomfort during DLPFC localization
About this study
This study aims to investigate whether a treatment called high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can help reduce the symptoms of gambling disorder and whether it is safe and well tolerated.
The study will include 60 men aged 18-64 years who have been diagnosed with gambling disorder and are starting treatment at the Gambling Disorder Day Hospital of UPC Sveti Ivan in Zagreb.
Read more
Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive active rTMS treatment using the H7 coil, while the other group will receive a sham (placebo) treatment that looks and feels similar but does not provide the active magnetic stimulation. Neither the participants nor the researchers assessing the results will know which treatment each participant received during the study. All participants will continue to receive their usual treatment.
The study will last six weeks. Participants will complete questionnaires before treatment and six weeks after the intervention. The main goal is to determine whether rTMS reduces the severity of gambling-related symptoms.
The researchers will also examine whether personal, psychological, and clinical characteristics can help predict who is most likely to benefit from rTMS. In addition, the study will investigate whether rTMS affects autonomic nervous system regulation, measured through heart rate variability (HRV), and will assess the economic impact of this treatment.
Overall, the study is intended to provide better information about the effectiveness, safety, possible predictors of treatment response, effects on the body's regulation, and cost-effectiveness of rTMS for gambling disorder.
- Conditions
- Gambling Disorder
- Being tested
- active r-TMS, Sham (No Treatment)
- Medical subject headings
- Gambling
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
active r-TMSDevice
The intervention will involve rTMS treatment using the H7 coil (Brainsway Ltd., Jerusalem, Israel) with the following parameters: Magnetic field intensity: 100% of the observed motor threshold, frequency: 20 Hz, stimulation duration: 2 seconds, pause between stimulations: 20 seconds, number of stimulations: 50, number of magnetic pulses per session: 2,000, session duration: ≈18 minutes, total intervention duration: one session per day, five days per week, for five weeks, followed by one session per day for four days in the sixth week, total number of pulses: 58,000.
Sham (No Treatment)Device
The control group will receive sham rTMS using an H7 coil (Brainsway Ltd., Jerusalem, Israel), administered identically to active rTMS treatment. The sham coil is positioned above the active coil within the device, ensuring that its shape, pulsing sound, and subjective sensation of stimulation are indistinguishable from the active rTMS coil, but without generating electromagnetic induction.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| 30 patients who will receive active r-TMS treatment | Active comparator | Not described Receives: Device: active r-TMS |
| 30 patients who will receive sham r-TMS treatment | Sham comparator | Not described Receives: Device: Sham (No Treatment) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale (G-SAS)
The primary outcome will be the change in the severity of gambling disorder (GD), measured using the Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale (G-SAS), the most commonly used scale for assessing changes in GD symptom severity in research studies. Each item on the G-SAS is rated on a 5-point scale, ranging from 0 (no symptoms) to 4 (extreme symptoms). The total score can range from 0 to 48. Higher scores indicate greater severity of gambling-related symptoms.
Measured: six weeks
Secondary outcomes (10)
Gambling Urges Scale (GUS)
The Gambling Urge Scale (GUS) is a 6-item questionnaire designed to measure an individual's current urge or craving to gamble, on a 7-point scale. Responses are summed for a total score; higher scores reflect stronger immediate cravings or urges to gamble.
Measured: six weeks
Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) is a continuous measurement instrument used to quantify subjective internal experiences of pain. It consists of a line with word descriptors placed at opposite extremes ("No pain" at 0 mm and "Worst pain imaginable" at 100 mm).
Measured: six weeks
drop-outs
the number of participants who discontinued treatment
Measured: six weeks
Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale adapted for GD (PG-YBOCS)
Reduction in the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms related to GD, measured using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale adapted for GD (PG-YBOCS). The scale evaluates the intensity, frequency, and impact of gambling urges, thoughts, and behaviors. It features 10 items scored from 0 to 4, yielding a total score from 0 to 40.
Measured: six weeks
South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS)
Reduction in GD severity, assessed through changes in total scores on the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS), the most widely used instrument for evaluating GD severity. It is a 20-item questionnaire used to screen for problem gambling and pathological gambling behaviors. It contains multiple informational questions, and each "at-risk" answer earns 1 point.
Measured: six weeks
Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)
Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) is a widely recognized, standardized 9-item self-report questionnaire used to assess the severity of gambling behaviors and their negative consequences. Each question is scored on a 4-point scale (0 = Never; 1 = Sometimes; 2 = Often; 3 = Almost always / Always), yielding a total score from 0 to 27.
Measured: six weeks
gambling abstinence
gambling abstinence, assessed daily throughout the intervention period
Measured: six weeks
Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II)
Reduction in depressive symptoms, measured using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). It is a widely used 21-item self-report questionnaire designed to measure the severity of depressive symptoms. Each item is scored on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 to 3, where higher numbers reflect greater symptom intensity.
Measured: six weeks
Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)
Reduction in anxiety symptoms, assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). It is a 21-item self-report questionnaire used to measure the severity of an adult or adolescent's anxiety symptoms over the past week. It contains questions rated on a 4-point scale from 0 to 3, and greater scores means greater anxiety.
Measured: six weeks
Quality of Life Inventory (QOLI)
Improvement in quality of life, measured using the Quality of Life Inventory (QOLI), the most frequently used tool for assessing quality-of-life. It measures an individual's happiness and life satisfaction across 16 key areas. It consists of 32 items measuring both the importance of each domain (on a 3-point scale) and current satisfaction with it (on a 6-point scale).
Measured: six weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted18 Sep 2026
- Study startOct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionApr 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Gambling DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Quadruple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Sveti Ivan Psychiatric Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07828782
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IP-2025-02
- Acronym
- COMET-7
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 7 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 18 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 18 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- COMpulsive Gambling: Efficacy of DEEP Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation With H7 COIL
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07828782
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- COMET-7 / IP-2025-02
- Conditions
- Gambling Disorder
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Sveti Ivan Psychiatric HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Apr 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 18 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims to investigate whether a treatment called high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can help reduce the symptoms of gambling disorder and whether it is safe and well tolerated.
The study will include 60 men aged 18-64 years who have been diagnosed with gambling disorder and are starting treatment at the Gambling Disorder Day Hospital of UPC Sveti Ivan in Zagreb.
Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive active rTMS treatment using the H7 coil, while the other group will receive a sham (placebo) treatment that looks and feels similar but does not provide the active magnetic stimulation. Neither the participants nor the researchers assessing the results will know which treatment each participant received during the study. All participants will continue to receive their usual treatment.
The study will last six weeks. Participants will complete questionnaires before treatment and six weeks after the intervention. The main goal is to determine whether rTMS reduces the severity of gambling-related symptoms.
The researchers will also examine whether personal, psychological, and clinical characteristics can help predict who is most likely to benefit from rTMS. In addition, the study will investigate whether rTMS affects autonomic nervous system regulation, measured through heart rate variability (HRV), and will assess the economic impact of this treatment.
Overall, the study is intended to provide better information about the effectiveness, safety, possible predictors of treatment response, effects on the body's regulation, and cost-effectiveness of rTMS for gambling disorder.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Quadruple blind (participant, care provider, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| 30 patients who will receive active r-TMS treatment | Active comparator | Device: active r-TMS |
| 30 patients who will receive sham r-TMS treatment | Sham comparator | Device: Sham (No Treatment) |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 64 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- confirmed GD diagnosis according to ICD-10 (F63.0)
- age between 18 and 64 years
- male gender
- enrolled in GD treatment at the GD-DH of the UPC Sveti Ivan within two weeks of study inclusion.
- right-hand dominance
Key exclusion criteria (9 listed)
- diagnosis of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (ICD-10, F20-F29)
- diagnosed psychotic episode within six months prior to inclusion
- current suicidality
- clinically relevant neurological disorder or history of cerebrovascular insult
- diagnosis of a mental and behavioral disorder due to the use of psychoactive substances (ICD-10, F10-F19) (except nicotine dependence)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| active r-TMSThe intervention will involve rTMS treatment using the H7 coil (Brainsway Ltd., Jerusalem, Israel) with the following parameters: Magnetic field intensity: 100% of the observed motor threshold, frequency: 20 Hz, stimulation duration: 2 seconds, pause between stimulations: 20 seconds, number of stimulations: 50, number of magnetic pulses per session: 2,000, session duration: ≈18 minutes, total intervention duration: one session per day, five days per week, for five weeks, followed by one session per day for four days in the sixth week, total number of pulses: 58,000. | Device | 30 patients who will receive active r-TMS treatment |
| Sham (No Treatment)The control group will receive sham rTMS using an H7 coil (Brainsway Ltd., Jerusalem, Israel), administered identically to active rTMS treatment. The sham coil is positioned above the active coil within the device, ensuring that its shape, pulsing sound, and subjective sensation of stimulation are indistinguishable from the active rTMS coil, but without generating electromagnetic induction. | Device | 30 patients who will receive sham r-TMS treatment |
Primary outcome
Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale (G-SAS)
Time frame: six weeks
The primary outcome will be the change in the severity of gambling disorder (GD), measured using the Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale (G-SAS), the most commonly used scale for assessing changes in GD symptom severity in research studies. Each item on the G-SAS is rated on a 5-point scale, ranging from 0 (no symptoms) to 4 (extreme symptoms). The total score can range from 0 to 48. Higher scores indicate greater severity of gambling-related symptoms.
10 secondary outcomes
Gambling Urges Scale (GUS)
Time frame: six weeks
Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
Time frame: six weeks
drop-outs
Time frame: six weeks
Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale adapted for GD (PG-YBOCS)
Time frame: six weeks
South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS)
Time frame: six weeks
Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)
Time frame: six weeks
gambling abstinence
Time frame: six weeks
Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II)
Time frame: six weeks
Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)
Time frame: six weeks
Quality of Life Inventory (QOLI)
Time frame: six weeks
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 18 Sep 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing active r-TMS in people with Gambling Disorder, run by Sveti Ivan Psychiatric Hospital.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 9 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 18 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale (G-SAS) (time frame: six weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 18 Sep 2026.