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Fifteen years of problem gambling prevalence research: What do we know? Where do we go
Abstract
This paper charts the rapid growth of problem gambling prevalence research in North America and internationally. Looking beyond the overall prevalence of problem gambling in the general population, the results of these studies support the notion of a link between the expansion of legal gambling opportunities and the prevalence of problem gambling as well as the notion that the characteristics of problem gamblers change in response to changes in the availability of specific types of gambling. The results of these studies also challenge existing concepts and definitions of problem gambling. In the future, it will be important to improve how problem gambling prevalence research is done. Such work is likely to include changes in how we measure gambling problems as well as requiring us to take steps to overcome obstacles in achieving representative samples of the population and obtaining valid and accurate information.
... Furthermore, most people who gamble, when they do it for some time, encounter the same problems as the pathological and problem gamblers: difficulty in controlling time and money spent. Indeed scholars have argued that prevalence measures should follow a continuum approach (Dickerson, 2003;Volberg, 2004) and one study has shown that half of the individual gambling in front of a video machine at any point in time exhibit problematic behaviours (Schrans et al., 2004). 17 In this respect it is worth nothing that in 2013 the APA released a new manual (DSM--V) where a very important change was introduced: gambling disorder was placed alongside substance--related addictions in a renamed group called "Addiction and Related Disorders." ...
... On the other hand, taking the total population as a base is misleading, for the percentage of problematic gamblers over the total population of regular gamblers is estimated to reach up to 20% (Abbott & Volberg, 2000;MacNeil, 2009;Productivity Commission, 2009. Some scholars have argued, in fact, that prevalence measures should follow a continuum approach (Dickerson, 2003;Volberg, 2004). ...
... As a result there are serious challenges and problems in measuring the prevalence of pathological and problematic gambling and in distinguishing it from normal or regular gambling (Abbott, 2006;Doughney, 2007;Dowling, et al., 2005;Reith, 2003;Shaffer, 1996;Shaffer & Kidman, 2003;Volberg, 2004). From clinical studies the prevalence of pathological gambling is estimated between 0.5% and 2.2% of the general population and that of pre--pathological but problematic gambling between 1.3% and 3.8% (Esposito, 2013;Schull, 2012). ...
... It has been suggested that those with a lower socio-economic status may have more ready access to gambling activities which are more likely to be associated with problem gambling, such as electronic slot machines (Volberg, 2004). It is impossible to attribute causality in the relationship between these variables and problem gambling, however, as it is unclear whether gambling problems are a cause or an effect of having lower socio-economic status. ...
... Participation in specific gambling activities 1.27 Problem gambling has been shown to be most associated with games which tend to be continuous in nature, and contain an element of skill or perceived skill (Volberg, 2004). Lund and Norlund (2003) found that in Norway problem gamblers tend to play more electronic slot machines, more table games and take part in more sports betting than non-problem gamblers. ...
... It has been suggested that there is an interaction between the availability of certain types of gambling activity and socio-demographic variables (Volberg, 2004), eg slot machines may be more accessible to those with a lower socio-economic status, which may impact upon the levels of problem gamblers found within this population. ...
... This paper demonstrates that financial transaction data can produce a view of gambling-related outcomes that is objective, longitudinal and mass-scale. By comparison, prevalence surveys, which have dominated the view that academics and policy-makers have of gambling for the last 30 years, are self-report, cross-sectional and largely small sample in nature 13 . We described the association between gambling and 31 outcome variables from the financial and wider social and health domains. ...
... Given that our data do not cover cash gambling transactions, or electronic transactions using third-party payment processors or another person's account details, the estimated effects of gambling expenditure on gambling-related harm are probably conservative. Our evidence complements existing approaches, which draw upon self-report surveys, case studies or inferences from industry or aggregate-level statistics 13,21,22,[25][26][27][28][34][35][36] by relying on large-scale objective data. As such, the reported findings have implications for the future study of gambling epidemiology and public health. ...
Gambling is an ordinary pastime for some people, but is associated with addiction and harmful outcomes for others. Evidence of these harms is limited to small-sample, cross-sectional self-reports, such as prevalence surveys. We examine the association between gambling as a proportion of monthly income and 31 financial, social and health outcomes using anonymous data provided by a UK retail bank, aggregated for up to 6.5 million individuals over up to 7 years. Gambling is associated with higher financial distress and lower financial inclusion and planning, and with negative lifestyle, health, well-being and leisure outcomes. Gambling is associated with higher rates of future unemployment and physical disability and, at the highest levels, with substantially increased mortality. Gambling is persistent over time, growing over the sample period, and has higher negative associations among the heaviest gamblers. Our findings inform the debate over the relationship between gambling and life experiences across the population.
... For the last three decades, prevalence surveys have been the main methodology used to achieve this understanding [31]. Prevalence survey results inform debates in the academic literature [32,33] and mainstream media [34]. ...
Background: Usage of electronic gaming machines (EGMs) and on-line gambling is
strongly associated with gambling-related harm. Player-tracking systems can monitor a gambler’s activity across multiple sessions and/or operators, providing a clearer picture of the person’s risk of harm with respect to these gambling formats and enabling harm reduction efforts. The Finnish and Norwegian state monopolies have player-tracking systems in place, while the United Kingdom is implementing an operator-led system called ‘single customer view’ for on-line gambling, and Australian states are proposing similar ‘player cards’ for land-based EGMs. Argument: Player tracking can advance harm reduction efforts in three ways. First,
player tracking improves our understanding of gambling-related harm by providing data on how the population gambles, which can potentially be linked with operator, government and/or prevalence data sets. Secondly, player tracking can be used to implement harm reduction measures such as expenditure limits, self-exclusion and age verification.Thirdly, player tracking can provide a platform to evaluate harm reduction measures via gold-standard field trials. These potential benefits need to be weighed against various practical and ethical issues.
Conclusions: The potential benefits of player-tracking systems would be maximized via systems administered independently of the gambling industry and implemented universally across all gambling in a given jurisdiction.
... While it is widely assumed that increased gambling availability will increase gambling problems, this relationship is more nuanced and may depend on factors such as community vulnerability, the availability of different gambling products, and level of market saturation (Abbott, 2006(Abbott, , 2017LaPlante & Shaffer, 2007). For example, the rapid expansion of EGMs and casino gambling was associated with an increased prevalence of gambling problems when these activities were newly legalised (Abbott, 2020;Shaffer, Hall, & Vander Bilt, 1999;Volberg et al., 2004). However, subsequent studies in more mature markets have challenged the linear relationship of this "exposure effect" (Abbott, 2006(Abbott, , 2020LaPlante & Shaffer, 2007;Philander, 2019;Shaffer, 2005). ...
Background:
Electronic gaming machines (EGMs) are one of the most harmful forms of gambling at an individual level. It is unclear whether restriction of EGM functions and accessibility results in meaningful reductions in population-level gambling harm.
Methods:
A natural policy experiment using a large (N = 15,000) national dataset weighted to standard population variables was employed to compare estimates of gambling problems between Australian residents in Western Australia (WA), where EGMs are restricted to one venue and have different structural features, to residents in other Australian jurisdictions where EGMs are widely accessible in casinos, hotels and clubs. Accessibility of other gambling forms is similar across jurisdictions.
Results:
Gambling participation was higher in WA, but EGM participation was approximately half that of the rest of Australia. Aggregate gambling problems and harm were about one-third lower in WA, and self-reported attribution of harm from EGMs by gamblers and affected others was 2.7× and 4× lower, respectively. Mediation analyses found that less frequent EGM use in WA accounted for the vast majority of the discrepancy in gambling problems (indirect path = -0.055, 95% CI -0.071; -0.038). Moderation analyses found that EGMs are the form most strongly associated with problems, and the strength of this relationship did not differ significantly across jurisdictions.
Discussion:
Lower harm from gambling in WA is attributable to restricted accessibility of EGMs, rather than different structural features. There appears to be little transfer of problems to other gambling forms. These results suggest that restricting the accessibility of EGMs substantially reduces gambling harm.
... For over 30 years, prevalence surveys have been the principal methodology for measuring the distribution of gambling-related harm in a population (Volberg, 2004), and have informed debates around whether existing harm reduction efforts are working, both in the academic literature (Shaffer et al., 2004) and in the news (Davies, 2022). Despite this longevity, prevalence surveys have been subject to critical perspectives throughout their use (Doughney, 2007;Nadler, 1985;Roberts et al., 2022;Young, 2013). ...
... For over 30 years, prevalence surveys have been the principal methodology for measuring the distribution of gambling-related harm in a population (Volberg, 2004), and have informed debates around whether existing harm reduction efforts are working, both in the academic literature (Shaffer et al., 2004) and in the news (Davies, 2022). Despite this longevity, prevalence surveys have been subject to critical perspectives throughout their use (Doughney, 2007;Nadler, 1985;Roberts et al., 2022;Young, 2013). ...
For over 30 years, prevalence surveys have been the principal methodology for measuring the distribution of gambling-related harm in a population (Volberg, 2004), and have informed debates around whether existing harm reduction efforts are working, both in the academic literature (Shaffer et al., 2004) and in the news (Davies, 2022). Despite this longevity, prevalence surveys have been subject to critical perspectives throughout their use (Doughney, 2007; Nadler, 1985; Roberts et al., 2022; Young, 2013). Here we note that current estimated UK prevalence rates reported in 2022 vary from 0.2% (Gambling Commission, 2022) to 2.8% (Gunstone et al., 2022), which is a level of uncertainty. Previous work suggests that the mode of conducting these surveys can cause some differences, with online rates being higher than in-person (Sturgis & Kuha, 2022), and mobile phone rates being higher than landline (Dowling et al., 2016). This is likely responsible for part of the differential, with the 0.2% rate being from a phone survey and the 2.8% rate being from an online survey. Here we show how part of this differential is due to another methodological artefact: the choice of problem gambling screener.
... In early 2000., Volberg (2004) warned that the increase in the number of opportunities for gambling in the online environment could lead to the prevalence rate of pathological gambling reaching unprecedented levels. Also, some researchers (Shead, Derevensky, Fong & Gupta, 2012;McCormack, Shorter, Griffiths, 2013;Montes 2013, Bányai et al., 2019Griffiths, 2017;Marelić & Vukušić, 2019;Varga Szépné et al., 2019, Bányai et al., 2019 found that people who gamble online are more likely to develop problematic behaviors and harmful lifestyles than those who gamble in-person (in casinos or bookmakers). ...
Gambling of young people as a risky behavior is an increasingly current social problem, but also the subject of numerous researches. The gambling industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, and a significant increase in availability has taken place in the Bosnian and Herzegovinan society. Young people in BiH are entering the world of gambling more often and easier. Bad economic situation, social unrest, high poverty and unemployment rates contribute to this situation. World statistics show that the increase in gambling was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Omnipresent digitalization during the pandemic, movement restrictions, but also existential uncertainty have opened a new path to online gambling. Therefore, an research was conducted in which the habits of young people (N=174) and their frequency of (online) gambling were examined. The questionnaire results showed that 70.5% of respondents had played games of chance at least once in their lives. Young people usually play one-time tickets and sports betting. Of particular concern is the fact that individuals play online games of chance on a daily basis. They usually invest a smaller amount of money and more than half of the respondents have lost money on betting at least once. The data show that gambling is most often out of boredom, fun and socializing, and they do not consider such behavior to be problematic. According to self-assessment, only 5.9% of respondents believe that their gambling is somewhat or completely problematic, while 3.7% state that the degree of gambling addiction is so high that they need professional help. On the other hand, Bosnia and Herzegovina lacks prevention programs aimed at problematic youth gambling, which is why they remain deprived of professional support. All of this suggests that serious investment in public health and social policies is needed to offer quality prevention and psychoeducational programs.
... While it is widely assumed that increased gambling availability will increase gambling problems, this relationship is more nuanced and may depend on factors such as community vulnerability, the availability of different gambling products, and level of market saturation (Abbott, 2006(Abbott, , 2017LaPlante & Shaffer, 2007). For example, the rapid expansion of EGMs and casino gambling was associated with an increased prevalence of gambling problems when these activities were newly legalised (Abbott, 2020;Shaffer, Hall, & Vander Bilt, 1999;Volberg et al., 2004). However, subsequent studies in more mature markets have challenged the linear relationship of this "exposure effect" (Abbott, 2006(Abbott, , 2020LaPlante & Shaffer, 2007;Philander, 2019;Shaffer, 2005). ...
... Empirical studies on gambling are traditionally based on self-report, cross-sectional, and small-sample data (Volberg, 2004). Prevalence and unemployment levels are necessarily misstated if gamblers do not provide true answers (Harrison, Lau, & Ross, 2020). ...
Gambling negatively affects the economy, and it brings unwanted financial, social, and health outcomes to gamblers. On the one hand, unemployment is argued to be a leading cause of gambling. On the other, gambling can cause unemployment in the second-order via gambling-induced poor health, falling productivity, and crime. In terms of significant effects, previous studies were able to establish an association, but not causality. The current study examines the time-sequence and contemporaneous causalities between lottery gambling and unemployment in Thailand. The directed acyclic graph (DAG) and Granger causality tests employ time series data on gambling-and unemployment-related Google Trends indexes from January 2004 to April 2021 (208 monthly observations). Unemployment is found to contemporaneously cause gambling, whereas gambling Granger causes unemployment. The causalities are circular and last for four months.
... je u svojim istraživanjima dobila rezultate o povezanosti povećane dostupnosti s problemima, te sama problematizira kako postoje rezultati koji govore u prilog stabilnosti nakon vremena, dok druga istraživanja to povezuju s paralelnim uvođenjem javno-zdravstvenih kampanja, linija za pomoć i stručnosavjetodavnih programa (Collins i sur., 2007.; Griffiths i Derevensky, 2017.). Ista autorica(Volberg, 2004.) ističe kako je u nekim državama Sjedinjenih Američkih Država (primjerice, Montana i Sjeverna Dakota) došlo do povećanja problematičnog kockanja nakon povećanog broja otvaranja kasina, ali kako istovremeno nije bilo nikakvih javno-zdravstvenih kampanja, niti usluga za osobe koje problematično kockaju.Rezultati nacionalnih studija u Hrvatskoj, provedenih na reprezentativnim uzorcima i adolescenata i odraslih osoba govore o značajnoj uključenosti u aktivnosti kockanja na našim prostorima, posebno u odnosu na inozemna istraživanja, kao i prevalencije psihosocijalnih problema, odnosno ovisnosti o kockanju. ...
U današnjem društvu, industrije čiji proizvodi ili djelatnosti mogu imati štetni učinak na mentalno ili fizičko zdravlje ljudi nazivamo industrijama poroka, a u njih se, između ostaloga, uvrštava i industrija kockanja. Riječ je o industriji koja se, pod utjecajem društvenih promjena i razvoja tehnologija, brzo razvija. Stoga ne čudi i da je udio ovisnika o kockanju značajan te bilježi porast, posebno u zemljama s izraženom dostupnošću i pristupačnošću igara na sreću, kao što je Hrvatska. U tom smislu, izuzetno je važna i regulativa igara na sreću, kao jedan od ključnih okolinskih čimbenika koji doprinose razvoju proble-ma. S obzirom da se radi o kompleksnoj, izazovnoj i nedovoljno istraženoj temi u našoj zemlji, cilj ovog rada je ponuditi pregled osnovnog pravnog okvira industrije kockanja u Hrvatskoj, s naglaskom na dvije komponente društveno odgovornog pri-ređivanja igara na sreću: dostupnost i pristupačnost igara, te standarde oglašavanja. Autori temeljem analize pravnih pro-pisa, a u odnosu na teorijski okvir društvenih i psihosocijalnih intervencija, te pregleda rezultata domaćih i inozemnih em-pirijskih istraživanja, argumentiraju zašto industrija igara na sreću u Hrvatskoj predstavlja značajan socijalni rizik, te zbog čega nisu zadovoljeni minimalni uvjeti zaštite ranjivih skupina iz perspektive javnog zdravlja. Umjesto zaključka, autori nude smjernice i preporuke za unaprjeđenje društveno odgovornog priređivanja i reguliranja igara na sreću u našoj zemlji.
... ergeben sich glücksspielbezogene Probleme durch eine Wechselwirkung zwischen spezifischen Eigenschaften eines Glücksspiels und Vulnerabilitäten des Spielers unter der Voraussetzung einer Umgebung, die keinen ausreichenden Schutz bietet. Probleme entstehen dann, wenn eine bestehende Verfügbarkeit von Glücksspielprodukten nicht mit ausreichenden Maßnahmen des Spielerschutzes begleitet wird[20]. Es ist daher notwendig, präventive Anstrengungen auf den Bereichen Glücksspielanbieter, Staat und Konsument aufzubauen[9] und unter Aufteilung der Verantwortung zwischen Spieler, Industrie und Regulierungsbehörde[2] eine effektive Prävention zu ermöglichen. ...
... ergeben sich glücksspielbezogene Probleme durch eine Wechselwirkung zwischen spezifischen Eigenschaften eines Glücksspiels und Vulnerabilitäten des Spielers unter der Voraussetzung einer Umgebung, die keinen ausreichenden Schutz bietet. Probleme entstehen dann, wenn eine bestehende Verfügbarkeit von Glücksspielprodukten nicht mit ausreichenden Maßnahmen des Spielerschutzes begleitet wird[20]. Es ist daher notwendig, präventive Anstrengungen auf den Bereichen Glücksspielanbieter, Staat und Konsument aufzubauen[9] und unter Aufteilung der Verantwortung zwischen Spieler, Industrie und Regulierungsbehörde[2] eine effektive Prävention zu ermöglichen. ...
... Gambling disorder is a behavioral addiction, characterized by high involvement in gambling in terms of time and/or money spent on the activity, along with continued play despite substantial negative outcomes personally, socially, and/or financially (Hodgins et al., 2011). As casino gambling expanded throughout the 20 th century, many researchers and pundits viewed gaming expansion as monotonic in its impacts on gambling participation and problems -that is, with an increased number of casinos would come an increased amount of societal harms (Abbott et al., 2013;Korn, 2000;Volberg, 2004). This came to be known as the "exposure model", and related inferences served as a reason for limiting the expansion of casino gaming across jurisdictions. ...
Casinos are generally recognized as significant generators of economic impact and tourism, but access is typically controlled in a perceived effort to reduce social harms, particularly those from gambling disorders. Using data from a representative sample of 50,048 Canadians across four provinces, this study empirically tests theory of the regional impacts of casino availability on participation in gambling and the development of gambling related problems. Increased exposure to casinos is found to be related to increases in both participation and problem gambling risk, despite the observation that all four provinces recently experienced casino expansion and population-wide declines in problem gambling prevalence rates. The estimates are robust to broad controls for health and demographic risk factors. The findings suggest that hospitality/tourism planners should consider wider expansion of gambling paired with increased investment in responsible and problem gambling programs, to maximize economic impacts while accelerating social adaptation to gambling related harms.
... Yn nodweddiadol, amcangyfrifir cyfraddau gamblo problemus drwy arolygon mynychder [129,130], yn aml trwy ddefnyddio meini prawf DSM-IV i gyfrif nifer y bobl mewn samplau o'r boblogaeth sy'n profi problemau gamblo. Yn y ddau Arolwg Mynychder Gamblo Prydeinig diwethaf [56,58], cafodd ail offeryn ei gynnwys: y Mynegai Difrifoldeb Gamblo Problemus (PGSI) sy'n nodi unigolion sydd mewn risg isel, risg cymedrol a gamblwyr problemus [131]. ...
... Typically, rates of problem gambling are estimated through prevalence surveys [129,130], often by using the DSM-IV criteria to count numbers of people in population samples who are experiencing gambling problems. In the last two British Gambling Prevalence Surveys [56,58], a second instrument was included: the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) that identifies individuals at low risk, moderate risk and problem gamblers [131]. ...
... Only two of the mentioned studies include diagnostics based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition (DSM-IV) (American Psychiatric Association 2000) criteria, in both cases in form of a self-report scale (Turner et al. 2009(Turner et al. , 2013. The South Oaks Gambling Screen is the most commonly used screening tool, but it is not sufficient for actual diagnoses, and has been criticized in various ways (Lesieur and Blume 1987;Volberg 2004). As far as the authors of this study know, there is no previous study on offenders performing full DSM diagnostics, including gambling disorder. ...
Gambling disorder is an addiction that can cause major suffering, and some populations seem to be more vulnerable than others. Offender populations have a remarkably high prevalence of gambling problems and they are also over-represented in a number of diagnoses related to gambling disorder, like substance use disorders and antisocial personality disorder. Yet, there are few studies investigating gambling disorder prevalence and related psychiatric comorbidity in this group. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of, and association between, gambling disorder and other psychiatric diagnoses in a sample of young, male violent offenders. Two hundred and sixty-four male offenders, all serving sentences for violent crimes (recruited between 2010 and 2012) participated in this study and went through comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, including assessment for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition criteria. Sixteen percent of the participants met criteria for gambling disorder. Antisocial personality disorder, cannabis, cocaine and anabolic steroids abuse were significantly more common among participants with gambling disorder. The gambling disorder group also showed significantly lower educational attainment. Cocaine abuse and failure to graduate elementary and middle school in expected time were independently associated with gambling disorder in a regression analysis. This study confirms the previously described high prevalence of gambling disorder in offenders. The psychiatric comorbidity was high and the problems had started early, with lower educational attainment in the gambling disorder group. The findings stress the importance of increased awareness of gambling problems among convicted offenders and of gambling research on young people with delinquent behavior. There is a need of more research to investigate this further, in order to develop preventive strategies and treatment.
... Through the literature, it is easily recognized that these practices have a high participation rate in Western cultures [6][7][8]. The excessive practice of gambling can generate problems that affect all spheres of a person's life. ...
This study investigates the intricacies between the player interface proposed by the screens, (in particular on smartphone applications or in video games) and gambling. Recent research indicates connections between "immersion" and excessive screen practice. We want to understand the causal-effects between online gambling and the "immersion" variable and understand their relationship and its contingencies. This article empirically investigates whether and how it is possible to observe immersion with its sub-dimensions in gambling on different screens. The objective of this study was to analyze: (1) the costs and benefits associated with gambling practice on screens (2) the link between gambling practice and screen practice (video game, Internet, mobile screen); (3) to observe the propensity to immersion for individuals practicing gambling on screens; and (4) to examine the comorbidities and cognitive factors associated with the practice of gambling on screen. A total of 432 adults (212 men, 220 women), recruited from Ile-de-France (France), responded to a battery of questionnaires. Our study suggests that immersion variables make it possible to understand the cognitive participation of individuals towards screens in general, the practice of gambling on screens and the excessive practice of screens.
... En nuestra consideración, como hemos analizado en Becoña (2004), ha sido el cambio de criterios diagnósticos para el juego patológico lo que está debajo de esta teórica discrepancia. También no debemos olvidar que varios autores han indicado que el punto de corte de cinco criterios para el diagnóstico del juego patológico es muy alto (ej., Stinchfield, 2003) y que debería rebajarse a cuatro, utilizando el DSM-IV; o que ahora se utiliza el criterio de padecer el trastorno en los últimos 12 meses para llegar a su diagnóstico, lo que no significa que la persona no precise ayuda, especialmente para evitar la recaída si antes tenía problemas de juego patológico (Toce-Gerstein y Gerstein, 2004); o que los servicios de tratamiento puestos en marcha en estos años (Volberg, 2004) hayan ayudado a que los jugadores patológicos jueguen menos y que, por ello, no aparezcan en los estudios como jugadores patológicos. Igualmente, también cabe la posibilidad de que las características de nuestros jugadores patológicos sean distintas, como indicaba Echeburúa, Báez, Fernández y Páez (1994) hace años, donde con el SOGS proponían bajar el punto de corte de cinco a cuatro criterios, cuando en aquel momento el SOGS se adecuaba bastante bien a los criterios del DSM-III-R. ...
El juego patológico constituye un importante problema de salud mental en España y en otros países desarrollados. Se analizan los estudios de prevalencia en función de los criterios diagnósticos que se han utilizado hasta ahora para el juego patológico. Los estudios de prevalencia realizados en muestras representativas de la población basados en el DSM-III, DSM-III-R, DSM-IV y SOGS indicaban una prevalencia entre el 1.4 y el 1.7% en las muestras más representativas españolas, semejante a la de otros países. Los últimos estudios con instrumentos derivados del DSMIV, como el NODS, o versiones revisadas del SOGS indican un nivel de prevalencia menor para el juego patológico. Se analizan todos los estudios realizados en España con unos y otros instrumentos y su comparación con los resultados de otros países, especialmente en adultos junto a otros estudios realizados con niños y adolescentes. AbstractThe pathological gambling constitutes an important problem of mental health in Spain and in other developed countries. The prevalence studies are analyzed in function of the diagnostic criteria that have been used to assess the pathological gambling. The studies realized in the more representative samples of the general population in Spain based on the DSMIII, DSM-III-R, DSM-IV and SOGS indicated a prevalencia between the 1.4 and 1.7%, similar to that of other countries. The last studies with derivative instruments of the DSM-IV, as the NODS, or revised versions of the SOGS, indicate a level of smaller prevalencia for the pathological gambling. Finally, we discuss the results of the studies carried out in Spain with several instruments or criteria and their comparison with the results of other countries, especially in adults as in adolescents.
... While problem gamblers typically comprise around 1-3% of most surveyed populations, they are responsible for 30-50% of gambling expenditure (Australian Productivity Commission, 1999Caraniche Pty Ltd, 2005). Added to this, gambling machines, depending on how they are configured, are at the high end of addictive potency when compared to other common modes of gambling such as lottery and track betting (Lund, 2009;Volberg, 2004). Accordingly, a higher number of problem gamblers are likely to turn up to play machines in venues where they are provided. ...
The widespread proliferation of electronic gambling machines and improvements to their design have contributed to rising levels of gambling-related harm including harms associated with addictive behaviour and other impacts on health and wellbeing. Research into their addictive potential has focused mainly on the interface between gamblers and the machines themselves. We shift the focus onto the spatial contexts, the rooms and the venues, in which gambling machines are positioned. By examining a series of common layouts we identify the division of venues into two main areas: one for the main social activities of the venue (the “main hall”) and the other a partitioned area (the “annex”) in which gambling machines are tightly clumped in ways that discourage social interaction. Other features of the annex that encourage uninterrupted and solitary play include the absence of tables to socialize around, dimmed lighting and entry pathways that minimize scrutiny. We argue that these features promote a style of play more oriented towards heavy and problematic gambling. We also explore explanations for the nature of these annexes and discuss implications for public health.
... Underreporting and/or misreporting are both expected, as the survey concerns basketball betting, which is illegal in Hong Kong. This is a common issue in research measuring the prevalence of gambling and problem gambling, as well as studies concerning other socially undesirable and/or illicit activities (Volberg, 2004). If a given activity is perceived by the respondent to be socially unacceptable, he or she is much less likely to provide a truthful response in a street interview setting (Tourangeau & Yan, 2007). ...
... Gambling includes multiple activities conducted in different contexts. The concept of gambling can differ significantly between individuals and within our society (Volberg 2004), thus, making it hard to manage. Furthermore, unlike substance use disorders with clearly identifiable behavioral markers, pathological gambling behavior is readily concealed and difficult to detect. ...
The objective of this exploratory study is to explore the gambling participations and game purchase duplication of light regular, heavy regular and pathological gamblers by applying the Duplication of Purchase Law. Current study uses data collected by the Australian Productivity Commission for eight different types of games. Duplication of Purchase tables for light regular, heavy regular, and pathological gamblers were computed and compared. The key finding is that pathological gambling, just like regular gambling, follows the Duplication of Purchase Law, which states that the dominant factor of purchase duplication between two brands is their market shares. This means that gambling between any two games at pathological level exhibits “law-like” regularity based on the pathological gamblers’ participation rate of each game. Additionally, pathological gamblers tend to gamble more frequently across all games except lotteries and make greater cross-purchases compared to heavy regular gamblers. A better understanding of the similarities and differences between regular (particularly heavy regular) and pathological gambling can help public policy makers and social marketers to better manage the negative impacts of gambling.
... Fong's study showed who were active in casino, and the prevalence of being problem gamblers and pathological gamblers are higher than nonactive population. There has been significant growth in the amount of prevalence research on gambling problems in North America Volberg, 2004). ...
The purpose of the study was to understand casino workers who work at
casino venues and do gambling-related works. How do the surrounding variables
affect casino workers and their gambling behaviors. Motivation, influence of
colleagues, responsible gambling training and workplace help casino workers cope
with responsible gambling. This study tried to determine the factors that would
influence casino worker tendencies to gamble responsibly or pathologically. There
were 247 respondents, 111 male and 136 female with a mean and mode age of 31.1
and 30. Results showed gambling as part of the relaxing activities, workplace that
helps casino worker on responsible gambling, and demographic are significant
predictors of gambling behavior among casino workers.
... These are jurisdictions that have had substantial growth in the number of tribal casinos and ―casino-style‖ charitable gambling operations. From these studies, it appears that change in the availability of particular types of gambling is instrumental in altering the sociodemographic characteristics of problem gamblers (Volberg, 2004). While research generally supports the notion that problem gambling prevalence is associated with greater exposure to high risk gambling activities, there are some groups in the population with interesting ―bimodal‖ gambling patterns. ...
Analysis of gambling prevalence in Maryland.
... With the gambling industry continuing to expand on a global scale, there are currently more opportunities to gamble than ever before (American Gaming Association, 2012;Volberg, 2004). Much of this expansion has been the result of more relaxed attitudes among governmental bodies towards gambling, and general public acceptance of gambling as a socially acceptable recreational activity (Suissa, 2008). ...
Two large samples of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) studentathletes in 2004 (N 5 18,916) and 2008 (N 5 17,675) were surveyed about their gambling behavior. A cross-comparison highlighted gambling trends among collegestudent athletes across the four-year span. Overall, past-year and weekly gambling rates were lower in 2008 compared to 2004. There were no within-gender differences in the proportion of individuals at-risk or meeting criteria for a gambling problem between 2004 (4.0% males, 0.3% females) and 2008 (3.8% males, 0.4% females). Participation rates were higher in 2004 for all gambling activities, except for pastyear Internet gambling and sports wagering, which increased in 2008 among males. Across sports, gambling participation was notably highest among golfers of both genders. Collectively, the results suggest that gambling activity among studentathletes is on a downward trend in spite of ongoing expansion of gambling opportunities.
... While the high prevalence of mental disorders among problem gamblers is well established (Kessler et al. 2008), few studies have assessed the correlations between mental health disorders and gambling as a recreational activity (Desai et al. 2004). The increasing availability and accessibility of gambling opportunities and the development of new forms of gambling is associated with an increased risk of mental health disorders and other co-occurring conditions (Welte et al. 2004;Volberg 2004). An examination of the gambling climate and an assessment of population groups at risk prior to the expansion of gambling provide a unique opportunity to forecast population needs, and to provide continued surveillance of the prevalence of gambling and co-occurring conditions in order to plan for effective public health interventions. ...
This study uniquely evaluates the prevalence of recreational gambling, and co-occurring conditions prior to gambling expansion in Massachusetts (MA), and assesses associations between gambling and co-occurring behavioral, and mental health disorders. Data are derived from the 2008 MA Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Logistic regression models to obtain multivariate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for factors associated with gambling are performed. Prevalence of recreational gambling in MA is 40.2 % (95 % CI 38.2–42.1). Gamblers are more likely to be obese (OR 1.3, 95%CI 1.0–1.7; p < 0.05), smoke heavily (OR 2.2, 95%CI 1.1–4.6; p < 0.05), use alcohol (OR 1.3, 95%CI 1.0–1.6; p < 0.05), and prescription drugs (OR 1.3, 95%CI 1.1–1.6; p < 0.05). Gamblers are also more likely to self-report their health status as good compared to excellent (OR 1.3, 95%CI 1.0–1.7; p < 0.05), and to have 14 or less days of poor mental health (OR 1.4; 95%CI 1.1–1.9; p < 0.01). Recreational gambling is significantly associated with obesity, alcohol consumption, heavy smoking, prescription drug use, and poor mental health. Early public health interventions before gambling expansion are of critical importance.
... Despite some variability, the male to female prevalence ratio tends to remain slightly under two to one. This is consistent with estimates from the early 1990s that claimed that although Gamblers Anonymous (GA) members were 94-98% male, females still represented one third of problem gamblers (Lesieur & Blume, 1991;Volberg, 2004). ...
Background and aims: Though women make up roughly one third of all problem gamblers, research has typically focused on male problem gamblers. Recent research has started to shift its attention toward the importance of gender. However, studies rarely attempt to understand gender differences in problem gambling or subject these differences to thorough multivariate analyses. To address some of the gaps in our knowledge of gender differences, we examine whether patterns of gambling behavior and psychological factors mediate the relationship between gender and problem gambling. Methods: We use logistic multiple regression to analyze two large Canadian datasets - the 2005 Ontario Prevalence Survey and the 2007 Canadian Community Health Survey. Results: Variables found to mediate the relationship between gender and problem gambling are the type(s) of game(s) played (in the 2005 Ontario Prevalence Survey) and the number of games played (in the 2007 Canadian Community Health Survey). Conclusions: Men are more likely to be problem gamblers than women, and this gender difference is understandable in terms of differences in patterns of gambling behavior. We conclude that men experience problems because they play riskier games and women experience problems because they prefer chance-based games, which are associated with significantly higher odds of problem gambling. We specify the three main ways that women's reasons for gambling - to escape or for empowerment - translate into chance-based games.
... In New Zealand, for example, gender, age and socioeconomic differences diminished somewhat from 1990 to 1999 Volberg 1991, 2000). Similar changes, particularly with regard to gender, have been found in parts of Australia (Abbott 2006;Productivity Commission 1999 and North America (Volberg 2004) and were associated with the widespread distribution of EGMs. However, in other jurisdictions gender differences have persisted or increased (Abbott et al. 2013). ...
Rates of gambling and gambling-related harm fluctuate over time, influenced by availability, adaptation and demographic change, among other things. Assessing change is compromised by methodological variation. The main aim of this paper is to assess change in gambling participation and problems in adult Victorians over a 5 year period. Data are from the Victorian Gambling Study (VGS) 2008-2012 (n = 15,000) and the 2003 Victorian Longitudinal Attitudes Survey (n = 8479). An additional aim was to determine the impact of methodological differences on prevalence estimates. Despite gambling availability increasing and more activities being included participation rates declined substantially. Decreases occurred across almost all demographic groups and gambling activities. When adjustments were made for methodological differences there were no significant changes in problem, moderate risk and low risk gambling. Males and people with lower education had higher rates in both surveys. In the latter survey, two groups that experienced large participation reductions, namely young adults and metropolitan residents, emerged as additional groups with higher rates of problem and moderate-risk gambling. Further research is required to discover why overall rates of harm may have plateaued when participation continues to fall and why some groups with reduced participation experience increased harm. The findings suggest that availability and total consumption models are over-simplistic. They further suggest that to be effective prevention programmes will need to extend beyond gambling availability to include interventions directed towards individuals at risk and wider environmental determinants of vulnerability and harm. Additionally this study found that restricting administration of the problem gambling measure to subsets of gamblers generate significantly lower prevalence estimates, implying that many previous surveys under-portray gambling-related harm and that without appropriate adjustment for methodological variation findings cannot be validly compared across studies.
... Most communities, urban or rural, offer various gambling opportunities for their inhabitants, including corner stores that sell lottery tickets, churches and service organizations running bingo and raffles, electronic gaming machines (EGM) and video lottery terminals (VLT) placed strategically in local bars and restaurants, and licensed community casinos (MacDonald, McMullan and Perrier 2004). The expansion of legalized gambling activities and institutions represents an important public health concern for Canadians, as research supports the link between increasing legalized opportunities to gamble with higher prevalence rates of problem gambling (Volberg 2004). ...
Purpose: In this study, we examine the between and within gender differences in problem gambling. Specifically, we investigate the ways in which the predictors of women's problem gambling differ from those of men's problem gambling. More importantly, we attempt to discern how many different "types" of female gamblers there are, as well as what their distinctive needs might be. Methods: In order to answer these research questions, we take a mixed methods approach. As such, our study contains four parts: (1) a literature review; (2) a content analysis of online and print biographies, examining what ordinary women are saying about their gambling problems in their own words; (3) a secondary analysis of survey data; and (4) an analysis of policy initiatives undertaken in various jurisdictions. Results: Demographic indicators of problem gambling among women that are present in more than one of our data sources include being middle aged (30-59), being widowed or divorced, having less than a secondary school education, being unemployed, being part of a minority population, and having a low personal income (below $40,000). Gambling behaviours that are associated with female problem gambling in more than one source of data include preferring chance-based games and gambling as a means of escape. More than one section of our report acknowledges certain psychosocial variables that predict problem gambling among women, including having had an unstable childhood, experiencing a mood or anxiety disorder, and having a stressful adult life.
... With the expansion of legalized gambling worldwide, the prevalence of problem and pathological gambling is projected to increase (Volberg, 2000(Volberg, , 2004. Currently, gambling problems have been estimated at around 4% prevalence in North America and other countries (LaBrie & Kidman, 2002;Shaffer & Hall, 2001;Wong & So, 2003) with pathological gambling around 1-2% in most countries (Volberg, 2000). ...
Congruence Couple Therapy (CCT) is a new, humanistic, systemic model for problem gambling treatment. In the development of empirically supported treatments, counsellor training is a critical step. This study evaluates the effectiveness of CCT training in imparting key concepts, skills, and values of CCT to a sample of problem gambling counsellors (N = 21) from 13 Ontario problem gambling treatment programs. CCT training comprised of a 4-day residential workshop followed by 12 weeks of CCT application, with 1 to 2 clients per counsellor supported by teleconference consultation. Two cycles of training were conducted: Cycle 1 (N = 21) was a randomized controlled trial comparing counsellors with CCT training and a control group. Immediately after the completion of Cycle 1, the control group (n = 9) received identical CCT training in Cycle 2. A within-subjects design compared Cycle 2 counsellors at three points: at baseline, after a 15-week waiting period, and after 15 weeks of CCT Training. Five interrelated levels of CCT training were evaluated: 1) counsellor satisfaction; 2) counsellor outcomes; 3) organizational support and change; 4) counsellor application of CCT; and 5) client satisfaction and outcomes. Triangulated findings indicated that counsellors significantly increased their knowledge of CCT concepts, values, and skills from both training cycles. Areas of high satisfaction were the trainer-supported CCT application, intense residential workshop in retreat setting, safety and collegiality, experiential learning approach, and framing the training in a research context. Further training was desired by all participants to advance their competence in CCT. The timing of the CCT training seemed to coincide with an emerging trend in some Ontario organizations to adopt more couple-focused counselling for problem gamblers, and an interest in linking research and practice. The need for expanded supervision and support for adopting treatment innovations in organizations is a topic for discussion. Client outcomes with CCT counsellor trainees showed significantly reduced problem gambling symptoms, improved couple communication and relationship, increased selfawareness, and positive spin-offs in family and work relationships. Clients rated their CCT treatment and outcomes very highly. These client results support findings from an earlier CCT pilot study; however, with the absence of a control group, client results should be treated as promising but preliminary. Further studies on CCT and CCT training are recommended in light of the positive multilevel results to date. Key words: Congruence Couple Therapy, counsellor, training, evaluation, empirically supported treatment, problem gambling, outcomes, innovation
... In a review of situational factors that affect gambling behaviour, Abbott (2007) concluded that although increased availability of and exposure 254 GRIFFITHS to gambling activities have contributed to increases in problem gambling, it was highly probable that other situational factors including venue characteristics, social context, access to cash or credit, availability of alcohol, and industry marketing and advertising also have an influence. Volberg (2004) also reached a similar conclusion suggesting that there is a correlation between increased availability of gambling opportunities and problem gambling. However, she then reported that in a number of replication studies that problem gambling rates had stabilised or decreased. ...
A recent issue of Practice: Social Work in Action featured a paper by Rogers that examined whether the issue of problem gambling was a suitable case for social work. Rogers’ overview was (in various places) out of date, highly selective, contradictory, presented unsupported claims and somewhat misleading. Rogers’ paper is to be commended for putting the issue of problem gambling on the social work agenda. However, social workers need up-to-date information and contextually situated information if they are to make informed decisions in helping problem gamblers.
... A prodigious, international research effort has been directed towards the measurement of pathological gambling prevalence and its social correlates. National problem gambling prevalence studies have been undertaken wherever commercial gambling has been liberalised, at last count over 25 countries on six continents (Shaffer, Hall, & Bilt, 1999;Storer, Abbott, & Stubbs, 2009;Volberg, 2004;Williams, Volberg, & Stevens, 2012). This research has focussed heavily on identifying, enumerating and profiling pathological gamblers. ...
... The proportion of problem gamblers who were female increased in the three states where broadly distributed EGMs were introduced while the proportion of problem gamblers who were male increased in the two states where multiple new tribal casinos were introduced. In the states where the number of tribal casinos increased, the proportion of problem gamblers from minority groups (primarily Native Americans) also increased significantly (Volberg 2004). ...
Gambling participation and rates of problem gambling change over time in response to a variety of factors including gambling availability, demographic changes and adaptation at individual and societal levels. These relationship are complex and only partially understood. The major aim of the present study was to provide general population estimates of gambling participation and problem gambling for Sweden and compare these estimates with estimates from a previous national study. The study was also designed to identify risk factors for problem gambling including change in these factors over time. Data are from the first phase of the Swedish Longitudinal Gambling Study (Swelogs) in which a representative sample of 8,165 people was assessed using validated problem gambling and other measures to facilitate comparison with findings from the 1997/1998 Swedish Gambling Study (Swegs). Overall, it was found that gambling participation reduced markedly, although in some population sectors increases were evident for some forms including poker and electronic gaming machines. Lifetime prevalence of probable pathological gambling increased; however, past 12 months probable pathological and problem gambling prevalence did not. Males, younger adults and people born outside Sweden were at high risk in both studies. Significant prevalence increases were evident for people aged 18-24 and those with low levels of education. The results indicate that relationships between gambling exposure, participation and problems are dynamic with shifting implications for public health and social policy.
Purpose of Review
Gambling problems are much more common amongst people who use novel gambling products, including skin gambling, esports betting and fantasy sports betting. The exposure and adaptation effects suggest that, like a novel pathogen, new products produce gambling problems until adaptation can counteract vulnerabilities. The purpose of this review is to posit, based on recent data, that an adoption effect provides a more parsimonious account for why novel gambling products are associated with problems.
Recent Findings
People who are more vulnerable to a gambling problem are more likely to adopt novel gambling forms, consistent with their tendency to gamble on many forms. The high prevalence of gambling problems cannot be accounted for by the exposure effect alone, unless one assumes, implausibly, that these novel forms are dramatically more toxic than established products. As newer products diffuse in their acceptance throughout the population, the proportion of people with a gambling problem who play such games goes down. The evolution of gambling products can be described by a product lifecycle model where gambling problems are common amongst early adopters, but proportionately decrease amongst users as a product grows in popularity, reaches maturity and finally stagnates and is replaced.
Summary
The adoption effect is important because it indicates the need for interventions when new gambling products are introduced. It cautions against assuming that interventions are working just because the prevalence of gambling problems declines.
This sole-authored original academic book [226 pages] looks ahead and asks where the increased reliance on profits from gambling is leading in the long term. It argues that the rapid commercial expansion of gambling through modern Western democracies can be likened to the commercial expansion of other primary exploitative industries such as native forest logging in countries like Indonesia and Brazil. As the chainsaw enabled vast tracts of native forests to fall, so the proliferation of poker machine lures increasing numbers of people into regular use. The profits generated by increased consumption establish and reinforce a network of relationships that are increasingly reliant on these profits. Key recipients include industry employees, government agencies, political bodies, media organisations, community groups, charities, gambling helping organisations and researchers. The book looks closely at how relationships to the profits from gambling create environments that generate conflicts of interest that in the long run discourage active and critical participation in democratic systems.
In this essay I examine the relationship between commercial gambling, framed as one example of global capitalist development, and the ways in which western societies respond to the social harms this activity produces. As a starting point, I historically locate a concern with risky gambling as a manifestation of the societal desire to categorise and control statistically deviant populations. I then critically examine the pathological gambler category and the prevalence surveys that have proliferated in recent times to define and populate it. Even on their own terms, these studies are seriously flawed, yet surprisingly tend to go unchallenged. This apparent contradiction may be explained by interpreting prevalence studies as a necessary precondition for the reproduction of the gambling industries. Prevalence studies serve as an epistemological device for the perpetuation of social categories that, through the transfer of risk from producers to consumers, allow for the reproduction of the gambling industries both discursively and economically. In their place, I propose a broader research agenda that challenges the conceptual and policy space explicitly and implicitly circumscribed by prevalence research. I conclude with a reflexive call for a re-evaluation of the role of the academy within this system – one that is increasingly fraught with political expediency and moral jeopardy.
Bringing anthropological perspectives to bear on addiction, the contributors to this important collection highlight the contingency of addiction as a category of human knowledge and experience. Based on ethnographic research conducted in sites from alcohol treatment clinics in Russia to Pentecostal addiction ministries in Puerto Rico, the essays are linked by the contributors' attention to the dynamics—including the cultural, scientific, legal, religious, personal, and social—that shape the meaning of "addiction" in particular settings. They examine how it is understood and experienced among professionals working in the criminal justice system of a rural West Virginia community; Hispano residents of New Mexico's Espanola Valley, where the rate of heroin overdose is among the highest in the United States; homeless women participating in an outpatient addiction therapy program in the Midwest; machine-gaming addicts in Las Vegas, and many others. The collection's editors suggest "addiction trajectories" as a useful rubric for analyzing the changing meanings of addiction across time, place, institutions, and individual lives. Pursuing three primary trajectories, the contributors show how addiction comes into being as an object of knowledge, a site of therapeutic intervention, and a source of subjective experience.
Epidemiological studies of problem and pathological gambling were examined for their accuracy. Fundamental flaws and biases were found in these surveys. These include problems with survey instruments; nonresponses and refusal bias; the exclusion of institutionalized populations; exclusion of other groups; and failure to protect against denial on the part of the respondent when others are present near the telephone. Based on the issues discussed, one can reasonably be expected to assume that most epidemiological surveys seriously underestimate the extent of problem and pathological gambling. Alternative strategies for addressing these issues are discussed. These strategies include the use of field interviews, surveys of institutionalized populations, frequent player surveys and significant other surveys. The value and potential problems of these approaches are also discussed.
In New Zealand, awareness of gambling-related problems has increased in association with the legalization of new forms of gambling. This paper presents the methods and selected results from a national survey of gambling and problem gambling completed in New Zealand in 1991. While the primary aim of the study was to determine the extent of problem gambling in New Zealand, the study included a second phase intended to assess the validity and reliability of the widely-used South Oaks Gambling Screen as well as to examine other aspects of problematic involvement in gambling. The results of the two-phase study in New Zealand show that problem gamblers in different countries are remarkably similar in demographic terms as well as with regard to other risk factors associated with problematic gambling involvement. The New Zealand study of problem gambling points the way toward important research topics that will require further exploration in the future.
The rapid expansion of legalized gambling in the United States has produced tremendous demands for information about the number and characteristics of problem gamblers in the general population. This paper examines the results of prevalence studies of problem and pathological gambling that have been carried out in the United States. The discussion is largely chronological, with a focus on comparative findings from the 15 United States jurisdictions where prevalence studies have been completed since 1980. The results of diese studies verify findings from clinical and experimental studies as well as suggesting important avenues for future research. The paper concludes with a consideration of the role played by survey research in advancing the field of gambling research.
This paper helps address a deficiency of gender specific research into gambling. Using predominantly non‐parametric tests, the paper analyses data from 1,257 female and 1,743 male respondents in a telephone survey of 3,000 members selected randomly from six large Sydney clubs. The results support female gambling stereotypes of lower individual bets and lower overall expenditure, but not of lower participation and frequency of play, and shorter duration of gambling sessions. Further, regular female gaming machine players appear more likely than non‐regular female players to be migrants, either young or old, and from lower socio‐economic groups. Regular female gaming machine players also appear to forgo the social side of playing machines, to spend more overall and to be more at risk of problem gambling than non‐regular female players. Finally, the distinguishing socio‐demographic characteristics and machine playing behaviours of regular male gaming machine players are very similar to those for regular female gaming machine players.
The South Oaks Gambling Screen is a 20-item questionnaire based on DSM-III criteria for pathological gambling. It may be self-administered or administered by nonprofessional or professional interviewers. A total of 1,616 subjects were involved in its development: 867 patients with diagnoses of substance abuse and pathological gambling, 213 members of Gamblers Anonymous, 384 university students, and 152 hospital employees. Independent validation by family members and counselors was obtained for the calibration sample, and internal consistency and test-retest reliability were established. The instrument correlates well with the criteria of the revised version of DSM-III (DSM-III-R). It offers a convenient means to screen clinical populations of alcoholics and drug abusers, as well as general populations, for pathological gambling.
This paper presents results from the first national survey of problem gambling completed in Sweden.
The Swedish survey is unique in its quality and representativeness, due to the use of multiple modes of data collection, recruitment of respondents from national registers rather than from households, and high response rate.
In spite of high rates of gambling participation in Sweden, the combined prevalence of problem and pathological gambling in Sweden is relatively low (3.9% lifetime and 2.0% current). Multivariate analysis shows that being male, under the age of 25 and born abroad are significant risk factors for lifetime gambling problems in Sweden. Additional risk factors are being single, living in big cities, and receiving social welfare payments.
The groups most at risk for gambling problems in Sweden are people disadvantaged and marginalized by international economic changes as well as the dismantling of the Swedish welfare system.
1. Introduction 2. Respondents' understanding of survey questions 3. The role of memory in survey responding 4. Answering questions about date and durations 5. Attitude questions 6. Factual judgments and numerical estimates 7. Attitude judgments and context effects 8. Mapping and formatting 9. Survey reporting of sensitive topics 10. Mode of data collection 11. Impact of the application of cognitive models to survey measurement.
This paper addresses a debate that has emerged in the field of pathological gambling research. This debate concerns measurement of the prevalence of pathological gambling in the general population. Two instruments have been used to measure prevalence in the United States, the South Oaks Gambling Screen and the Cumulative Clinical Signs Method. These instruments are described and several problems with the statistical properties of the Cumulative Clinical Signs Method are discussed. The authors conclude with a call for continued research in the area of prevalence studies of pathological gambling.
Prevalence of pathological gambling refers to the percentage of cases of pathological gambling occurring in the community at a given time. Prevalence studies conducted in different principalities throughout the world are reviewed, and it is found that none of them conforms to this definition of prevalence. The major error in all but the most recent surveys conducted is identified as the use of questions which ask whether gambling-related problems have ever occurred rather than whether they are currently occurring. This error will lead to an over-estimation of the prevalence of pathological gambling in society. The second major error identified in nearly all studies involves the accuracy of the screens being used to assess whether or not an individual is a pathological gambler. Concerns about the efficiency of the South Oaks Gambling Screen have not yet been satisfactorily resolved. None-the-less, the widespread use of the South Oaks Gambling Screen has made a valuable contribution to international comparisons of prevalence studies. Future work that explores the emerging relationship between levels of personal expenditure on gambling, types of gambling product and gambling-related problems are recommended.
We assess changes in gambling and problem gambling from 1990 to 1994, a period of rapid expansion in gambling availability. Surveys of non-institutionalized adult Minnesotans were conducted in the spring of each year. Problem gambling was assessed using the SOGS-M, the Minnesota revision of the South Oaks Gambling Screen. Gambling was found to be more frequent among Minnesotans in 1994 than in 1990, and the preference for games changed. Moreover, problem gambling increased over the period. This increase, however, appears to have occurred at the lower ends of the problem gambling continuum rather than at the probable pathological level. Policy implications are explored.
This paper describes a study on the recall of 2400 events from the author's daily life, recorded during a period of 6 years. One feature of the study is that all events were recorded by means of four aspects, viz., what the event was, who was involved, and where and when it happened. All events were scaled for saliency, emotional involvement, and pleasantness. Recall was cued by different combinations of the recorded aspects. For instance, given what, the task was to reproduce who, where, and when. Given who and when, the task was to reproduce what and where. This technique enlarges M. Linton's (1975, in D. A. Norman & D. E. Rumelhart (Eds.), Explorations in cognition (chap. 14), San Francisco: Freeman) insights into the organization of autobiographical memory. Pleasant events were better recalled than unpleasant events. An analysis of the effectiveness of cue combinations showed that, in the organization of autobiographical memory, temporal information functions in a different manner than information about what, who, and where. Although the number of irretrievable events can rise to about 20%, there is some evidence that in fact none of these events was completely forgotten.
Increasing numbers of retirees spend their leisure time in the ever-growing number of gambling casinos in this country. For most older adults, casino gambling is a new form of excitement and entertainment. However, for some retirees, especially those vulnerable to depression from the changes and losses that can occur in aging, casino gambling can become disordered, problematic, and/or an addiction. Although prevalence studies have examined the incidence of problem gambling in other age groups, little attention has been directed to the impact of casino gambling on older adults. The authors discuss problem and pathological gambling in retired older adults, and provide clinical case examples of a growing number of older adults with problem gambling behaviors seen in an outpatient geriatric psychiatry clinic. Finally, they urge that an evaluation of gambling behaviors be a routine portion of geriatric clinical evaluations.
Planning the gambling environment requires protection of the public's health, safety and welfare. Whereas most public gaming provisions and statutes address the public's fears of organized crime as well as some welfare needs, rarely do they safeguard the public's health regarding the spread of the mental disease known as pathological gambling. Measurement of the prevalence and incidence of this disease would enable policy planners to evaluate both the state's responsibility for an epidemic and the adequacy of publicly funded treatment programs. The purpose of this paper is to examine the methods which underlie three different estimates of the prevalence rate of pathological gambling and to critique them in the light of sound epidemiological procedure. In 1975, the Institute for Social Research (ISR) of the University of Michigan conducted a national survey and a survey of the state of Nevada on behalf of the U.S. Commission on a National Policy Toward Gambling. Using discriminant function analysis coupled with subjective inspection of cases in the at-risk pool, the researchers estimated rates of probable and potential pathological gamblers. In 1984 and 1985, this author surveyed residents in the Delaware Valley and the state of Ohio using the cumulative clinical signs method which also posited rates of probable and potential pathological gamblers. In 1986, researchers at the Office of Mental Health for the State of New York employed a formal screening device to survey residents and proposed a rate of probable pathological gamblers and a rate of problem — although not pathological — gamblers. All three approaches produced different estimates. The utility of prevalence and incidence rate research in this field is threatened by a lack of consensus about the proper epidemiological procedure to be employed in arriving at these estimates. There is also confusion about the distinction between a probable and a potential pathological gambler. The planning purpose, method, validity and reliability of prevalence rate research about pathological gambling are addressed in this paper.
Pathological gambling was officially defined as a psychiatric illness by APA in 1980. The authors report on the results of a state-wide study in New York that indicated significant differences between problem gamblers in the general population and pathological gamblers entering publicly funded treatment programs. These results, based on telephone interviews using standardized assessment instruments with 1,000 persons, raise serious clinical and programmatic issues regarding the development and organization of appropriate services for pathological gamblers. They also point to the fact that large segments of the general population are not receiving needed services.
This study developed prevalence estimates of gambling-related disorders in the United States and Canada, identified differences in prevalence among population segments, and identified changes in prevalence over the past 20 years.
A meta-analytic strategy was employed to synthesize estimates from 119 prevalence studies. This method produced more reliable prevalence rates than were available from any single study.
Prevalence estimates among samples of adolescents were significantly higher than estimates among samples of adults for both clinical (level 3) and subclinical (level 2) measures of disordered gambling within both lifetime and past-year time frames (e.g., 3.9% vs 1.6% for lifetime estimates of level 3 gambling). Among adults, prevalence estimates of disordered gambling have increased significantly during the past 20 years.
Membership in youth, treatment, or prison population segments is significantly associated with experiencing gambling-related disorders. Understanding subclinical gamblers provides a meaningful opportunity to lower the public health burden associated with gambling disorders. Further research is necessary to determine whether the prevalence of disordered gambling will continue to increase among the general adult population and how prevalence among adolescents will change as this cohort ages.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of pathological gambling in the Swiss adult population before the introduction of new forms of gambling, and the link between pathological gambling and alcohol abuse.
2526 telephone interviews were completed using standardized assessment instruments for identifying potential and probable pathological gamblers (SOGS) and alcohol abuse (CAGE).
The current prevalence of probable and potential pathological gamblers were estimated to be 0.8% and 2.2%, respectively. The results also show a clear correlation between alcohol abuse and gambling behaviours.
For the first time estimations are available of the Swiss prevalence rates of pathological gambling. Considering the link between gambling availability and increases in the prevalence of pathological gambling and the correlation between alcohol abuse and pathological gambling, the implications of these results for the prevention and treatment of this debilitating disorder are discussed.
This study was designed to determine the prevalence and demographic distribution of problem gambling, pathological gambling, alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence in the United States, and to examine the co-occurrence of gambling pathology and alcohol pathology in the United States.
A representative sample (N = 2,638) of U.S. adults age 18 and older was surveyed in the year 2000 using computer-assisted telephone interviewing. Respondents' gambling pathology and alcohol dependence were assessed by the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) and the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS).
Current pathological gambling had an overall prevalence of 1.3% as measured by the DIS and 1.9% as measured by the SOGS, with a higher prevalence among minorities and lower socioeconomic status (SES) respondents. Current and lifetime alcohol pathology was more common among males and young adults than among females and older adults. Current pathological gambling and alcohol dependence were correlated, and the highest correlation was found among higher SES respondents.
The rate of current pathological gambling in the United States is higher than reported in past surveys. Minorities and lower SES Americans have higher than average rates of current pathological gambling. However, when higher SES persons are classified as current pathological gamblers, they are more likely than lower SES persons to be dependent on alcohol.
To help refine the definition and diagnosis of gambling disorders, we investigated the distribution among US gamblers of the 10 DSM-IV criteria for Pathological Gambling.
We drew data from two stratified random surveys (n = 2417, n= 530) of gambling behavior and consequences among community-based samples of US adults. A fully structured questionnaire, administered by trained lay interviewers, screened for the life-time prevalence of problem and Pathological Gambling. Per DSM-IV definitions, anyone meeting five or more of 10 itemized criteria was considered a pathological gambler. We analyzed these criteria among all gamblers who met one or more criteria (n = 399).
Most gamblers who met only one or two criteria reported 'chasing their losses'. At subclinical levels (three to four criteria), gamblers also reported elevated rates of gambling-related fantasy: lying, gambling to escape and preoccupation. Pathological gamblers with five to seven criteria reported marked elevations of loss of control, withdrawal symptoms and tolerance (internalizing dimensions of dependence); risking their social relationships and needing to be bailed out financially (externalizing dimensions). Most of the highest-level pathological gamblers (eight to 10 criteria) reported committing illegal acts to support gambling.
Dependence in a biobehavioral sense appears to be a hallmark of Pathological Gambling, but it marks only one threshold in a qualitative hierarchy of disorders beginning with a common subclinical behavior, 'chasing'. Epidemiological assessments and future DSM revisions might consider explicit recognition of a problem gambling disorder, identifying people presenting some cognitive symptoms of Pathological Gambling but not clear signs of dependence. Pathological gamblers in turn appear to have two distinct levels of severity.
Where to draw the line? Response to comments on'A hierarchy of gambling disorders in the general population The Psychology of Survey Response Gambling Involvement and Problem Gambling in Montana Gambling and Problem Gambling in Washington State
- R Tourangeau
- L J Rips
- K Rasinski
- R A R A Volberg
Where to draw the line? Response to comments on'A hierarchy of gambling disorders in the general population.' Addiction, 98, 1678 – 1679. Tourangeau, R., Rips, L.J. & Rasinski, K. (2000). The Psychology of Survey Response. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Volberg, R.A. (1992). Gambling Involvement and Problem Gambling in Montana. Helena, MT: Montana Department of Corrections and Human Services. Volberg, R.A. (1993). Gambling and Problem Gambling in Washington State. Olympia, WA: Washington State Lottery. Volberg, R.A. (1995)
Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana Economic Development & Gaming Corporation Prevalence studies of problem gambling in the United States Gambling and Problem Gambling in Oregon: Oregon Gambling Addiction Treatment Foundation
- Problem Wagering
- Louisiana Wagering
- R A R A Volberg
Wagering and Problem Wagering in Louisiana. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana Economic Development & Gaming Corporation. Volberg, R.A. (1996). Prevalence studies of problem gambling in the United States. Journal of Gambling Studies, 12, (2), 111–128. Volberg, R.A. (1997). Gambling and Problem Gambling in Oregon. Salem, OR: Oregon Gambling Addiction Treatment Foundation. Volberg, R.A. (2001a)
Letter to the editor: AGA chief amplifies position concerning prevalence rates
- F J Fahrenkopf
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