Socio-demographic and substance use correlates of gambling behavior in the Canadian general population (original) (raw)
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“Predictors of Gambling and Problem Gambling in Canada.”
Canadian Journal of Public Health, 2021
Objectives The purpose of this study is to provide an updated profile of gamblers and problem gamblers in Canada and to identify characteristics most strongly associated with problem gambling. Methods An assessment of gambling participation and problem gambling was included in the 2018 Canadian Community Health Survey and administered to 23,952 individuals 18 years and older. Descriptive statistics provided a demographic profile for each type of gambling involvement as well as category of gambler (non-gambler, non-problem gambler, at-risk gambler, problem gambler). A logistic regression identified characteristics that best distinguished problem from non-problem gamblers. Results Gambling participation and problem gambling both varied as a function of gender, income, educational attainment, and race/ethnicity. However, multivariate analysis identified electronic gambling machine (EGM) participation to be the primary predictor of problem gambling status, with race/ethnicity, presence of a mood disorder, male gender, casino table game participation, older age, a greater level of smoking, participation in speculative financial activity, instant lottery participation, lower household income, and lottery or raffle ticket participation providing additional predictive power. Provincial EGM density and EGM participation rates are also very strong predictors of provincial rates of at-risk and problem gambling. Conclusion Problem gambling has a biopsychosocial etiology, determined by personal vulnerability factors combined with the presence of riskier types of gambling such as EGMs. Effective prevention requires a multifaceted approach, but constraints on the availability and operation of EGMs would likely have the greatest single public health benefit.
Gambling and problem gambling in Canada: An overview
Participation in games of chance pre-dates recorded human history. Gambling is a behaviour that produces mixed feelings in society. It can be an exciting and enjoyable behavior though it is also an activity that has regularly been prohibited and remains closely regulated. In Canada, the escalating necessity to generate new income streams by both provincial and federal governments has increased the accessibility and availability of different forms of gambling. As a direct consequence, the need and demand for intervention has grown. This article highlights key historical developments in gambling, provides definitions and characteristics of different types of gamblers, and concludes with a review of current assessment instruments and treatment approaches.
Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2012
Introduction: Numerous epidemiological and clinical studies have found that tobacco use and gambling frequently cooccur. Despite high rates of smoking among regular gamblers, the extent to which tobacco potentially infl uences gambling behavior and vice versa is poorly understood. The current study aimed to provide more insight into this relationship by directly comparing nonsmoking and smoking gamblers on gambling behavior, problem gambling indices, and reasons for gambling. Methods: The data for this study came from the 2005 Newfoundland and Labrador Gambling Prevalence Study. Gamblers identifi ed as nonsmokers (N = 997) were compared with gamblers who smoke (N = 622) on numerous gamblingrelated variables. Chi-square analyses were used to compare groups on demographic variables. Associations between smoking status and gambling criteria were assessed with a series of binary logistic regressions. Results: The regression analyses revealed several significant associations between smoking status and past 12-month gambling. Higher problem gambling severity scores, use of alcohol/drugs while gambling, amount of money spent gambling, use of video lottery terminals, and reasons for gambling which focused on positive reinforcement/reward and negative reinforcement/relief were all associated with smoking. Conclusions: The findings suggest an association between smoking and potentially problematic gambling in a populationbased sample. More research focused on the potential reinforcing properties of tobacco on the development and treatment of problematic gambling is needed.
Patterns and trends in gambling participation in the Quebec population between 2009 and 2012
Can J Public Health, 2015
OBJECTIVES: To describe gambling practices and trends in Quebec between 2009 and 2012 given that, in Canada, public funding allocation to address the risks associated with gambling practices should be based on valid prevalence data and knowledge of patterns and trends in vulnerable populations. METHODS: The study data were taken from the 2009 and 2012 cross-sectional waves of the Enquête sur les habitudes de jeu des Québécois (ENHJEU-Québec). The analytical sample consisted of 11,888 respondents in 2009 and 12,008 respondents in 2012. RESULTS: The prevalence of lifetime non-gamblers in the adult population of Quebec increased from 13.6% in 2009 to 16.4% in 2012, and past-year gambling participation decreased from 70.5% to 66.2%. Changes in gambling patterns were not contingent on demographic characteristics; gambling prevalence decreased in all subcategories. The proportion of problem and low-risk gamblers remained unchanged, whereas the prevalence of non-problem gamblers decreased significantly from 66.1% in 2009 to 61.5% in 2012. CONCLUSION: Gambling participation in Quebec is decreasing, though the proportion of problem gamblers remains stable. Given these findings, allocation of public resources for health care services should be maintained. Secondary and primary prevention efforts need to be initiated or maintained to prevent gambling harm.
Designing a Longitudinal Cohort Study of Gambling in Alberta: Rationale, Methods, and Challenges
Journal of Gambling Studies, 2008
Longitudinal research on the determinants of gambling behavior is sparse. This article briefly reviews the previous seventeen longitudinally designed studies, focusing on the methodology for each study. This is followed by a description of our ongoing longitudinal study entitled the Leisure, Lifestyle, & Lifecycle Project (LLLP). Participants for the LLLP were recruited from four locations in Alberta, Canada, including both rural and urban populations. In the LLLP most participants were recruited using random digit dialing (RDD), with 1808 participants from 5 age cohorts at baseline: 13-15, 18-20, 23-25, 43-45, and 63-65. Individuals completed telephone, computer, and face-to-face surveys at baseline, with the data collection occurring between February and October, 2006. At baseline, a wide variety of constructs were measured, including gambling behavior, substance use, psychopathology, intelligence, family environment, and internalizing and externalizing problems. Finally, the conclusions that can be drawn thus far are discussed as well as the plans for three future data collections.
Addictive Behaviours, 2022
Introduction: Cannabis use frequently co-occurs with gambling, and evidence indicates that both acute and chronic cannabis use may influence gambling behavior. The primary aim of the present study was to further contribute to the literature on this relationship by examining data collected from a Canadian national study of gambling. Methods: Respondents consisted of 10,054 Canadian gamblers recruited from Leger Opinion's (LEO) online panel. In this study, gamblers who used cannabis were compared with non-users across a number of gambling as well as demographic and mental health variables. Results: Of the total sample, 25.4 % reported past 12-month cannabis use. Among the 2,553 cannabis-users, 21.3 % reported daily use, and 69.9 % reported using once a month or more. A total of 56.2 % indicated they had used cannabis while gambling in the past 12 months. Bivariate analysis found significant differences between cannabis use and non-use on numerous demographic, mental health, and gambling-related variables. Individuals with greater problem gambling severity scores, more hours gambling, and a larger range of gambling activities were more likely to endorse using cannabis. Hierarchical logistic regression revealed that tobacco use, and having experienced significant child abuse were predictors of cannabis use. Non-use of cannabis was associated with older age, less engagement in online gambling, and being less likely to consume alcohol. Conclusion: The present findings both corroborate previous studies and expand upon the relationship between cannabis and gambling.
In 2005 the Northern Territory of Australia conducted its first population-based gambling and problem-gambling prevalence survey, administering both the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) and the Canadian Problem Gambling Index (CPGI) to the same sample of respondents. Using a sub-sample of regular gamblers (n=361), the respective problem gambling screens were subject to psychometric testing that included dimensionality, internal consistency, external validity, classification validity and screen order effects. Analyses were conducted for all regular gamblers stratified by gender. The CPGI produced a significantly lower prevalence estimate than the SOGS as well as lower rates of false-positives as measured against external criteria. Consistent with other studies, dimensionality analysis revealed a multi-dimensional factor structure for the SOGS and a single dimension for the CPGI. The CPGI displayed stronger correlations with external criteria and stronger internal consistency than th...
Introducing the Canadian problem gambling index
Edmonton, AB: Wynne Resources, 2003
The development of the Canadian Problem Gambling Index (CPGI) was the result of a collaborative, three-year research venture (1997-2000) managed by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) and funded by the Canadian provinces. The goal was to develop a new, more meaningful measure of problem gambling for use in general population surveys in Canada, one that reflected a more holistic view of gambling within a social and community context. The CPGI was developed as part of a larger research project entitled Measuring Problem Gambling in Canada. The Inter-Provincial Task Force on Problem Gambling was formed to guide the three-year study, and this group was comprised of government and agency representatives from across Canada (see Appendix 1 for a list of reps). The CCSA research team members included Dr.