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Opportunity Structure for Gambling and Problem Gambling Among Employees in the Transport Industry

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Abstract

Working conditions for employees in the transport sector might present an opportunity structure for gambling by providing access to gambling during the workday. This study investigates connections between opportunity structure, gambling during the workday, and gambling problems among employees in the transport sector. Data has been collected from three different transport organizations in Norway: bus, truck, and taxi drivers (N = 1033). 6.8% of the sample gambled during working hours and 3.2% of the employees could be characterized as having a gambling problem. We found a positive relationship between opportunities to gamble during working hours and problem gambling, with the odds for problem gambling increasing fourteen-fold if employees gambled during working hours. Gambling during the workday is a major risk factor for gambling problems in this sample.

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Notes

  1. The helpline was set up to help problem gamblers, their families and others requiring information about problem gambling. Health Region South East RHF runs the helpline together with the Norwegian Gaming Authority. Statistics are kept on the number of callers, age and gender, type of game discussed, and game causing most problems.

  2. To substantiate a hypothesis where the relation between A (opportunity structure) and O (problem gambling) is mediated by B (gambling in working hours), then 1) A must predict O; 2) A must predict B; 3) B must predict O; 4) the connection between A and O should disappear or decline in strength after correcting for B (Kraemer et al 2001). Whether B acts as a mediator entirely or partially depends on whether the connection between A and O disappears or is only reduced in strength after correction for B (Holmbeck, 1997).

  3. The study is part of the Government’s Problem Gambling Action Plan. It is a three-year collaborative project between AKAN Workplace Advisory Center, Eastern Norway Center for addiction issues, and the Norwegian Gambling Authority. The study is founded by the Norwegian Directorate of Health.

  4. Various methods were used to ensure standards were maintained during the design of the questionnaire. Focus groups and pilot interviews with employees, gamblers and therapists were used to make sure we asked the right questions, and were understood in line with intentions. Outside specialists in addiction and workplace research were used to make sure the questionnaire provided a reliable indicator of the phenomena we are interested in.

  5. Non-Western origin means that either yourself, or both of your parents come from non-western countries.

  6. The exception in our study would be the taxi drivers who own their own vehicles.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. AKAN-Workplace Advicory Centre, Oslo, Norway

    Tevje Revheim & Kristin Buvik

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  1. Tevje Revheim
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  2. Kristin Buvik
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Correspondence to Tevje Revheim.

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Revheim, T., Buvik, K. Opportunity Structure for Gambling and Problem Gambling Among Employees in the Transport Industry. Int J Ment Health Addiction 7, 217–228 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-008-9179-8

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