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Dimensions of Problem Gambling Behavior Associated with Purchasing Sports Lottery

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify and examine the dimensions of problem gambling behaviors associated with purchasing sports lottery in China. This was accomplished through the development and validation of the Scale of Assessing Problem Gambling (SAPG). The SAPG was initially developed through a comprehensive qualitative research process. Research participants (N = 4,982) were Chinese residents who had purchased sports lottery tickets, who responded to a survey packet, representing a response rate of 91.4%. Data were split into two halves, one for conducting an EFA and the other for a CFA. A five-factor model with 19 items (Social Consequence, Financial Consequence, Harmful Behavior, Compulsive Disorder, and Depression Sign) showed good measurement properties to assess problem gambling of sports lottery consumers in China, including good fit to the data (RMSEA = 0.050, TLI = 0.978, and CFI = 0.922), convergent and discriminate validity, and reliability. Regression analyses revealed that except for Depression Sign, the SAPG factors were significantly (P < 0.05) predictive of purchase behaviors of sports lottery. This study represents an initial effort to understand the dimensions of problem gambling associated with Chinese sports lottery. The developed scale may be adopted by researchers and practitioners to examine problem gambling behaviors and develop effective prevention and intervention procedures based on tangible evidence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Sport Economics and Management, Sport Events Research Center, Shanghai University of Sport, 399 Chang Hai Road, 200438, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

    Hai Li & Yin Wu

  2. Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management, College of Health and Human Performance, University of Florida, 300 FLG, Gainesville, FL, 32611-8208, USA

    Hai Li, Luke Lunhua Mao & James J. Zhang

  3. Sport Event Research Center, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China

    Luke Lunhua Mao & James J. Zhang

  4. School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China

    Anmin Li

  5. Physical Education Department, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai, China

    Jing Chen

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Li, H., Mao, L.L., Zhang, J.J. et al. Dimensions of Problem Gambling Behavior Associated with Purchasing Sports Lottery. J Gambl Stud 28, 47–68 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-011-9243-3

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