Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Complex Factors and Behaviors in the Gambling Population of Italy

Journal of Gambling Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Gambling has seen significant growth globally, and particularly in Italy: it has rapidly evolved from a simple recreational activity to represent 4% of Italian GDP in 2010.A sample of 4.494 gamblers was drawn from IPSAD-Italia®2007-2008 (Italian Population Survey on Alcohol and Drugs) in order to examine different gambling patterns (assessed using the Canadian Problem Gambling Index Short form scale).Separate analysis was performed on young adults, age 15–24 (n = 1,241; male 56.2%), and adults, age 25–64 (n = 3,253; male 53.8%): compared with adults, Italian youth, although they gambled less (35.7% vs. 45.3%), appeared to have higher prevalence of low risk gambling (6.9% vs. 5.8%) and moderate risk or problem gambling (2.3% vs. 2.2%). Males are more likely to be moderate-risk or problem gamblers. Those with only a primary education are more likely to be moderate-risk or problem gamblers (young adults: RRR = 5.22; adults: RRR = 3.23) than those with a university education, just like those youth who use depressants, but only among younger (RRR = 3.38).A fundamental issue, “do not disapprove of gambling”, seems to relate to problematic gambling: a specific Italian legislation, the Abruzzi Decree Law, could have influenced the perception that gambling may contribute positively to provide additional funds to the government for social good as well as to add needed jobs. Regardless of such potential social benefits, gambling is a social epidemic and if this association should be confirmed by more focused studies, policy makers should evaluate ways to affect this perception as soon as possible.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Afifi, T. O., Cox, B. J., Martens, P. J., Sareen, J., & Enns, M. W. (2010). Demographic and social variables associated with problem gambling among men and women in Canada. Psychiatry Research, 30, 178(2), 395–400.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amministrazione Autonoma dei Monopoli di Stato, AAMS. (2011). I dati ufficiali AAMS “Official data AAMS”. Retrieved from http://www.aams.gov.it/.

  • Bakken, I. J., Götestam, K. G., Gråwe, R. W., Wenzel, H. G., & Øren, A. (2009). Gambling behavior and gambling problems in Norway 2007. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 50(4), 333–339.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barrison, I. G., Viola, L., Mumford, J., Murray, R. M., Gordon, M., & Murray-Lyon, I. M. (1982). Detecting excessive drinking among admissions to a general hospital. Health Trends, 14, 80–83.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beresford, T., Low, D., Hall, R., Adduci, R., & Goggans, F. (1982). A computerized biochemical profile for detection of alcoholism. Psychosomatics, 23, 713–720. Retrieved from http://psy.psychiatryonline.org/.

  • Breen, R. B., & Zuckerman, M. (1999). ‘Chasing’ in gambling behaviour: Personality and cognitive determinants. Personality and Individual Differences, 27, 1097–1111. doi:10.1016/S0191-8869(99)00052-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Capitanucci, D., Capelli, M., & Lavagna, D. (2007). Dipendenze, poli-dipendenze e nuove dipendenze, “Dependencies, poly-dependencies, and new dependencies”. Personalità/Dipendenze, 10(3), 301–312. Retrieved from http://www.pol-it.org/ital/riviste/personalita/index.htm.

  • Casey, D. M., Williams, R. J., Mossière, A. M., Schopflocher, D. P., & Wood, R. T. (2011). The role of family, religiosity, and behavior in adolescent gambling. Journal of Adolescence, 34(5), 841–851.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Croce, M., & Nanni, W. (2004). Le dipendenze senza sostanze in Vuoti a perdere “The substances employed without returnable”. (Report No:V Caritas sulle nuove povertà). Feltrinelli: Milano.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Leeuw, E. D. (2010). Data quality in mail, telephon, and face to face surveys: A quantitative review, technical report no 1, response effects in surveys. Amsterdam: Vrije Universiteit.

    Google Scholar 

  • Desai, R. A., Maciejewski, P. K., Pantalon, M. V., & Potenza, M. N. (2005). Gender differences in adolescent gambling. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, 17(4), 249–258.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dipartimento per le Politiche Antidroga (DPA), Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri. (2008). Relazione Annuale al Parlamento sullo Stato delle Tossicodipendenze In Italia 2007. Retrieved from http://www.governo.it/GovernoInforma/Dossier/relazione_droga_2007/.

  • Duhig, A. M., Maciejewski, P. K., Desai, R. A., Krishnan-Sarin, S., & Potenza, M. N. (2007). Characteristics of adolescent past-year gamblers and non-gamblers in relation to alcohol drinking. Addictive Behaviors, 32(1), 80–93.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ewing, J. A. (1984). Detecting alcoholism, the CAGE questionnaire. JAMA, 252, 1905–1907. Retrieved from http://jama.ama-assn.org/.

  • Ferris, J., & Wynne, H. (2001a). The Canadian problem gambling index: User manual. Ottawa: The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferris, J., & Wynne, H. (2001b). The Canadian problem gambling index: Final report. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiasco, M. (2010). Verso l’economia del gioco “Towards the game economy”. Il redattore sociale.

  • Heinz, A., Löber, S., Georgi, A., Wrase, J., Hermann, D., Rey, E. R., Wellek, S., & Mann, K. (2003). Reward craving and withdrawal relief craving: assessment of different motivational pathways to alcohol intake. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 38, 1, 35–39. Retrieved from http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/content/by/year.

  • Hodgins, D. C., Stea, J. N., & Grant, J. E. (2011). Gambling disorders. The Lancet. Early Online Publication. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(10)62185-X.

  • Huang, J. H., & Boyer, R. (2007). Epidemiology of youth gambling problems in Canada: A national prevalence study. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 52(10), 657–665.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johansson, A., Grant, J., Kim, S., Odlaug, B., & Götestam, K. (2009). Risk factors for problematic gambling: A critical literature review. Journal of Gambling Studies, 25, 67–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • King, M. (1986). At risk drinking among general practice attenders: Validation of the CAGE Questionnaire. Psychological Medicine, 16, 213–217. Retrieved from (1)http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=PSM.

  • Lo Iacono, S. (2010). Il consumo di psicofarmaci in italia “Psychotropic drugs consumption in Italy”. Report: Osservatorio salute e diritti.

    Google Scholar 

  • Magruder-Habib, K., Stevens H. A., & Alling, W. C. (1993). Relative performance of the MAST, VAST and CAGE versus DSM-III criteria for alcohol dependence. Journal of clinical Epidemiol, 46, 435–441. Retrieved from http://www.jclinepi.com/.

  • Mayfield, D., McLeod, G., & Hall, P. (1974). The CAGE-questionnaire; validation of a new alcoholism screening instrument. American journal of psychiatry, 131, 1121–1123. Retrieved from http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/index.dtl.

  • McCready, J., & Adlaf, E. (2006). Performance and enhancement of the Canadian Problem Gambling Index (CPGI): Report and Recommendations. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.

    Google Scholar 

  • McMillen, J., & Wenzel, M. (2005). Measuring problem gambling: Assessment of three prevalence screens. International Gambling Studies, 6, 2, 147–174. doi:10.1080/14459790600927845.

  • Nancy, M. (2007). Gambling and substance use disorders: Current status and future directions. The American Journal on Addictions, 16, 1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raylu, N., & Oei, T. P. (2002). Patological gambling. A comprehensive review. Clinical Psycology Review, 22(7), 1009–1061.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaffer, H. J., LaBrie, R. A., & LaPlante, D. A. (2004). The road less travelled: Moving from distribution to determinants in the study of gambling epidemiology. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 49, 504–516. Retrieved from http://publications.cpa-apc.org/.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slutske, W. S., Eisen, S. A., True, W. R., Lyons, M. J., Goldberg, J., & Tsuang, M. T. (2000). Common genetic vulnerability for pathological gambling and alcohol dependence in men. Archives of General Psychiatry, 57, 666–673.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Slutske, W. S., Jackson, K. M., & Sher, K. J. (2003). The natural history of problem gambling from age 18 to 29. Journal of Abnormal Psycology, 112(2), 263–274. doi:10.1037/0021-843X.112.2.263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sobell, M. B., & Sobell, L. C. (2004). The role of low risk drinking in the treatment of alcohol problems: A commentary. Verhaltenstherapie, 14, 127–131. doi:10.1159/000079431.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiebe, J., Single, E., & Falkowski-Ham, A. (2001). Measuring gambling and problem gambling in Ontario. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zheng, W. Y., Walker, M., & Blaszczynski, A. (2010). Mahjong gambling in the Chinese Australian community in Sydney: A prevalence study. Journal of Gambling Studies, 26, 441–454. doi:10.1007/s10899-009-9159-3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sabrina Molinaro.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bastiani, L., Gori, M., Colasante, E. et al. Complex Factors and Behaviors in the Gambling Population of Italy. J Gambl Stud 29, 1–13 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-011-9283-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-011-9283-8

Keywords

Navigation