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Assessing the Risks Associated With Online Lottery and Casino Gambling: A Comparative Analysis of Players’ Individual Characteristics and Types of Gambling

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Abstract

Previous studies have found that online gambling operates in riskier betting conditions than offline gambling and attracts players with more demographic risk factors for gambling disorders. This study reveals that online lottery/casino players, compared to their offline counterparts, also have more psychographic risk factors such as a higher level of trust in the Internet, which could increase susceptibility to unscrupulous manipulation. By type of gambling, online casino players, as opposed to online lottery players, have a stronger tendency to thriftlessness and a lower degree of sociability, two psychographics that, in interaction with the riskier online betting conditions, could make online casino players particularly vulnerable. These findings suggest that governments’ policy/educational initiatives to prevent gambling disorders should be adapted to the specific levels of risk associated with each type of online gambling and their users’ profiles.

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Acknowledgments

The author wishes to thank AIMC (Asociación para la Investigación de Medios de Comunicación) for its crucial support in providing the information source and helping with the data processing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Financiación e Investigación Comercial, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain

    Ignacio Redondo

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  1. Ignacio Redondo
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Correspondence to Ignacio Redondo.

Appendix

Appendix

Ethical orientation (Cronbach’s alpha =0.475)

  • It is more important to fulfill your duty than to live only for enjoyment

  • I would be willing to devote part of my time to a good cause

  • I think we should fight for equality of all people

Religious orientation (Cronbach’s alpha =0.646)

  • I consider myself a spiritual person

  • My faith is very important to me

  • It is important to respect the customs and traditional beliefs

Environmentally responsible activities (Cronbach’s alpha =0.610)

  • I usually separate my rubbish so that it can be recycled

  • I take measures to reduce energy consumption

  • I avoid buying environmentally harmful and toxic products

Unhealthful activities (Cronbach’s alpha =0.526)

  • I like to treat myself to foods that do not suit me

  • Due to my pace of life, I do not take care of myself as much as I should

  • I usually snack between meals and then have less than properly nourishing meals

Degree of sociability (Cronbach’s alpha =0.508)

  • I like to have guests at home

  • I like to have a group of good friends who support me in difficult times

  • I try to be as friendly as I can

Importance of family (Cronbach’s alpha =0.682)

  • My family is more important than my job

  • I enjoy spending time with my family

  • It is important to have a lasting relationship

Tendency to thriftlessness (Cronbach’s alpha =0.647)

  • I do not care about living indebted or on credit

  • On economic issues I live for the moment without thinking about the future

  • I am not good at saving money

Degree of impulsiveness (Cronbach’s alpha =0.635)

  • I usually do things without stopping to think

  • I tend to make quick decisions based on instinct

  • I tend to spend money with little forethought

Level of trust in the Internet (Cronbach’s alpha =0.502)

  • Buying and paying over the Internet is safe

  • I would use the Internet to meet people

  • Internet is the first place to look when I need information

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Redondo, I. Assessing the Risks Associated With Online Lottery and Casino Gambling: A Comparative Analysis of Players’ Individual Characteristics and Types of Gambling. Int J Ment Health Addiction 13, 584–596 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-014-9531-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-014-9531-0

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