Skip to main content
Log in

Prevalence Rates of Gambling Problems in Montreal, Canada: A Look at Old Adults and the Role of Passion

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Gambling Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of the present research was to determine the prevalence rate of gambling problems in senior citizens (55 years and older). A community-dwelling sample composed of 810 old adults living in the greater Montreal area in the Province of Quebec completed the Revised South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS-R). Results revealed that the 12-month prevalence rate was 1.2% for pathological gambling and 1.6% for at-risk gambling. Although, these rates are comparable to those reported elsewhere in Canada and in the US for senior citizens, the at-risk gambling rate was significantly higher than the current one for the general population of the overall Province of Quebec. Finally, a smaller portion of participants also completed two key items from the Gambling Passion Scale (GPS). Results revealed that obsessive passion was higher for pathological gamblers than for at-risk and non-problematic gamblers, while harmonious passion was lower for pathological gamblers than for at-risk and non-problematic gamblers.

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.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Beconia, E. (1996). Prevalence surveys of problem and pathological gambling in Europe: The cases of Germany, Holland and Spain. Journal of Gambling Studies, 12, 179–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, F., & Lester, D. (1999). The imact of gambling opportunities on compulsive gambling. Journal of Social Psychology, 139, 126–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cox, B. J., Yu, N. O., & Afifi, T., Ladouceur, R. (2005). A national survey of gambling problems in Canada. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 50, 213–217.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erickson, L., Molina, C. A., Ladd, G. T., Pietrzak, R. H., & Petry, N. M. (2005). Problem and pathological gambling are associated with poorer mental and physical health in older adults. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20, 754–759.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hope, J., & Havir, L. (2002). You bet they’re having fun! Older Americans and casino gambling. Journal of Aging Studies, 16, 177–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Korn, D. A., & Shaffer, H. J. (1999). Gambling and the health of the public: Adopting a public health perspective. Journal of Gambling Studies, 15, 289–365.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ladouceur, R., Bouchard, C., Rheaume, N., Jacques, C., Ferland, F., & Leblond, J., Walker, M. (2000). Is the SOGS an accurate measure of pathological gambling among children, adolescents and adults? Journal of Gambling Studies, 16, 1–24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ladouceur, R., Jacques, C., Chevalier, S., Sévigny, S., & Hamel, D. (2005). Prevalence of pathological gambling in Quebec in 2002. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 50, 451–456.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladouceur, R., Jacques, C., Ferland, F., & Giroux, I. (1999). Prevalence of problem gambling: A replication study 7 years later. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 44, 802–804.

    Google Scholar 

  • Langhinrichsen-Rohling, J., Rohde, P., Seeley, J. R., & Rohling, M. L. (2004). Individual, family, and peer correlates of adolescent gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies, 20, 23–46.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lesieur, H., & Blume, S. (1987). The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS): A new instrument for the identification of pathological gamblers. American Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 1184–1188.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lesieur, H., & Blume, S. (1993). Revising the South Oaks Gambling Screen in different settings. Journal of Gambling Studies, 9, 213–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levens, S., Dyer, A-M., Zubritsky, C., Knott, K., & Oslin, D. W. (2005). Gambling among older, primary-care patients: An important public health concern. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 13, 69–76.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mageau, G. A., Vallerand, R. J., Rousseau, F. L., Ratelle, C. F., & Provencher, P. J. (2005). Passion and gambling: Investigating the divergent affective and cognitive consequences of gambling. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 35, 100–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McNeilly, D. P. & Burke, W. J. (2000). Late life gambling: The attitudes and behaviors of older adults. Journal of Gambling Studies, 16, 393–414.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McNeilly, D. P., & Burke, W. J. (2001). Gambling as a social activity of older adults. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 52, 19–28.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • National Opinion Research Center (1999). Gambling impact and behavior study. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petry, N. M., & Kiluk, B. D. (2002). Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in tratment-seeking pathological gamblers. Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases, 190, 462–469.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ratelle, C. F., Vallerand, R. J., Mageau, G. A., Rousseau, F. L., & Provencher, P. (2004). When passion leads to problematic outcomes: A look at gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies, 20, 105–119.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rousseau, F. L & Vallerand, R. J. (2003). Le rôle de la passion dans le bien-être subjectif des aînés [The role of passion in subjective well-being of the elderly]. Revue Québecoise de Psychologie, 24, 197–211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rousseau, F. L., Vallerand, R. J., Ratelle, C. F., Mageau, G. A., & Provencher, P. J. (2002). Passion and gambling: On the validation of the gambling passion scale (GPS). Journal of Gambling Studies, 18, 45–66.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shaffer, H. J., Hall, M. N., & Vander Bilt, J. (1997). Estimating the prevalence of disordered gambling behavior in the United States and Canada: A research synthesis. American Journal of Public Health, 89, 1369–1376.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaffer H. J., Hall, M. N., & Vander Bilt, J. (1999). Estimating the prevalence of disordered gambling behavior in the United States and Canada: Meta-analysis. MA: Harvard Medical School, Division on Addictions.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sommers, I. (1988). Pathological gambling: estimating prevalence and group characteristics. International Journal of Addictive Behaviors, 23, 477–490.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stinchfield, R. (2002). Reliability, validity, and classification accuracy of the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). Addictive Behaviors, 27, 1–19.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, W., Gazel, R., & Rickman, D. (1996). The social costs of gambling in Wisconsin. Wisconsin Policy Research Institute Report.

  • Vallerand R. J., & Houlfort N. (2003). Passion at work: Toward a new conceptualization. In: Skarlicki D., Gilliland S., Steiner D. (Eds.), Research in Social Issues in Management. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing Inc. 3, pp. 175–204.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vallerand, R. J., Blanchard, C. M., Mageau, G. A., Koestner, R., Ratelle, C., Léonard, M., Gagné, M., & Marsolais, J. (2003). Les passions de l’âme: On obsessive and harmonious passion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85, 756–767.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vallerand, R. J., Rousseau, F. L., Grouzet, F. M. E., Dumais, A., & Grenier, S. (in press). Passion in sport: A look at determinants and affective experiences. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology.

  • Vallerand, R. J., Salvy, S. J., Mageau, G. A., Denis, P., Grouzet, F. M. E., & Blanchard, C.B. (in press). On the role of passion in performance. Journal of Personality.

  • Vander Bilt, J., Dodge, H. H., Pandav, R., Shaffer, H. J., & Ganguli, M. (2004). Gambling participation and social support among older adults: A longitudinal community study. Journal of Gambling Studies, 20, 373–390.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wallish L. S. (1993). Gambling in Texas: 1992 Texas survey of adult gambling behavior. Austin, TX: Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.

    Google Scholar 

  • Welte, J. W., Barnes, G. M., Wieczorek, W. F., Tidwell, M., & Parker, J. (2001). Alcohol and gambling among U.S. adults: Prevalence, demographic patterns and comorbidity. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 62, 706–712.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Welte, J. W., Barnes, G. M., Wieczorek, W. F., Tidwell, M., & Parker, J. (2002). Gambling participation in the U.S. Results from a national survey. Journal of Gambling Studies, 18, 313–337.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Welte, J. W., Barnes, G. M., Wieczorke, W. F., Tidwell, M. O., & Parker, J. C. (2004). Risk factors for pathological gambling. Addictive Behaviors, 29, 323–335.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wiebe, J. M. D. & Cox, B. J. (2005). Problem and probable pathological gambling among older adults assessed by the SOGS-R. Journal of Gambling Studies, 22, 205–221.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert J. Vallerand.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Philippe, F., Vallerand, R.J. Prevalence Rates of Gambling Problems in Montreal, Canada: A Look at Old Adults and the Role of Passion. J Gambl Stud 23, 275–283 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-006-9038-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-006-9038-0

Keywords

Navigation