Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Adolescent Gambling and Problem Gambling: Does the Total Consumption Model Apply?

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

Abstract

This study describes the extent and distribution of gambling among Norwegian adolescents. The study assesses whether gambling frequency and expenditures and prevalence of problem gambling are associated both at the individual and aggregate (school) level, and in particular whether the total consumption model applies to gambling behaviour. Data comprised a national representative sample of 11,637 13- to 19-year-old students in 73 schools (response rate 92.3%). The Lie/Bet Questionnaire and an additional DSM-criterion on chasing the losses were applied to assess problem gambling. A majority (78.5%) had gambled during the last year and 3.1% met all three criteria for problem gambling. Gambling frequency and expenditures were much higher among problem gamblers and increased proportionally with the degree of problem gambling. The 6.1% who scored on both Lie/Bet items accounted for 59% of all gambling expenditures on slot machines. Positive and significant correlations between various indicators of problem gambling and the overall amount of gambling at the aggregate (school) level imply that the higher the overall amount of gambling and gambling expenditures are, the higher the prevalence of problem gambling, which indicates that the total consumption model also applies to gambling behaviour among adolescents.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbott, M. (2005). Commentaries. Addiction, 100, 1226–1239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abbott, M. W. (2006). Do EGMs and problem gambling go together like a horse and carriage? Gambling Research, 18(1), 7–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Australian Productivity Commission (APC) (1999). Australias gambling industries. Report no. 10. Canberra: Ausinfo.

  • Blaszczynski, A. (2005). Commentaries. Addiction, 100, 1226–1239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Derevensky, J. L., & Gupta, R. (2000a). Youth gambling: A clinical and research perspective. E-Gambling: The Electronic Journal of Gambling Issue, 2, 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Derevensky, J. L., & Gupta, R. (2000b). Prevalence estimates of adolescent gambling: A comparison of the SOGS-RA, DSM-IV-J, and the G.A. 20 Questions. Journal of Gambling Studies, 16(2/3), 227–251.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Derevensky, J., Gupta, R., & Winters, K. (2003). Prevalence rates of youth gambling problems: Are the current rates inflated? Journal of Gambling Studies, 19(4), 405–425.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, S. (1999). A prevalence study of gambling and problem gambling in British adolescents. Addiction Research, 7(6), 509–538.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gerstein, D., Hoffman, J., Larison, C., Engelman, L., Murphy, S., Palmer, A., Chuchro, L., Toce, M., Johnson, R., Buie, T., & Hill, M. A. (1999). Gambling impact and behaviour study, report to the national gambling impact study commission. Chicago: National Opinion Research Centre at the University of Chicago.

    Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths, M. D. (1990). The acquisition, development, and maintenance of fruit machine gambling in adolescents. Journal of Gambling Studies, 6, 193–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths, M. D. (1995). Adolescent gambling. London: Routlegde.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grun, L., & McKeigue, P. (2000). Prevalence of excessive gambling before and after introduction of a national lottery in the United Kingdom: Another example of the single distribution theory. Addiction, 95(6), 959–966.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta, R., & Derevensky, J. L. (1998). Adolescent gambling behaviour: A prevalence study and examination of the correlates associated with problem gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies, 14, 319–343.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta, R., & Derevensky, J. L. (2001). An examination of the differential coping styles of adolescents with gambling problems. Ontario: Report to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

    Google Scholar 

  • Götestam, K. G., Johansson, A., Wenzel, H. G., & Simonsen, I. E. (2004). Validation of the Lie/Bet screen for pathological gambling on two normal population data sets. Psychological Reports, 95, 1009–1013.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hardoon, K. K., & Derevensky, J. L. (2001). Social influences involved in children’s gambling behaviour. Journal of Gambling Studies, 17(3), 191–215.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hibell, B., Andersson, B., Ahlström, S., Balakireva, O., Bjanrason, T., Kokkevi, A., & Morgan, M. (2000). The 1999 ESPAD report. Alcohol and other drug use among students in 30 European countries. The Swedish Council for Information on alcohol and Other Drugs.

  • Jacobs D. F. (1989). A general theory of addictions: Rationale for and evidence supporting a new approach for understanding and treating addictive behaviours. In T. N. Cummings (Ed.), Compulsive Gambling: Theory, research & practice. Lexington: Lexington Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobs, D. F. (2000). Juvenile gambling in North America: An analysis of long term trends and future prospects. Journal of Gambling Studies, 16(2/3), 119–152.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jacques, C., Ladouceur, R., & Ferland, F. (2000). Impact of availability on gambling: A longitudinal study. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 45, 810–815.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, E. E., Hamer, R. M., & Nora, R. M. (1988). The Lie/Bet questionnaire for screening pathological gamblers: A follow-up study. Psychological Reports, 83(3 Part 2), 1219–1224.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, E. E., Hamer, R., Nora, R. M., & Tan, R. (1997) The Lie/Bet questionnaire for screening pathological gamblers. Psychological Reports, 80(1), 83–88.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ladouceur R., Boudreault N., Jacques C., & Vitaro, F. (1999). Pathological gambling and related problems among adolescents. Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, 8(4), 55–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ladouceur, R., Dubè, D., & Bujold, A. (1994). Prevalence of pathological gamblers an related problems among college students in the Quebec metropolitan area. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 39, 289–293.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lemmens, P. (1991). Measurement and distribution of alcohol consumption. Dissertation, Maastrict Netherlands.

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

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lund, I., & Nordlund, S. (2003). Pengespill og pengespillproblemer I Norge. Rapport nr. 2/2003, SIRUS.

  • Mäkela, P. (2002). Whose drinking does the liberalization of alcohol policy increase? Change in alcohol consumption by the initial level in the Finnish panel survey in 1968 and 1969. Addiction, 97, 701–706.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • National Research Council (1999). Pathological gambling: A critical review. Washington DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Connor, J., & Dickerson, M. (2003). Definition and measurement of chasing in off-course betting and gaming machine play. Journal of Gambling Studies, 19(4), 359–386.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Orford, J. F. (2003). Why the British government is wrong to continue to allow juvenile gaming machine playing. Addiction Research and Theory, 11(6), 375–382.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orford, J. F. (2005a). Disabling the public interest: Gambling strategies and policies for Britain. Addiction, 100, 1219–1225.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Orford, J. F. (2005b). Commentaries. Addiction, 100, 1226–1239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raylu, N., & Oei, T. P. S. (2002). Pathological gambling—a comprehensive review. Child Psychology Review, 22, 1009–1061.

    Google Scholar 

  • Room, R., Turner, N. E., & Ialomiteanu, A. (1999). Community effects of the opening of the Niagara casino. Addiction, 94(10), 1449–1466.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rose, G. (2001). Sick individuals and sick populations. International Journal of Epidemiology, 30, 427–432.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rose, G., & Day, S. (1990). The population mean predicts the number of deviant individuals. British Medical Journal, 301, 1031–1034.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rossow, I. M., & Bø, A. K. (2003). Metoderapport for datainnsamlingen til Ung i Norge 2002. NOVA, Oslo.

  • Rossow, I., Grøholt, B., & Wichstrøm, L. (2005). Intoxicants and suicidal behavior among adolescents: Changes in levels and associations from 1992 to 2002. Addiction, 100, 79–88.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rossow, I., & Molde, H. (2006). Chasing the criteria: Comparing SOGS-RA and the Lie/Bet screen to assess prevalence of problem gambling and ‘at-risk’ gambling among adolescents. E-Gambling: The Electronic Journal of Gambling Issue, 18, 57–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaffer, H. J. (2005). Commentaries. Addiction, 100, 1226–1239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaffer, H. J., & Hall, M. N. (1996). Estimating the prevalence of adolescent gambling disorders: A quantitative synthesis and guide toward standard gambling nomenclature. Journal of Gambling Studies, 12, 193–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaffer, H. J., & Hall, M. N. (2001). Updating and refining prevalence estimates of disordered gambling behaviour in the United States and Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 92(3), 168–172.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shaffer, H. J., Hall, M. N., & VanderBilt, J. (1999). Estimating the prevalence of disordered gambling behaviour in the United States and Canada: A research synthesis. American Journal of Public Health, 89(9), 1369–1376.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shaffer, H. J., LaBrie, R. A. & LaPlante, D. (2004). Laying the foundation for quantifying regional exposure to social phenomena: Considering the case of legalized gambling as a public health toxin. Psychology of Addictive Behavior, 18(1), 40–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skog, O. J. (1979). Modeller for drikkeatferd (Models for drinking behaviour). Oslo: National Institute for Alcohol Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skog, O. J. (1985). Distribution of alcohol consumption, Part III: Evidence of a collective drinking culture. SIFA Mimeograph.

  • Skog, O. J., & Rossow, I. (2006). Flux and stability: Individual fluctuations, regression towards the mean and collective changes in alcohol consumption. Addiction, 101, 959–970.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stinchfield, R., Cassuto, N., Winters, K., & Latimer, W. (1997). Prevalence of gambling among Minnesota Public School students in 1992 and 1995. Journal of Gambling Studies, 13, 25–48.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • The Norwegian Gaming and Foundation Authority (2006a). Gaming in Norway 2005. Annual Statistic Report. http://www.lotteritilsynet.no

  • The Norwegian Gaming and Foundation Authority (2006b). Årsmelding 2006. http://www.lottstift.no/dav/01c8632cf2.pdf

  • The Norwegian Gaming and Foundation Authority (2003). Gaming in Norway 2002. Annual Statistic Report. http://www.lotteritilsynet.no

  • Turner, N. E., Ialomiteanu, A., & Room, R. (1999). Chequered expectations: Predictors of approval of opening a casino in the Niagara community. Journal of Gambling Studies, 15, 45–70.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Volberg, R. (1993). Gambling and problem gambling among adolescents in Washington State. Report to Washington State Lottery.

  • Volberg, R. A. (1994). The prevalence and demographics of pathological gamblers: Implications for public health. American Journal of Public Health, 84(2), 237–241.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Volberg, R. A. (1996). Gambling and problem gambling among adolescents in Georgia. Report to the Georgia Department of Human Resources.

  • Volberg, R. A. (1998). Gambling and problem gambling among adolescents in New York. Report to the New York Council on Problem Gambling.

  • Volberg, R. A., & Moore, L. (1999). Gambling and problem gambling among adolescents in Washington State: A replication study, 1993 to 1999. Report to the Washington State Lottery.

  • Volberg, R. A. (2002). Gambling and problem gambling among adolescents in Nevada. Report to the Nevada Department of Human Resources.

  • Wallish, L. (1993). Gambling in Texas: 1992 Texas survey of adolescent gambling behaviour. Report to the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.

  • Welte, J. W., Wieczorek, W. F., Barnes, G. M., Tidwell, M. C., & Hoffman, J. H. (2004). The relationship of ecological and geographic factors to gambling behaviour and pathology. Journal of Gambling Studies, 20(4), 405–423.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Winters, K., Stinchfield, R., & Fulkerson, J. (1993). Toward the development of an adolescent gambling problem severity scale. Journal of Gambling Studies, 9, 371–386.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, R. J., & Wood, R. T. (2004). The proportion of gaming revenue derived from problem gamblers: Examining the issues in a Canadian context. Analyses of Social Issues & Public Policy, 4(1), 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Norwegian Social Research (NOVA) has provided the dataset Young in Norway 2002 in which the analysis are based. The data collection was financed by The Research Council of Norway.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Norwegian Institute for Alcohol and Drug Research, Sentrum, P.O. Box 565, Oslo, 0105, Norway

    Marianne Hansen & Ingeborg Rossow

Authors
  1. Marianne Hansen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ingeborg Rossow
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marianne Hansen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hansen, M., Rossow, I. Adolescent Gambling and Problem Gambling: Does the Total Consumption Model Apply?. J Gambl Stud 24, 135–149 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-007-9082-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-007-9082-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation