Abstract
Regression modeling is used to predict gambling patterns in Australia on the basis of the unit record files underlying the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Household Expenditure Survey of 6,892 households. The four largest categories of gambling expenditure are examined, namely: lottery tickets, lotto-type games and instant lottery (scratch cards), TAB (pari-mutuel wagering) and related on course betting, and poker (slot) machines and ticket machines. Determining factors analyzed include the source and level of household income, family composition and structure, welfare status, gender, age, ethnicity and geographic location. Apart from the determinants of expenditure varying widely across the different types of gambling activity, the results generally indicate that the source of household income is more important than the level of income and that household composition and regional location are likewise significant in determining gambling expenditure.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank three anonymous referees and the editor, Shoshana Grossbard, for helpful comments on an earlier version of this paper. The financial assistance of the Queensland Treasury’s Responsible Gambling Research Grant Program is also gratefully acknowledged.
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Worthington, A., Brown, K., Crawford, M. et al. Gambling participation in Australia: findings from the national Household Expenditure Survey. Rev Econ Household 5, 209–221 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11150-007-9006-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11150-007-9006-1