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Gambling Involvement: Considering Frequency of Play and the Moderating Effects of Gender and Age

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Abstract

Research indicates that specific types of gambling, such as electronic gaming machines (e.g., Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs), slot machines, virtual gaming machines), are associated with increased odds of experiencing gambling problems. Recent findings suggest that to advance our understanding of gambling-related problems scientists need to focus less on a simple association (e.g., specific gambling type) and more on complex models that include the extent of gambling involvement. The objective of this study is to advance this area of investigation by establishing the generalizability of the involvement effect to the general population of Canada, as well as to examine two potential moderating factors: gender and age. Secondary data analysis of the nationally representative Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) cycle 1.2 (data collected during 2002, response rate = 77 %, n = 18,913) using logistic regression models were conducted. All types of gambling were associated with problem gambling. However, when adjusting for gambling involvement (i.e., the number of games played during the past year), these specific game relationships were either eliminated or attenuated. Significant relationships remained for instant win lottery tickets, bingo, card and/or board games, electronic gaming machines outside of casinos, electronic gaming machines inside casinos, other casino gambling, horse racing, sports lotteries, and games of skill. For many types of gambling, the nature of the relationships seemed to be a function of the frequency of engagement with specific games. Gender and age did not moderate these findings. These findings indicate that focusing on a narrow direct cause (e.g., game type) for gambling problems needs to shift towards a more complex model that also includes the level of gambling involvement.

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Abbreviations

AOR:

Adjusted odds ratio

CCHS:

Canadian Community Health Survey

CPGI:

Canadian Problem Gambling Index

OR:

Odds ratio

VLTs:

Video Lottery Terminals

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded through the Health Sciences Centre Foundation (HSC Foundation). Preparation of the article was also supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) New Investigator Award and a Manitoba Health Research Council (MHRC) establishment award (Dr. Afifi).

The Division on Addictions receives support from the National Institute of Mental Health, The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, The National Institute on Drug Abuse, The Century Council, the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling, and bwin.party digital entertainment.

Statistics Canada collected and provided the data for academic purposes, but the analyses are the sole responsibility of the authors. The opinions expressed do not represent the views of Statistics Canada.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Community Health Sciences, Psychiatry, and Family Social Sciences, University of Manitoba, S113-750 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 0W5, Canada

    Tracie O. Afifi

  2. Division on Addiction, The Cambridge Health Alliance, A Teaching Affiliate of Harvard Medical School, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Debi A. LaPlante & Howard J. Shaffer

  3. Department of Applied Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada

    Tamara L. Taillieu

  4. Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada

    Damien Dowd

Authors
  1. Tracie O. Afifi
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  2. Debi A. LaPlante
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  3. Tamara L. Taillieu
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  4. Damien Dowd
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  5. Howard J. Shaffer
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Correspondence to Tracie O. Afifi.

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Afifi, T.O., LaPlante, D.A., Taillieu, T.L. et al. Gambling Involvement: Considering Frequency of Play and the Moderating Effects of Gender and Age. Int J Ment Health Addiction 12, 283–294 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-013-9452-3

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