EGMs, casino games, bingo and poker stand out as closely associated with problem gambling. Half of problem gamblers participate regularly in only one or two forms of gambling, which suggests that for many of them problems are driven by one or two specific forms of gambling. These are some of the results from a study that Ulla Romild at the Swedish Public Health Authority, Rachel Volberg at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and myself have been working on for a while. The study is presented in a recently published article:
Binde, Per, Romild, Ulla, & Volberg, Rachel A. (2017). Forms of gambling, gambling involvement and problem gambling: Evidence from a Swedish population survey. International Gambling Studies, 17(3): 490-507 doi:10.1080/14459795.2017.1360928 Open access – Free download
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to explore the association between problem gambling (PG) and participation in different forms of gambling in order to elucidate relationships between PG, gambling involvement and gambling intensity. Using data from the first wave of the Swedish Longitudinal Gambling Study (Swelogs) (n = 4,991), the study tested four hypotheses, namely that (1) some forms of gambling are more closely associated with PG than other forms; (2) high gambling involvement is associated with PG; (3) gambling involvement is positively associated with the intensity of gambling; and (4) the relationship between gambling involvement and PG is influenced by the specific forms of gambling in which individuals participate. All four hypotheses were supported. More specifically, the study found that while many PGs regularly participate in multiple forms of gambling, half of PGs participate regularly in only one or two forms of gambling. The study concluded that some forms of gambling are more closely associated with problem gambling than other forms, and that gambling policy and regulation, as well as the development of responsible gambling initiatives, should focus on these forms.
