A Longitudinal Analysis of Gambling Predictors among Adolescents

Abstract

Although gambling is forbidden for minors, the prevalence of gambling among adolescents is increasing. In order to improve preventive interventions, more evidence on predictors of gambling onset is needed. A longitudinal study was proposed to (1) establish the prevalence of gambling; (2) identify factors associated with gambling behavior the following year; and (3) adjust a model to predict gambling behavior. A cohort of 1074 students (13–18 years old) was followed for 12 months. The prevalence of gambling reached 42.0% in the second measure. Boys gambled 2.7 times more than girls, and the highest percentages of gambling onset showed up between 13 and 14 years old. Gambling onset and maintenance was associated with gender, age, sensation-seeking, risk perception, self-efficacy for not gambling, parents’ attitude towards gambling, group pressure (friends), subjective norm, exposure to advertising, accessibility, normative perception, gambling in T1 and parents gambling behavior. Gender, gambling in T1 and risk perception were significant in all three logistic adjusted regression models, with the fourth variable being sensation seeking, peer pressure (friends) and accessibility, respectively. It is suggested that universal prevention should be aimed preferably at children under 15 years old and to alert regulators and public administrations to the directly proportional relationship between accessibility and gambling onset.

Perceived Gambling Availability and Adolescent Gambling Behavior: the Moderating Role of Self-Efficacy

“…Consistent with the findings of previous studies that assess perceived gambling availability in both offline and online venues (Botella-Guijarro et al, 2020) and with those Fig. 2 Regression slopes for perceived gambling availability (at baseline) on problem gambling (at followup) at low, moderate, and high levels of self-efficacy to control gambling (at baseline) that only measured perceived availability of offline facilities (Gavriel-Fried et al, 2021;Wickwire, et al, 2007), our results suggest that perceived availability is a risk factor for gambling frequency.…”

“…It has been demonstrated that the first gambling experiences usually occur offline (Kang et al, 2020;Törrönen et al, 2020). This could explain why our results are consistent with previous studies showing an association between perceived gambling availability and gambling frequency, regardless of whether these studies measure online (Botella-Guijarro et al, 2020) and/or offline gambling (Wickwire et al, 2007). However, with regard to problem gambling, our results are inconsistent with those of Wickwire et al (2007), who did not find a relationship between perceived gambling availability and gambling-related problems.…”

“…Previous studies have associated both perceived gambling availability (Botella-Guijarro et al, 2020;Gavriel-Fried et al, 2021;Ofori Dei et al, 2020;Wickwire et al, 2007) and gambling self-efficacy (León-Jariego et al, 2020;St-Pierre et al, 2015) with adolescent gambling behavior. To our knowledge, this is the first study to prospectively analyze the relationship of a measure of gambling availability in both offline and online venues with gambling frequency and problem gambling.…”

“…Online gambling facilitates access to gambling even in areas where there are no gambling venues (Griffiths & Barnes, 2008;Wood et al, 2007), and there is evidence that problem gambling prevalence rates are significantly higher among people who gamble online in comparison with those who gamble offline (Chóliz et al, 2021;Griffiths, et al, 2009;). However, to our knowledge, only one previous study (Botella-Guijarro et al, 2020) has examined the relationship of perceived online gambling availability and gambling frequency. Furthermore, as far as we know, the study by Botella-Guijarro et al (2020) is the only one that has employed a longitudinal approach to analyze the relationships between gambling availability and gambling behavior.…”

“…However, to our knowledge, only one previous study (Botella-Guijarro et al, 2020) has examined the relationship of perceived online gambling availability and gambling frequency. Furthermore, as far as we know, the study by Botella-Guijarro et al (2020) is the only one that has employed a longitudinal approach to analyze the relationships between gambling availability and gambling behavior.…”