Factors associated with social casino gaming among adolescents across game types

Abstract

BackgroundWith the proliferation of social casino games (SCGs) online, which offer the opportunity to gamble without monetary gains and losses, comes a growing concern regarding the effects of these unregulated games on public health, particularly among adolescents. However, given the limited research pertaining to SCG use, little is currently known about the manner in which adolescents engage with this new gambling medium. The present study aims to identify the factors that characterize adolescent social casino gamers, and to determine whether these factors differ by SCG type. Moreover, the study examines the extent to which social casino gaming is associated with monetary gambling and problem gambling in this cohort.MethodData were obtained from students in Grades 9 to 12 (n = 10,035) residing in the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Participants completed the Youth Gambling Survey (YGS), which is a supplementary instrument administered alongside the Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CSTADS). Logistic regression was used to assess the factors associated with SCG play.ResultsOverall, 12.4% of respondents reported having participated in SCGs in the past three months. Compared to adolescents who did not report playing SCGs, SCG players were typically more likely to participate in monetary gambling activities, and were more prevalently classified as problem gamblers of low-to-moderate severity or high severity. Although profiles of SCG players differed across SCG game types, factors significantly associated with the playing of SCGs were gender, weekly spending money, having friends and parents who gamble, and screen time. It was also shown that current smokers were significantly more likely to participate in simulated slots online relative to adolescents who did not play SCGs.ConclusionSignificant associations exist between SCG play, monetary gambling, and problem gambling among adolescents. Gambling intervention efforts directed at this population should aim to identify personal and environmental factors associated with social casino gaming, and should be tailored to different types of SCGs.

Beyond loot boxes: a variety of gambling-like practices in video games are linked to both problem gambling and disordered gaming

“…The prevalence of social casino spending may therefore be high. A recent large-scale survey of Canadian adolescents (n = 10,035) found that as many as 12.4% of respondents had recently played social casino games (Veselka et al, 2018). However, the generalisability of this figure to other populations is unclear.…”

Prevalence of problem gambling in an employed population in Brittany, France

“…Links between social gambling and GD are not linear and different factors-individual and environmental factors or behavioral characteristics linked to gamblingmay influence gambling status and the development of the gambling behavior 1) . Problem gambling (PG) is more likely to occur among men [1][2][3]8) , with psychiatric disorders 8) , or individuals of extreme age [9][10][11][12] . Environmental factors, such as level of income, socio-economic integration, or social support and working status have an influence, both on PG prevalence worldwide and on an individual's gambling trajectory between social gambling and GD 1,4,8) .…”

A Perspective on Age Restrictions and Other Harm Reduction Approaches Targeting Youth Online Gambling, Considering Convergences of Gambling and Videogaming

“…A Canadian sample of youth in grades 9–12 found 12.4% had played SCGs in the past 3 months. These youth were more prevalently classified as experiencing problem gambling ( 18 ). A similar study in the United States found that ~10% of adolescent gamblers reported gambling at a casino, with estimates of 40% among those with gambling problems ( 42 ).…”

“…Limited or no age restrictions for online games such as free-to-play slot machines may allow youth early opportunities to engage in gambling-like activities that may lead to gambling problems ( 16 ). Social casino games (SCGs) that involve virtual currency may lead to monetary gambling ( 17 , 18 ). Other videogaming-related features such as loot boxes 1 ( 19 ) and skins betting 2 ( 20 ) offer non-monetary rewards with in-game value that may also have monetary value.…”