Population Screening of Gambling Behavior: Playing to Escape From Problems May Be a Key Characteristic of At-Risk Players

Abstract

The increase in gambling availability and the inclusion of gambling disorder as an addiction in DSM-5 highlight the importance of brief screening measures aiming to identify at-risk gamblers. The current study, using a brief telephone survey, assessed demographic characteristics and gambling behaviors in 2,118 adults. Questions were developed based on DSM-5 criteria for Gambling Disorder and common assessment tools. A 7% prevalence of as at-risk gamblers was identified. Male gender, low monthly income, high frequency of gambling behavior, large amounts of money spent, and gambling to escape from everyday problems or for amusement, specifically for men, were found to be the characteristics that can help in the early identification of at-risk gamblers. Gambling for financial gain and as a way to socialize, age, and employment status were not significant predictors of gambling severity. This study shows that the above characteristics can be assessed easily through phone screening of large populations, aiding in prevention practices to reduce the problematic use of gambling activities.

Temporal order of diagnosis between gambling disorder and substance use disorders: Longitudinal results from the Norwegian Patient Registry

“…Therefore, the findings add to the small but growing literature examining temporal order between GD and SUD, suggesting that within the Norwegian treatment-seeking population, SUD is a risk marker for GD rather than GD being a risk marker for SUD. A possible explanation for the temporal order revealed in the present study is that maladaptive gambling for some may act as a way of escaping ( Neophytou et al, 2021 ), for instance, from the negative consequences of various chemical addictions. Alternatively, it is also possible that gambling may act as a substitution for some SUD patients who have managed to quit their drug habit.…”

What is known about population level programs designed to address gambling-related harm: rapid review of the evidence

“…Evidence outlines strong associations between sociodemographic characteristics and increasing gambling severity and levels of gambling-related harm [94][95][96][97][98][99][100][101][102][103][104][105]. Specific sociodemographic factors were identified across numerous studies and include a mix of risk and protective factors such as increased educational attainment [106][107][108][109][110][111], relative deprivation [112][113][114], parental engagement and role modelling [115][116][117][118][119][120][121][122][123][124], peer group behaviour [125], and location of residence relative to numbers of gambling venues [126,127]. Coincidental substance use and/or abuse was also identified as a strong risk factor for gambling, both in terms of frequency and severity (amount of money lost per event) [128][129][130][131][132][133][134], along with increased diversity of gambling product use and frequency [135]…”