Issue 3 VACPG Fact Sheet Winter 2015

GAMBLING & GENDER

A Virginia Council on Problem Gambling Fact Sheet

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There are many important factors to consider when exploring gambling disorder. It is clear when
exploring past studies that prevalence rates fluctuate between studies, thus it is important to
explore where dierences occur among the population. While gambling in a disordered form aects
about 1% of the population,1 lifetime and past-year prevalence rates are important indicators of
who may eventually become disordered. For example, one study found that the prevalence of a
lifetime gambling problem (according to the DSM-IV) was 0.4-4.2%, while the prevalence of a year-
year gambling problem was 0.1-2.7%.2

Recent studies have shown dierences in lifetime and past-year prevalence rates among various
age groups. Thus, age is another important factor in this complicated disorder.

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Editors: Jessica Bourdon, B.S., B.A. & Carolyn Hawley, Ph.D.
Issue 3 VACPG Fact Sheet Winter 2015

Surprisingly, prevalence rates among adolescents and Gambling Disorder Quick Facts

young adults have been found to be similar to those of

adults. For example, one study found prevalence rates The pathology of gambling disorder is
for adolescents have been found to be 2-3%, versus similar to behavioral addictions such
1-2% for young adults and 3-5% for adults,4 while as substance use disorder, with
another found the rate to be 2.1% for people aged commonalities being impulsivity,
14-21.6 When comparing dierent levels of gambling increasing amounts for same result,
(non-problem, at-risk, and disordered), another study preoccupation with behavior, lying,
found that adolescents had higher past-year and lifetime and deterioration of quality of life
disordered rates than adults.7 Such findings complement (e.g., harmed relationships; loss of
the fact that adolescent gambling rates at the first year job).3

of an 11-year longitudinal study were predictive of future

gambling problems.4
Remember the three Cs of addiction:
Crave, Continue, lose Control.1

Within the younger population, young adults aged 18-21

had higher rates of problem gambling when compared Treatment options include Gamblers
to those slightly younger (16-17) and older (22-25) than Anonymous, traditional therapy, self-
them. It has been postulated that such dierences are
5 help, and sometimes medication.1
related to individual levels of urgency and levels of
decision making relative to the need for an immediate versus delayed reward.5

There are also dierences in what types of games dierent age groups prefer.8 When comparing
internet-only (IG), land-based only (LBG), and mixed-mode games (MMG), younger participants
tended to use MMGs.8 Further, those who used MMGs were more likely to engage in all forms of
gambling and participate in more activities on average, as well as had the highest average problem
gambling severity score.8 This implies that younger gamblers are at a higher risk for gambling
disorder, although it is hard to disentangle whether that is due to age or the type of gaming mode
they prefer. It also arms another study that found that the most prevalent forms of gambling
among youth were mixed in nature: card games (33%), lottery (29%), oce pools/charitable
gambling (30%), games of skill (21%), sports betting (23%).9

References
Image Source: Apple Pages Stock Photo

1. National Center for Responsible Gambling. Gambling and Health in the Workplace. Available at http://www.ncrg.org/sites/default/
files/uploads/docs/publiceducation_outreach/hrflyer_final.pdf.

2. Lorains FK, Cowlishaw S, Thomas SA. Prevalence of comorbid disorders in problem and pathological gambling: Systematic
review and meta-analysis of population surveys. Addiction. 2011;106;490-498.

3. Potenza MN. The neural bases of cognitive processes in gambling disorder. Trends Cog Sci. 2014;18:429-438.

4. Slutske WS, Jackson KM, Sher KJ. The natural history of problem gambling from age 18 to 29. J Abnorm Psychol.
2003;112:263-274.

5. Canale N, Vieno A, Griths MD, Rubaltelli E, Massimo S. Trait urgency and gambling problems in young people by age: The
mediating role of decision-making processes. Addic Beh. 2015;46:39-44.

6. Welte JW, Barnes GM, Tidwell M-CO, Homan JH. The prevalence of problem gambling among U.S. adolescents and young
adults: Results from a national survey. J Gambl Stud. 2008;24:119-133.

7. Shaer HJ, Hall MN, Vander J. Estimating the prevalence of disordered gambling behavior in the United States and Canada: A
research synthesis. Am J Public Health. 1999;89:1369-1376.

8. Gainsbury SM, Russell A, Blaszcynski A, Hing N. The interaction between gambling activities and modes of access: A
comparison of Internet-only, land-based only, and mixed-mode gamblers. Addic Beh. 2015;41:34-40.

9. Welte JW, Barnes GM, Tidwell M-CO, Homan JH. The association of form of gambling with problem gambling among American
youth. Psychol Addic Beh. 2009;23:105-112.

Editors: Jessica Bourdon, B.S., B.A. & Carolyn Hawley, Ph.D.