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Title

Do gambling activity patterns predict gambling problems? A latent class analysis of gambling forms among Australian youth

Author(s)

Boldero, Jennifer M.;  Bell, Richard C.;  Moore, Susan M.

Abstract

Although gambling frequency and easy access to gambling are predictive of gambling problems among young people, little is known about their patterns of gambling activities. The current study investigated the gambling patterns of a large sample of youth (N = 1061) using latent class analysis. Six activity classes of young gamblers were identified: rare, lottery/scratch card, broad ranging, pool, unrestricted access and heavy gamblers. The classes differed significantly on age, gender, number and type of gambling activities, gambling frequency, problem gambling and amount spent on gambling. In addition, the relationship between problem gambling and the amount spent differed across classes. The results indicate the value of assessing gambling patterns as well as gambling frequency in research examining problem gambling. Although older youth have more opportunity to legally engage in a wider range of gambling activities, young people's gambling activity patterns are more indicative of potential gambling problems than age.

Publication type

Journal article

Research centre

Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Life and Social Sciences

Source

International Gambling Studies, Vol. 10, no. 2 (Aug 2010), pp. 151-163

Publication year

2010

FOR Code(s)

1506 Tourism;  1701 Psychology

Keyword(s)

Adolescence;  Australasia;  Behaviour;  Conceptual model;  Gambling;  Modelling

Publisher

Routledge

ISSN

1445-9795

Publisher URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2010.501808

Copyright

Copyright © 2010 Taylor & Francis. The accepted manuscript is reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. This is an electronic version of an article published in International Gambling Studies 10(2). The final and definitive version is available at http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/.

Full text

Peer reviewed