British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2007 secondary analysis: socio-demographic correlates of internet gambling
| |
|
This secondary analysis was commissioned by the Gambling
Commission and undertaken by Professor Mark Griffiths from
Nottingham Trent University, NatCen and Professor Jim Orford
from University of Birmingham. This analysis used data from
the
British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2007 to compare internet
gamblers with non-internet gamblers.
The full report can be found at:
Internet gambling: secondary analysis of the British gambling
prevalence survey - October 2008
Key findings
There were a number of significant socio-demographic differences
between internet gamblers and non-internet gamblers. Internet
gamblers were more likely to be male, relatively young adults,
single, well educated, and in professional/managerial
employment.
The problem gambling prevalence rate was significantly higher
among internet gamblers than among non-internet gamblers.
Some questions in the problem gambling screen questionnaire were
more heavily endorsed by internet gamblers, including gambling
preoccupation and gambling to escape.
Although the data did not allow any conclusions to be drawn
about causation, the results may mean that the medium of the
Internet may be more likely to contribute to problem gambling than
off-line gambling environments. More work is however needed in this
area if firm conclusions are to be drawn.
The authors recommended that gambling companies need to
acknowledge the need to provide better social responsibility
measures online than offline. Other research suggests
that online problem gamblers appear to prefer to seek help online.
Therefore online help, guidance and treatment may be a
potential way forward to help those who may feel too stigmatised to
seek traditional face-to-face help for their gambling problems.
Page last reviewed: June 2012