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Report

Gambling participation and the prevalence of problem gambling survey: Experimental statistics stage

Gambling Commission report produced by NatCen on the experimental statistics stage of the gambling participation and the prevalence of problem gambling survey.

Conclusion

No clear picture emerged as to which of the three approaches performed best in capturing information about gambling participation, each had advantages and disadvantages, as summarised as follows in 'Figure 13: Advantages and disadvantages of the three approaches to asking about gambling participation'.

Summary

The hierarchical-list approach appears to lead to lower reporting of gambling participation. However, it should be considered whether the combined categories of lotteries, scratchcards and online instant win games should be incorporated into the long-list and chunked-list approaches as the presentation of these categories in the hierarchical approach had the lowest non-response in the postal questionnaire format of the three approaches.

The chunked-list approach generated higher non-response in the postal questionnaire format. The experiment was not designed to identify the reasons for this, but it is possible that this was due to participant-fatigue and satisficing, whereby participants learn that if they select a gambling activity this results in them being asked additional, follow up questions.

The long-list approach generally performed well except for routing postal participants who had gambled in the last 12 months into the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), a key survey variable. The chunked-list approach performed better in routing into the PGSI those who had gambled in the last 12 months.

Recommendations are provided in the Recommendations section of this report.

Figure 13: Advantages and disadvantages of the three approaches to asking about gambling participation

Past-year gambling participation rate

The advantages and disadvantages of the long-list, hierarchical-list, and chunked-list approaches to the past-year gambling participation rate are as follows.

Long-list approach

Advantage - similar gambling participation rate to the pilot survey and chunked-list approach indicating it is capturing all forms of gambling.

Hierarchical-list approach

Disadvantage - a lower gambling participation rate than the pilot survey and than the other two approaches.

Chunked-list approach

Advantage - similar gambling participation rate to the pilot survey and long-list approach indicating it is capturing all forms of gambling.


Past-year gambling participation rate - types of activities (grouped)

The advantages and disadvantages of the long-list, hierarchical-list, and chunked-list approaches to the past-year gambling participation rate - types of activities (grouped) are as follows.

Long-list approach

Advantage - highest participation rate for lotteries, casino games, fruit and/or slot machine games. Did not have the lowest participation rate for any activity.

Hierarchical-list approach

Advantage - highest participation rate for scratchcards, instant win games.

Disadvantage - lowest participation rate for lotteries, betting, bingo, casino games.

Chunked-list approach

Advantage - highest participation rate for betting.

Disadvantage - lowest participation rate for scratchcards, instant win games and fruit and/or slot machine games.


Past-year gambling participation rate - number of grouped gambling activities

The advantages and disadvantages of the long-list, hierarchical-list, and chunked-list approaches to the past-year gambling participation rate - number of grouped gambling activities are as follows.

Long-list approach

Advantage - highest average number of gambling activities. Highest proportion of participants reporting three or more gambling activities.

Hierarchical-list approach

Disadvantage - lower proportion of participants reporting three or more gambling activities indicating some gambling activities potentially missed.

Chunked-list approach

Disadvantage - lowest proportion of participants reporting three or more gambling activities indicating some gambling activities potentially missed.


Primacy effect

The advantages and disadvantages of the long-list, hierarchical-list, and chunked-list approaches to the primacy effect are as follows.

Long-list approach

Advantage - no evidence of primacy effect.

Hierarchical-list approach

Not applicable.

Chunked-list approach

Not applicable.


Postal questionnaire routing: Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) (based on past-year activity)

The advantages and disadvantages of the long-list, hierarchical-list, and chunked-list approaches to the postal questionnaire routing: PGSI (based on past-year activity) are as follows.

Long-list approach

Advantage - lower level of routing error for those who had not gambled.

Disadvantage - high level of routing error for those who had gambled.

Hierarchical-list approach

Advantage - lower level of routing error for those who had not gambled.

Disadvantage - high level of routing error for those who had gambled.

Chunked-list approach

Advantage - lower level of routing error for those who had gambled.

Disadvantage - high level of routing error for those who had not gambled.


Postal questionnaire routing: lotteries follow-up questions (based on past 4 weeks activity)

The advantages and disadvantages of the long-list, hierarchical-list, and chunked-list approaches to the postal questionnaire routing: lotteries follow-up questions (based on past 4 weeks activity) are as follows.

Long-list approach

Disadvantage - similarly high level of routing error for lottery players and non-lottery players.

Hierarchical-list approach

Advantage - lowest level of routing error for lottery players.

Chunked-list approach

Advantage - lowest level of routing error for non-lottery players.

Disadvantage - highest level of routing error for lottery players.


Non-response to past year gambling list

The advantages and disadvantages of the long-list, hierarchical-list, and chunked-list approaches to the non-response to past year gambling list are as follows.

Long-list approach

Advantage - low proportion of participants not answering the participation list.

Hierarchical-list approach

Advantage - low proportion of participants not answering the participation list.

Chunked-list approach

Disadvantage - high proportion of participants not answering some of the participation lists (later chunked sets).

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