Fun, Money, and Feeling Down: Examining the Associations between Motivations and Problem Gambling among Men and Women in a Sample of Older Adults

Abstract

The increasing popularity of gambling as a leisure activity among older adults (+ 55) coupled with the rapid aging of the population makes it increasingly important to understand what divides problem and non-problem gambling for this age group. This study investigated the association of different types of motivations to visit a gambling venue with problem gambling. Using a sample of 2103 older adults collected at 7 gambling venues in Southern Ontario, principal component analysis was completed to identify groupings of motivations dividing them into three types: entertainment, emotions, and money. These types were then incorporated into a series of logistic regressions predicting problem gambling. The study found that motivations related to money and emotion were associated with higher odds of problem gambling while motivations related to entertainment were related to lower odds of problem gambling. An interaction effect with gender indicated that the association between emotion motivations and problem gambling was significantly stronger among males. Motivations to visit a gambling venue may be useful in identifying those who are at greater risk of harm. The findings of this study also suggest that typical associations of emotionally motivated gambling with women may distract from the association of emotionally motivated with gambling-related harm among men.