Generational comparison among female pathological gamblers

Abstract

Research in gambling has only briefly examined age differences among problem gamblers, holding an anecdotal view that senior gamblers are more vulnerable to problem gambling. This study examines different generations of female gamblers, including their gambling habits and risk and protective factors. Approximately 450 female gamblers seeking treatment were surveyed and separated into five age groups for analysis. Results indicate that significant generational differences do not exist in areas such as gambling frequency or gambling debt; however, senior female pathological gamblers report starting to gamble at a significantly later age than their younger counterparts. Findings also suggest that senior women have a larger support network for their recovery, in contrast to common belief. Implications from this data may be useful to treatment providers in understanding and utilizing the assets more common to senior female pathological gamblers.