Abstract
BackgroundSexual minority men (SMM) often experience stressful social environments dominated by stigma and discrimination. SMM are typically more likely than heterosexual men to engage in certain risky behaviours such as problem gambling. This study aimed to compare gambling behaviour among SMM and examine potential risk factors (erroneous gambling cognitions, gambling outcome expectancies, hazardous alcohol use, impulsivity, and psychological distress; as well as perceived stigma and discrimination for the SMM participants) and potential protective factors (resilience, social support, and community connectedness) for problem gambling severity and gambling-related harms among SMM living in Australia.MethodsAn online survey, with an over-representation of SMM participants and problem, moderate-risk, and low-risk gamblers, was completed by 101 SMM (mean age = 28.5) and 207 heterosexual men (mean age = 26.4).ResultsSMM were found to have significantly lower levels of problem gambling severity compared with heterosexual men, and report significantly lower gambling participation, frequencies and expenditure on any gambling activity, casino table games, horse racing/greyhound betting, sports betting, and keno. However, in the SMM group, 38.3% were classified in the problem gambling category of the Problem Gambling Severity Index and 27.6% were classified in the moderate-risk gambling category. There were no significant differences between groups in gambling-related harms. Multiple regression analyses revealed that problem gambling severity and related harms were independently predicted by higher levels of impulsivity and erroneous gambling cognitions for both groups.ConclusionsLower frequency of gambling behaviours among SMM and similar risk factors predicting problem gambling severity/harms for both groups suggests that problem gambling is not pronounced among SMM. This study adds new evidence to the gambling literature which can be used as comparative benchmarks for future research.
Highlights
Sexual minority men (SMM) often experience stressful social environments dominated by stigma and discrimination
Many jurisdictions, including Australia, have adopted a public health framework in which gambling problems are viewed across a risk continuum, from no-risk gambling characterised by an absence of adverse gambling-related harm to problem gambling characterised by severe harms [2]
The sexual orientations of the SMM participants were varied, with the largest proportions of participants identifying as gay (51%) and bisexual (35%), with an additional 10% identifying as pansexual, and only one participant identifying as queer and one participant identifying as asexual
Summary
Sexual minority men (SMM) often experience stressful social environments dominated by stigma and discrimination. SMM are typically more likely than heterosexual men to engage in certain risky behaviours such as problem gambling. This study aimed to compare gambling behaviour among SMM and examine potential risk factors (erroneous gambling cognitions, gambling outcome expectancies, hazardous alcohol use, impulsivity, and psychological distress; as well as perceived stigma and discrimination for the SMM participants) and potential protective factors (resilience, social support, and community connectedness) for problem gambling severity and gambling-related harms among SMM living in Australia. Many jurisdictions, including Australia, have adopted a public health framework in which gambling problems are viewed across a risk continuum, from no-risk gambling characterised by an absence of adverse gambling-related harm to problem gambling characterised by severe harms [2]. It is critical that we identify populations most at risk and understand the factors that might increase or decrease the risk of problem gambling behaviour
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