Gambling In Canada Research Articles

Comparing ‘fair’ machine learning models for detecting at-risk online gamblers

ABSTRACT Researchers have worked to develop machine learning models that detect at-risk online gamblers, enabling personalized harm prevention tools. However, existing research has not evaluated these models’ potential to reinforce or amplify sociodemographic biases leading to treatment disparity, a recognized issue in the machine learning field. We sought to develop and compare three examples of potentially fair models using online gambling data. In two large samples of transaction data from a provincially owned Canadian gambling website (N1 = 9,145, N2 = 10,716), we developed three machine learning models based on competing concepts of fairness: fairness via unawareness, classification parity, and outcome calibration. We hypothesized that significant relationships existed between reporting a high risk of past-year gambling problems (the dependent variable) and participants’ age and sex. Further, we hypothesized that the three ‘fair’ models would show differing levels of classification performance both in aggregate and within sociodemographic groups. Significant age and sex effects were found, refuting the fairness via unawareness modeling strategy. Superiority across all performance metrics was not present for either of the remaining models. For the fairest practices in any jurisdiction, classification parity and outcome calibration models should be tested in situ, and incorporate the perspectives and preferences of end users who will be affected.

Etiology of problem gambling in Canada.

To conduct a large-scale national cohort study to identify the current etiological risk factors for problem gambling in Canada. A cohort of 10,119 Canadian gamblers completed a comprehensive self-administered online questionnaire in 2018 and were reassessed in 2019. At baseline, the sample contained 1,388 at-risk gamblers, 1,346 problem gamblers, and 2,710 with a major DSM-5 mental health disorder. A total of 108 independent variables (IVs) were available for analysis, as well as the self-report of perceived causes of gambling-related problems for 1,261 individuals. The strongest multivariate predictors of current and future problem gambling were "gambling-related" variables (i.e., current and past problem gambling, intensive gambling involvement, playing electronic gambling machines (EGMs), gambling fallacies, socializing with other people having gambling-related problems, and family history of having gambling-related problems). Beyond gambling-related variables, greater impulsivity and lower household income were robustly predictive. Thirteen additional variables were either concurrently or prospectively predictive, but not both. In contrast to the many different quantitative predictors, self-reported causes tended to be singular and psychologically oriented (i.e., desire to win money, boredom, stress, poor self-control). The predictors of problematic gambling in the present study are very similar to the predictors identified in prior international longitudinal and cross-sectional research. This implies core cross-cultural risk factors, with gambling-related variables and impulsivity being most important, and comorbidities and demographic variables having more modest contributions. The additional value of the present results is that they comprehensively identify the relative importance of all known etiologically relevant variables within a current Canadian context. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Prevalence and predictors of illegal gambling in Canada

ABSTRACT Most forms of gambling have been legalized in Canada over the past 50 years. One of the main government justifications for legalization is to eliminate illegal gambling. The purpose of the present study is to shed some light on this issue by establishing the current prevalence of illegal gambling in Canada. A survey of 10,199 Canadian adults was conducted in 2018 as part of a comprehensive national study of gambling. Past year prevalence of illegal gambling was found to be very low: 0.05% for using illegal betting shops or bookies; 0.07% for patronizing illegal casinos or card rooms; 0.09% for illegal animal contests; and 1.59% for illegal online gambling. The most robust individual predictors of participating in any type of illegal gambling were engagement in a larger number of gambling formats and having a higher overall frequency of gambling. Additional individual predictors for specific types were the presence of gambling problems, provincial illegality of that form, male gender, younger age, and race/ethnicity. In conclusion, the low level of illegal gambling provides support for the contention that legal forms may have displaced illegal forms. However, illegal gambling does continue to exist to a limited extent, especially among heavily involved gamblers.

Changes in sports gambling behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.

Sports betting is one of the most popular forms of gambling in Canada; recent prevalence estimates indicate that 7.9% of Canadian adults endorsed gambling on sports in the past year. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic led to the temporary closure of most major sports leagues worldwide beginning in March of 2020. These sudden closures created a dramatic decrease in the availability of sports betting opportunities in the early stages of the pandemic, followed by a subsequent increase in availability as most sport leagues returned during the summer of 2020. Using a retrospective self-report measure of gambling participation, the present study investigated how the gambling behaviors of N = 85 past-year sports gamblers changed over the course of the pandemic. It was hypothesized that sports gamblers would report an initial decrease in gambling behaviors from pre-pandemic baseline levels to the early stages of the pandemic in May of 2020 when the availability of sports gambling was heavily restricted, followed by an increase in gambling behaviors from May to August, in accordance with the re-emergence of live sporting events. The general pattern of results supported the hypotheses, though gambling behaviors did not completely return to baseline levels. Beyond quantifying the changes in gambling behaviors over the early stages of the pandemic in Canada, results may have implications regarding the utility of voluntary gambling exclusion programs as well as legislation concerning gambling access.

Gambling in Canada During the Pandemic: 6 Months After the National COVID Lockdown

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID) pandemic on gambling and problem gambling in Canada. Method: A stratified national cohort of regular gamblers (n=2790) completed a comprehensive online questionnaire 6 months before the onset of the pandemic (baseline; August-November 2019), during the nation-wide lockdown (May-June 2020), and 6 months after the lockdown (December 2020). Results: Significant decreases in gambling frequency, time spent in gambling sessions, money spent, and the number of game types played occurred during lockdown followed by significant increases in all of these same measures postlockdown. However, the level of postlockdown gambling behavior was still significantly lower than prepandemic baseline levels. A significant shift to online gambling was also observed during the lockdown, which persisted postlockdown. Problem gambling scores also declined during the lockdown, with no significant change in these scores postlockdown. Consistent with previous literature, it was found that a higher level of gambling engagement, online gambling participation, and known biopsychosocial factors (family history of problem gambling, gambling fallacies, substance use, male sex, mood disorder) were predictors of problem gambling at postlockdown. COVID-specific factors predictive of problem gambling postlockdown were the presence of negative COVID-related health impacts and increased levels of social interaction and leisure time. Conclusions: The COVID-related lockdowns have resulted in lower levels of gambling and problem gambling symptomatology as well as increased online gambling in Canada that have persisted to some extent 6 months postlockdown. Future studies are necessary to ascertain whether these represent permanent or temporary changes. Objectif: Étudier l’impact de la pandémie de COVID sur le jeu et les problèmes reliés aux jeux d’argent au Canada. Méthode: Une cohorte nationale stratifiée de joueurs réguliers (N=2790) a rempli un questionnaire complet en ligne six mois avant le début de la pandémie (base de référence; août-novembre 2019), pendant le confinement national (mai-juin 2020) et six-mois après le confinement (décembre 2020). Résultats: Une diminution significative de la fréquence de jeu, du temps passé en sessions de jeu, de l’argent dépensé, et du nombre de types de jeux joués s’est produit pendant le confinement, suivi d’une augmentation significative de ces mêmes nombres après le confinement. Cependant, le niveau de comportement de jeu après le confinement était toujours significativement inférieur aux niveaux de référence pré-pandémiques. Un changement significatif vers le jeu en ligne a également été observé pendant le confinement, qui a persisté après le confinement. Les indicateurs de jeu problématique ont également diminué pendant le confinement, sans changement significatif dans des résultats après le confinement. Conformément à la littérature précédente, il a été constaté qu’un niveau plus élevé d’implication dans le jeu, de participation au jeu en ligne et de facteurs biopsychosociaux connus (antécédents familiaux de jeu problématique, sophisme du joueur, consommation de substances, sexe masculin, trouble de l’humeur) sont de bons indices de problèmes de jeu après le confinement. Les facteurs prédictifs spécifiques au COVID pour les problèmes de jeu après le confinement étaient la présence d’effets négatifs sur santé liés à la COVID, une fréquence accrue d’interaction sociale et de temps de loisir. Conclusions: Les mesures d’isolement liés à la COVID ont entraîné une baisse des niveaux de jeu et la symptomatologie du jeu problématique ainsi que l’augmentation du jeu en ligne au Canada qui ont persisté dans une certaine mesure 6 mois après le confinement. Des études futures serons nécessaires pour déterminer si ces changements sont permanents ou temporaires.

Gambling with the Windigo: Theorizing Indigenous Casinos and Gambling in Canada

The legacy of colonialism in Canada manifests through land dispossession, structural violence and assimilative policies. Casinos are an anomaly emerging in Canada, becoming major economic engines, generating capital for housing, education, health, and language and cultural rejuvenation programs. On the other hand, the literature on Indigenous casinos raises crucial questions about compromised sovereignty, addiction, and neocolonial economic and political entrapment. This article theorises Indigenous casinos as a modern expression of the windigo. In Algonquian oral history, the windigo is a mythic giant cannibal. The underlying meaning of the windigo is the consumption of Indigenous peoples leading to illness and death. One can become a windigo and consume others, and one must always be cautious of this possibility. I propose casinos and Indigenous-provincial gambling revenue agreements are modern-day windigook (plural form of windigo). This framework provides an urgently needed new theorisation of casinos, grounded in Indigenous epistemology and ontology.

Gambling in Canada During the COVID Lockdown: Prospective National Survey.

The current study investigated the impact of the COVID pandemic lockdown on gambling and problem gambling in Canada. The AGRI National Project’s online panel participants (N = 3449) provided baseline gambling data 6 months prior to the pandemic. Re-surveying this sample during the lockdown provided an opportunity to make quantitative comparisons of the changes. Nearly one-third of gamblers reported ceasing gambling altogether during the lockdown. For the continuing gamblers, quantitative data indicated significant decreases in gambling frequency, time spent in gambling sessions, money spent, and the number of game types played. Qualitative perceptions of changes in gambling were examined and the accuracy of these reports were not closely aligned with actual changes in gambling. Gambling platform was the only gambling engagement metric where increases were found with ~ 17% of the gambling sample migrating to online gambling during the lockdown. Although problem gambling within the sample generally declined, consistent with previous literature, it was also found that gambling online—among other biopsychosocial factors—was a significant predictor for classification as a problem gambler during the lockdown. COVID-specific influences on health, employment, leisure time and social isolation were moderately associated with problem gambling scores but were not independent predictors of changes in gambling engagement during lockdown. Future studies are required to assess if the pandemic related changes in gambling evidenced in this study remain stable, or if engagement reverts to pre-pandemic levels when the pandemic response allows for the re-opening of land-based gambling venues.

$14.5-Billion Per Year and Counting: Canadian Gambling Statistics

Ask any gambler how much money they spend on gambling in a typical year and you’ll almost certainly see a quizzical look appear on their face. Individuals are frequently reluctant to disclose such information and those that do typically find it difficult to recall the specifics of their gambling spending. Gamblers who are willing and able to answer might also need some clarification since the question could be referring to either the cumulative amount of dollars gambled or the net dollar figure gambled after accounting for wins and losses[1]. But what if, instead of asking individual gamblers about their spending, one was attempting to determine gambling spending for the entire country of Canada including provinces and territories… are these figures even available? Are provincial and territorial gambling regulators and operators forthcoming with this information? The short answer is that, yes, it is indeed possible to determine a figure for Canada’s net commercial gambling revenue using available data[2]. In this article, I’ll describe my rationale for documenting available Canadian gambling statistics, methods employed, and challenges encountered. A selection of charts is interspersed throughout to illustrate key gambling statistics using examples from the Canadian Gambling Statistics (1970-2020) online database which was created to house these collected statistics and make them publicly accessible.
 
 [1] To learn about these intricacies, see Wood & Williams (2007) ‘How Much Money Do You Spend on Gambling?’ The Comparative Validity of Question Wordings Used to Assess Gambling Expenditure and Auer & Griffiths (2017) Self-Reported Losses Versus Actual Losses in Online Gambling: An Empirical Study.
 [2] Calculate at $14.51-billion in 2019 or about $500 per Canadian adult (18+ years of age) – for details, see Figure 1.

Indigenous Gambling and Problem Gambling in Canada.

The present study provides a profile of Canadian Indigenous gambling and problem gambling using the 2018 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) (n = 23,952 adults; 1,324 Indigenous) and an online panel survey of 10,199 gamblers (n = 589 Indigenous). The relative popularity of different types of gambling was similar between Indigenous and non-Indigenous samples. However, there was higher Indigenous participation in electronic gambling machines (EGMs), bingo, instant lotteries, overall gambling and a higher rate of problem gambling (2.0% versus 0.5%). Variables predictive of Indigenous problem gambling were EGM participation, gambling fallacies, having a mental or substance use disorder, sports betting, and male gender. Compared to non-Indigenous problem gamblers, Indigenous problem gamblers had higher substance use and lower impulsivity. In general, variables predictive of Indigenous problem gambling were the same ones predictive of problem gambling in all populations, with elevated Indigenous problem gambling rates primarily being due to elevated rates of these generic risk factors. Many of these risk factors are modifiable. Particular consideration should be given to reducing the disproportionate concentration of EGMs in geographic areas having the highest concentration of Indigenous people and ameliorating the disadvantageous social conditions in this population that are conducive to mental health and substance use problems.

Is a sense of community belonging associated with problem gambling in Canada?

Despite the increasing demand for public health measures to prevent problem gambling, few studies have examined the association between community characteristics and problem gambling. The aim of this nationally representative cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between a sense of community belonging and problem gambling in Canada. We also examined whether this relationship was modified by sex and marital status. Canadian Community Health Survey (2013-2014) data from 38,968 residents of Quebec, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and British Columbia were analyzed. Problem gambling was assessed using the Canadian Problem Gambling Index. We estimated the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for problem gambling. The prevalence of problem gambling was 1.4% (1.9% among males; 0.9% among females). We observed an inverse dose-response relationship between a sense of community belonging and problem gambling. Compared with those with a very strong sense of community belonging, the adjusted ORs for problem gambling were 1.07 (95% CI 0.65-1.76) for a somewhat strong sense, 1.27 (95% CI 0.77-2.11) for a somewhat weak sense, and 2.32 (95% CI 1.34-4.02) for a very weak sense of community belonging. The association was more prominent among females (except for those widowed/divorced/separated), whereas no clear association was found among males, irrespective of marital status. When implementing public health measures to reduce problem gambling, it would be useful to account for possible differential impacts of a sense of community belonging by sex and marital status, which may reflect significant social contexts among residents.

Predictors of gambling and problem gambling in Canada.

The purpose of this study is to provide an updated profile of gamblers and problem gamblers in Canada and to identify characteristics most strongly associated with problem gambling. An assessment of gambling participation and problem gambling was included in the 2018 Canadian Community Health Survey and administered to 23,952 individuals 18years and older. Descriptive statistics provided a demographic profile for each type of gambling involvement as well as category of gambler (non-gambler, non-problem gambler, at-risk gambler, problem gambler). A logistic regression identified characteristics that best distinguished problem from non-problem gamblers. Gambling participation and problem gambling both varied as a function of gender, income, educational attainment, and race/ethnicity. However, multivariate analysis identified electronic gambling machine (EGM) participation to be the primary predictor of problem gambling status, with race/ethnicity, presence of a mood disorder, male gender, casino table game participation, older age, a greater level of smoking, participation in speculative financial activity, instant lottery participation, lower household income, and lottery or raffle ticket participation providing additional predictive power. Provincial EGM density and EGM participation rates are also very strong predictors of provincial rates of at-risk and problem gambling. Problem gambling has a biopsychosocial etiology, determined by personal vulnerability factors combined with the presence of riskier types of gambling such as EGMs. Effective prevention requires a multifaceted approach, but constraints on the availability and operation of EGMs would likely have the greatest single public health benefit.

Gambling and Problem Gambling in Canada in 2018: Prevalence and Changes Since 2002.

The purpose of this study was to provide an updated profile of gambling and problem gambling in Canada and to examine how the rates and pattern of participation compare to 2002. An assessment of gambling and problem gambling was included in the 2018 Canadian Community Health Survey and administered to 24,982 individuals aged 15 and older. The present analyses selected for adults (18+). A total of 66.2% of people reported engaging in some type of gambling in 2018, primarily lottery and/or raffle tickets, the only type in which the majority of Canadians participate. There are some significant interprovincial differences, with perhaps the most important one being the higher rate of electronic gambling machine (EGM) participation in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The overall pattern of gambling in 2018 is very similar to 2002, although participation is generally much lower in 2018, particularly for EGMs and bingo. Only 0.6% of the population were identified as problem gamblers in 2018, with an additional 2.7% being at-risk gamblers. There is no significant interprovincial variation in problem gambling rates. The interprovincial pattern of problem gambling in 2018 is also very similar to what was found in 2002 with the main difference being a 45% decrease in the overall prevalence of problem gambling. Gambling and problem gambling have both decreased in Canada from 2002 to 2018 although the provincial patterns are quite similar between the 2 time periods. Several mechanisms have likely collectively contributed to these declines. Decreases have also been reported in several other Western countries in recent years and have occurred despite the expansion of legal gambling opportunities, suggesting a degree of inoculation or adaptation in large parts of the population.

An Exploratory Study through a Life Course Perspective: Gambling among Older Chinese People in a Canadian Context

Gambling is a rising social issue in multicultural Canada, particularly in the Chinese population. This qualitative study aims to depict a collective picture of older Chinese gamblers through a life course perspective which includes five principles: human agency, lifelong development, historical time and place, timing, and linked lives. Fifteen older Chinese gamblers were interviewed in-depth for this study. Many older Chinese-Canadians reported an early onset to gambling in childhood and adolescense when experiencing extreme situations such as wars or poverty. They continued with gambling in Canada in their adulthoods in which they were occupied by extensive work and childrearing. After retirement, casinos seemed to offer a convenient place to escape from mental health issues and relational conflicts. Older Chinese adults’ gambling is further discussed through the five life course perspective principles. Trauma has played a role in this group’s lifelong development of gambling behavior. Human agency, historical time and place and linked lives interacted to contribute to the establishment of gambling behavior in later life that characterized as parallel play where older Chinese gamblers played in solitary rather than interacting with others. The study concludes by elaborating empirical limitations particularly on the lack of data on within-group differences often analyzed through timing.

The nature and scope of gambling in Canada

Στόχοι: Το παρόν άρθρο αποτελεί μια ιστορική αναδρομή για την πορεία του τζόγου στον Καναδά, και διερευνά τα οφέλη και τις ελλείψεις που προκύπτουν από τις ισχύουσες πολιτικές και πρακτικές για τον τζόγο στη χώρα. Περιλαμβάνει μια συζήτηση σχετικά με τον ρόλο της περιφερειακής και ομοσπονδιακής κυβέρνησης στον έλεγχο του τζόγου και μια επισκόπηση των πρωτοβουλιών πρόληψης και θεραπείας του παθολογικού τζόγου. Μεθοδολογία: Εξετάστηκε η βιβλιογραφία για τον τζόγο για τον εντοπισμό σχετικών πληροφοριών γύρω από την ιστορική εξέλιξη, τις νομοθετικές αλλαγές, τις οικονομικές συνθήκες και τις πολιτισμικές επιρροές που καθόρισαν την ενασχόληση με τον τζόγο αλλά και τις στρατηγικές κοινωνικής ευθύνης στον Καναδά. Ευρήματα: Δύο σημαντικές τροποποιήσεις του Ποινικού Κώδικα του Καναδά (μία το 1969 και μία το 1985) έπαιξαν καθοριστικό ρόλο στην εξάπλωση του τζόγου στον Καναδά. Η πρώτη αποποινικοποίησε τις κληρώσεις και τα καζίνο, ενώ η δεύτερη επέτρεψε την ύπαρξη μηχανών ηλεκτρονικού τζόγου και έδωσε την δυνατότητα σε κάποιες περιφερειακές αρχές να διαχειρίζονται και να ρυθμίζουν τις δραστηριότητες τζόγου. Αυτές οι αλλαγές οδήγησαν στη ραγδαία εξάπλωση του τζόγου, η οποία, μαζί με την αύξηση των εσόδων των περιφερειών, δημιούργησε ανησυχίες για τη δημόσια τάξη. Οι διαφορετικές ερμηνείες των περιφερειακών κυβερνήσεων όσον αφορά τα διφορούμενα θεσπίσματα του Ποινικού Κώδικα για τον τζόγο, οδήγησαν σε μια ανομοιογένεια στις ρυθμίσεις και τη διαχείριση του τζόγου από τις περιφέρειεςž όταν εξαπλώθηκε ο τζόγος, δεν υφίσταντο νομοθετικά μέτρα προστασίας για την αντιμετώπιση του ατομικού και κοινωνικού αντίκτυπου από τον παθολογικό τζόγο. Τα προγράμματα που δημιουργήθηκαν στη συνέχεια για την πρόληψη και τη θεραπεία του παθολογικού τζόγου δεν έχουν αποδειχθεί ιδιαίτερα αποτελεσματικά. Συμπεράσματα: Οι καναδικές επαρχίες έχουν το μονοπώλιο του τζόγου εντός της επικρατείας τους και τον αντιμετωπίζουν ως μια επιχειρηματική δραστηριότητα με στόχο το κέρδος. Τα προβλήματα που σχετίζονται με την ευρεία εξάπλωση του τζόγου, όπως η εξάρτηση, η αυξημένη εγκληματικότητα, οι χρεοκοπίες και οι αυτοκτονίες δεν προκαλούν ιδιαίτερο προβληματισμό και δεν υπάρχει κάποια επιθετική πολιτική για την αντιμετώπισή τους. Δεδομένης της αποστασιοποίησης της καναδικής ομοσπονδιακής κυβέρνησης από την πολιτική για τον τζόγο και της μεγάλης εξάρτησης των καναδικών περιφερειών από τα έσοδα που προκύπτουν από αυτόν, δεν αναμένονται μεγάλες αλλαγές στο πεδίο του τζόγου στον Καναδά στο εγγύς μέλλον. Λέξεις-κλειδιά: Εξάπλωση του τζόγου, νομοθεσία για τον τζόγο, ρύθμιση του τζόγου, πρόληψη και θεραπεία του παθολογικού τζόγου

Fifty Years of Legal Gambling in Canada: So What?

Fifty Years of Legal Gambling in Canada: So What?

A free ride? An analysis of the association of casino bus tours and problem gambling among older adults.

Background and aimsLittle research has examined the relationship between incentives used by gambling venues to attract customers and the experience of gambling‐related harm. Organized and subsidized bus tours are a common example of such incentives. The aim of this study was to examine whether bus‐tour patronage was associated with increased odds of problem gambling among older adults. This study also compared rates of bus‐tour use by socio‐demographic characteristics and gambling behaviours.DesignPearson's χ2 tests and Mann–Whitney U‐tests were applied for bivariate analyses. Multivariate generalized mixed‐effects regression modelling was used to examine the relationship between bus‐tour patronage and problem gambling while controlling for possible confounding factors.SettingSeven gambling venues located in Central and Southwestern Ontario, Canada.ParticipantsA total of 1978 gambling venue patrons over the age of 55 years.MeasurementsProblem gambling as indicated by the Problem Gambling Severity Index, bus‐tour patronage in the 12 months prior to the survey, spending per gambling visit and past‐month slot machine participation.FindingsRegression analyses showed that bus‐tour patronage was associated with higher odds of problem gambling [odds ratio (OR) = 1.71, confidence interval (CI) = 1.06, 2.76] after controlling for several demographic characteristics, type of gambling and gambling expenditures. Bivariate analyses showed past‐year bus‐tour patronage was associated with more frequent slot machine play (χ2 = 48.16, P < 0.001), more past‐year gambling venue visits (P < 0.001) and lower spending on gambling per casino visit (P < 0.001). Compared with non‐patrons, bus tour patrons were more likely to be female (χ2 = 21.92, P < 0.001), born outside Canada (χ2 = 113.18, P < 0.001), above the age of 75 (χ2 = 24.02, P < 0.001) and retired (χ2 = 16.60, P < 0.001).ConclusionsWhen adjusting for potential confounders among older adults, using bus tours to access Canadian gambling venues is associated with increased risk of problem gambling. Bus‐tour patrons are more likely to be female, born outside Canada and above the age of 75 years.

Factors associated with adolescent online and land-based gambling in Canada

Background: With the development of new gambling technology, and increased internet accessibility, online gambling has rapidly emerged as a new gambling market. Governments in numerous jurisdictions have moved to legalize online gambling, yet little is known about the impact of online gambling availability particularly for adolescents. To date, few studies have identified the characteristics of adolescent online gamblers and even fewer have looked at whether these characteristics differ from land-based adolescent gamblers. This study examined socio-demographic and factors associated with online gambling for adolescents and compared this to land-based gamblers to examine whether the profile of online gamblers are unique.Method: Data for the current study comes from the 2012–2013 Youth Gambling Survey (YGS) (n = 10 035) and consists of students in Grades 9 to 12 from three Canadian provinces: Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, and Saskatchewan.Results: Compared to adolescents who did not have a gambling problem, those who had low to moderate (OR = 2.21, p < .001) or high problem gambling severity (OR = 13.60, p < .001) were significantly more likely to gamble online. Adolescents who played free games were also significantly more likely to gamble online (OR = 2.75, p < .001). Females were significantly less likely to gamble online compared to males (OR = 0.31, p < .001). Other than gender, problem gambling severity and playing free games, when compared to land-based adolescent gamblers, the profile of online gamblers are not that different.Conclusions: Current prevention efforts for adolescents should focus on gambling across modalities.

Tracking the westernization of urban Aboriginal gambling in Canada’s Prairie Provinces

North American Aboriginals have an extensive cultural history of gambling. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of modern western gambling on these traditional beliefs. This is the first large-scale study of this issue in Canada. A total of 1114 Aboriginals in 15 cities in Canada’s Prairie Provinces were surveyed, with recruitment occurring at Native Friendship Centres, shopping malls and other locations where Aboriginals congregated. Results showed that ‘gambling’ to most urban Aboriginal people refers to western commercial forms, something distinct from historical traditions. Attitudes toward gambling were negative, except whether Aboriginal provision of western commercial forms was good or bad for Aboriginal people, where opinion was divided. Primary motivations for gambling were the same as for non-Aboriginals: to win money and for entertainment. Although attitudes and motivations were quite similar to non-Aboriginals, overall level of gambling participation was higher, especially for electronic gambling machines, instant lotteries and bingo. It is concluded that Canadian Aboriginals have a largely westernized orientation to western forms of gambling. The policy implication of this finding is that the factors predictive of gambling benefits as well as the factors predictive of gambling harm among Aboriginals do not appear to be culturally unique.

Video Lottery is the Most Harmful Form of Gambling in Canada.

This paper summarizes the degree to which different forms of legal gambling contribute to Problem and Pathological Gambling (PPG) in Canada. Legal gambling activities were compared using meta-analysis of publicly available data concerning Canada's legal gambling industry. The majority of revenues in the decade spanning 2002-2012 were drawn from Video Lottery Terminals and casino slot machines. Population surveys indicated that three quarters of Canadians reported some form of past-year gambling participation, but most did not play Electronic Gambling Machines. Annual revenues divided by estimated numbers of participants in various gambling activities showed that Video Lottery players spent more money on average than did participants in other forms of gambling. The relative risk of PPG was higher among Video Lottery players than it was for other common forms of gambling. Results from a community study of frequent Video Lottery players showed that the risk of frequent players reporting symptoms of PPG was elevated if they reported playing weekly, spending $50 or more per session, or playing for more than an hour per session. These studies provide converging evidence that Video Lottery is more hazardous to consumers than other forms of gambling that are commonly practised in Canada.

Lottery ticket and instant win ticket gambling: exploring the distinctions

Lottery gambling is the most common form of gambling in Canada, and lottery tickets and instant win tickets are the most frequently played games. Differences between lottery ticket gambling and instant win ticket gambling were examined by using a large-scale Canadian data set (N = 25,780). Lottery ticket gambling was associated with being older, male, and married, whereas instant win ticket gambling was associated with lower levels of education. Frequency of instant win ticket gambling predicted greater problem gambling severity and participating in more gambling activities independent of demographic variables and lottery ticket gambling. In comparison, frequency of lottery ticket gambling did not predict problem gambling severity or the number of gambling activities independent of demographic variables and instant win ticket gambling. Neither lottery game was related to mental health disorders or substance use. These findings provide converging evidence suggesting that different lottery games may attract distinct types of Canadian gamblers.