TY - JOUR
T1 - Adolescent Land-Based and Internet Gambling
T2 - Australian and International Prevalence Rates and Measurement Issues
AU - King, Daniel L.
AU - Russell, Alex
AU - Hing, Nerilee
PY - 2020/4/18
Y1 - 2020/4/18
N2 - Purpose of Review: This review summarizes recent studies of adolescent gambling in Australia and overseas. Its purpose is to examine variations in participation in gambling activities, including land-based and Internet gambling, and in measurement approaches to studying gambling-related problems. Recent Findings: Between 15 and 80% of young people report past-year gambling participation, typically involving scratch cards, lotteries, card games and sports betting. Around 5% report past-year Internet gambling. Estimates of problem gambling among adolescents vary, with Australian figures generally between 1 and 5%, and studies in the USA, Canada, UK, Italy and Finland generally reporting rates of 1 to 7%. Simulated gambling involvement (e.g., gambling-like apps, social casino games) appears more prevalent but its relationship to monetary gambling and problem gambling risk requires further research. Summary: Youth gambling and exposure to gambling-like activities via digital technologies is a global phenomenon that warrants continuing research. Research is required at the conceptual level, for example, to identify relevant harms and map links to other risk behaviours, and at the methodological level to identify optimal measurement approaches. This includes considering respondents’ level of involvement in reported gambling (active vs passive), recall issues and clearly distinguishing monetary from simulated gambling. Understanding youth gambling is particularly relevant as new digital technology-based gambling activities and promotions become more prevalent and available to young people with the means to access them.
AB - Purpose of Review: This review summarizes recent studies of adolescent gambling in Australia and overseas. Its purpose is to examine variations in participation in gambling activities, including land-based and Internet gambling, and in measurement approaches to studying gambling-related problems. Recent Findings: Between 15 and 80% of young people report past-year gambling participation, typically involving scratch cards, lotteries, card games and sports betting. Around 5% report past-year Internet gambling. Estimates of problem gambling among adolescents vary, with Australian figures generally between 1 and 5%, and studies in the USA, Canada, UK, Italy and Finland generally reporting rates of 1 to 7%. Simulated gambling involvement (e.g., gambling-like apps, social casino games) appears more prevalent but its relationship to monetary gambling and problem gambling risk requires further research. Summary: Youth gambling and exposure to gambling-like activities via digital technologies is a global phenomenon that warrants continuing research. Research is required at the conceptual level, for example, to identify relevant harms and map links to other risk behaviours, and at the methodological level to identify optimal measurement approaches. This includes considering respondents’ level of involvement in reported gambling (active vs passive), recall issues and clearly distinguishing monetary from simulated gambling. Understanding youth gambling is particularly relevant as new digital technology-based gambling activities and promotions become more prevalent and available to young people with the means to access them.
KW - Adolescent gambling
KW - Measurement
KW - Prevalence
KW - Problem gambling
KW - Tool
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85083825276&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DE170101198
U2 - 10.1007/s40429-020-00311-1
DO - 10.1007/s40429-020-00311-1
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85083825276
SN - 2196-2952
VL - 7
SP - 137
EP - 148
JO - Current Addiction Reports
JF - Current Addiction Reports
IS - 2
ER -