A comparative study of men and women gamblers in Victoria
This study was funded by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation to extend the analyses conducted for A Study of Gambling in Victoria (Hare, 2009) to provide detailed analyses of similarities and differences between male and female gamblers in Victoria Australia. The research objectives were to: 1. Analyse the similarities and differences between male and female gamblers in Victoria in terms of gambling preferences, activities and styles of play; gambling motivations and attitudes; physical and mental health; family and early gambling influences; and help-seeking behaviour; and 2. Analyse the similarities and differences between male and female gamblers in Victoria in terms of risk factors associated with problem/moderate risk gambling and protective factors associated with low risk/non-problem gambling.
A Process Evaluation of a Self-Exclusion Program: A Qualitative Investigation from the Perspective of Excluders and Non-Excluders
This paper draws on a process evaluation of Queensland' self-exclusion program to examine how people use the program, motivations for self-excluding, barriers to use, experiences and perceptions of program elements, and potential improvements. Detailed, reflective, first-person accounts were gathered through interviews with 103 problem gamblers, including excluders and non-excluders. Identified strengths include the program's widespread availability. Many self-excluders reported positive experiences with responsive, knowledgeable, respectful venue staff. Major weaknesses include low publicity, limited privacy and confidentiality, the need to exclude individually from venues, and deficiencies in venue monitoring for breaches, which hinder the program's capacity to meet harm minimisation objectives. While the program reaches some problem gamblers, others are delayed or deterred from self-excluding by low awareness, shame and embarrassment, difficulties of excluding from multiple venues, and low confidence in venue staff to maintain confidentiality and provide effective monitoring. Potential improvements include wider publicity, off-site multi-venue exclusion, and technology-assisted monitoring.
What Influences the Types of Help that Problem Gamblers Choose? A Preliminary Grounded Theory Model
Research has not fully explored factors that influence types of help used from the suite of available options once problem gamblers reach an action stage of change. This study aimed to explore critical factors influencing choice of help (or interventions) once people have decided to address their gambling problem. Particular emphasis was on counselling and self-exclusion, given their demonstrable effectiveness for most users. Interviews were conducted with 103 problem gamblers taking action to address their gambling problem. Inductive analysis revealed nine critical influences on type(s) of help chosen, presented as a grounded theory model. Independent variables were goals of taking up the intervention, problem gambling severity, and level of independence/pride. Six mediating variables helped to explain relationships between the independent variables and choice of intervention. Understanding key influences on choice of gambling help can illuminate how to encourage further uptake and better align interventions with gamblers' preferences, to reduce barriers to help-seeking.
Risk Factors for Gambling Problems: An Analysis by Gender
Differences in problem gambling rates between males and females suggest that associated risk factors vary by gender. Previous combined analyses of male and female gambling may have obscured these distinctions. This study aimed to develop separate risk factor models for gambling problems for males and for females, and identify gender-based similarities and differences. It analysed data from the largest prevalence study in Victoria Australia (N = 15,000). Analyses determined factors differentiating non-problem from at-risk gamblers separately for women and men, then compared genders using interaction terms. Separate multivariate analyses determined significant results when controlling for all others. Variables included demographics, gambling behaviour, gambling motivations, money management, and mental and physical health. Significant predictors of at-risk status amongst female gamblers included: 18-24 years old, not speaking English at home, living in a group household, unemployed or not in the workforce, gambling on private betting, electronic gaming machines (EGMs), scratch tickets or bingo, and gambling for reasons other than social reasons, to win money or for general entertainment. For males, risk factors included: 18-24 years old, not speaking English at home, low education, living in a group household, unemployed or not in the workforce, gambling on EGMs, table games, races, sports or lotteries, and gambling for reasons other than social reasons, to win money or for general entertainment. High risk groups requiring appropriate interventions comprise young adults, especially males; middle-aged female EGM gamblers; non-English speaking populations; frequent EGM, table games, race and sports gamblers; and gamblers motivated by escape.
The Effectiveness of Gambling Exclusion Programs in Queensland
This study assessed the effectiveness of Queensland gambling exclusion programs as a mechanism to minimise gambling-related harm, whether these effects are sustained over time and whether self exclusion is more effective when combined with counselling and support. Research methods comprised a literature review, desktop review of Australian and international exclusion programs, interviews with peak gambling industry associations, interviews with 18 Queensland Gambling Help counsellors, and interviews and surveys with 103 problem gamblers at three assessment periods approximately six months apart. In contrast to recent international trends, Australian self-exclusion programs including those in Queensland are typically venue-administered, require on-site exclusion from individual venues, do not enable exclusion from multiple venues in one application, rely on photographs for detection, impose penalties for excluders for breaches and for venues that fail to detect breaches, and provide comparatively minimal connections to counselling.