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.

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.