Problem Gambling in a Sample of Older Adult Casino Gamblers: Associations with Gambling Participation and Motivations

Mark Van Der Maas, Robert E. Mann, John McCready, Flora I. Matheson, Nigel E. Turner, Hayley A. Hamilton, Tracy Schrans, Anca Ialomiteanu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

As older adults continue to make up a greater proportion of the Canadian population, it becomes more important to understand the implications that their leisure activities have for their physical and mental health. Gambling, in particular, is a form of leisure that is becoming more widely available and has important implications for the mental health and financial well-being of older adults. This study examines a large sample (2103) of casino-going Ontarian adults over the age of 55 and identifies those features of their gambling participation that are associated with problem gambling. Logistic regression analysis is used to analyze the data. Focusing on types of gambling participated in and motivations for visiting the casino, this study finds that several forms of gambling and motivations to gamble are associated with greater risk of problem gambling. It also finds that some motivations are associated with lower risk of problem gambling. The findings of this study have implications related to gambling availability within an aging population.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)3-10
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology
Volume30
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2017
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Neurology
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

Keywords

  • casino
  • gambling
  • leisure
  • motivation

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Problem Gambling in a Sample of Older Adult Casino Gamblers: Associations with Gambling Participation and Motivations'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this