A comparison of treatment‐seeking pathological gamblers based on preferred gambling activity
Abstract
Aims To compare and contrast gamblers with different forms of problematic gambling activities. Design, setting and measurements Pathological gamblers completed the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) and gambling questionnaires when initiating out‐patient treatment. Participants Participants (n = 347) were categorized by their most problematic form of gambling activity: sports, horse/dog‐races, cards, slots and scratch/lottery tickets. Differences in demographics, gambling variables, and ASI composite scores were compared across groups. Findings After controlling for demographic variables, the types of gamblers differed in severity of gambling, alcohol and psychiatric problems. Horse/dog‐race gamblers were generally older, male and less educated; they began gambling regularly at a young age and spent relatively high amounts of money gambling. Sports gamblers were young males and had intermediary gambling problems; they had relatively high rates of current substance use but few psychiatric problems. Card players spent low to moderate amounts of time and money gambling, and they generally reported few alcohol problems and little psychiatric distress. Slot machine players were older and more likely to be female. Slot gamblers began gambling later in life, had high rates of bankruptcy and reported psychiatric difficulties. Scratch/lottery gamblers spent the least amount of money gambling, but they gambled the most frequently and had relatively severe alcohol and psychiatric symptoms. Conclusions Gambling patterns and severity of psychosocial problems vary by form of problematic gambling, and these differences may influence treatment recommendations and outcomes.
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Individuals with different preferred forms of gambling appear to have different motivations for gambling.
“Individuals with different preferred forms of gambling also appear to have different motivations for gambling.”
From Internet gambling in problem gambling college students (2015) · cites this paper as Petry, 2003a
Slot machine gamblers may wager to ease psychological distress.
“Sports and card bettors, for example, report seeking thrills and competition, while slot machine gamblers may wager to ease psychological distress (LaPlante, Nelson, LaBrie, & Shaffer, 2011; Petry, 2003a; Welte, Barnes, Wieczorek, Tidwell, & Hoffman, 2007).”
From Internet gambling in problem gambling college students (2015) · cites this paper as Petry, 2003a
Individuals who develop problems with different forms of gambling vary in demographic characteristics.
“Individuals who develop problems with different forms of gambling vary in terms of demographic characteristics (Blaszczynski & Nower, 2002; Ledgerwood & Petry, 2010; Petry, 2003a).”
From Internet gambling in problem gambling college students (2015) · cites this paper as Petry, 2003a
Those with primary problems related to sports, animal, and card betting tend to be male.
“Those with primary problems related to sports, animal, and card betting tend to be male, while those with primary problems associated with slot machines and bingo tend to be women (Grant & Kim, 2002; Petry, 2003a).”
From Internet gambling in problem gambling college students (2015) · cites this paper as Petry, 2003a
Primary slot machine and scratch/lottery ticket gamblers tend to have higher levels of anxiety, psychosis, and suicidality.
“Pathological gamblers who wager primarily on sports are more likely to have substance use problems, while primary slot machine and scratch/lottery ticket gamblers tend to have higher levels of anxiety, psychosis, and suicidality (Petry, 2003a).”
From Internet gambling in problem gambling college students (2015) · cites this paper as Petry, 2003a
Those with primary problems associated with slot machines and bingo tend to be women.
“Those with primary problems related to sports, animal, and card betting tend to be male, while those with primary problems associated with slot machines and bingo tend to be women (Grant & Kim, 2002; Petry, 2003a).”
From Internet gambling in problem gambling college students (2015) · cites this paper as Petry, 2003a
Sports and card bettors report seeking thrills and competition.
“Sports and card bettors, for example, report seeking thrills and competition, while slot machine gamblers may wager to ease psychological distress (LaPlante, Nelson, LaBrie, & Shaffer, 2011; Petry, 2003a; Welte, Barnes, Wieczorek, Tidwell, & Hoffman, 2007).”
From Internet gambling in problem gambling college students (2015) · cites this paper as Petry, 2003a
Pathological gamblers who wager primarily on sports are more likely to have substance use problems.
“Pathological gamblers who wager primarily on sports are more likely to have substance use problems, while primary slot machine and scratch/lottery ticket gamblers tend to have higher levels of anxiety, psychosis, and suicidality (Petry, 2003a).”
From Internet gambling in problem gambling college students (2015) · cites this paper as Petry, 2003a
In samples of patients entering gambling treatment clinics, less than 1% indicated that the Internet is their preferred modality of gambling.
“In samples of patients entering gambling treatment clinics, less than 1% indicated that the Internet is their preferred modality of gambling (Álvarez-Moya et al., 2010; Petry, 2003a; Petry et al., 2006; Petry, Weinstock, Lederwood, & Morasco, 2008).”
From Internet gambling in problem gambling college students (2015) · cites this paper as Petry, 2003a
The ASI-gambling score was chosen as primary outcome because it is sensitive to changes in gambling over time and takes into account days and dollars gambled and severity of recent gambling problems.
“The ASI-gambling score was chosen as the primary outcome because it is sensitive to changes in gambling over time and takes into account days and dollars gambled in the past month, along with severity of recent gambling problems (Petry, 2003a,2007).”
From Internet gambling in problem gambling college students (2015) · cites this paper as Petry, 2003a
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References 60 · Cited by 195
- Authors
- Petry, N. M.
- Affiliations
- UConn Health (US)
- Corresponding author
- Petry, Nancy M.
- ORCID
- Petry, Nancy M.
- Venue
- Addiction
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2003-05
- Volume
- 98
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 645-655
- ISSN
- 0965-2140 (ISSN-L)
- 1360-0443
- OpenAlex
- W2078494789
- Cited by
- 195
- References
- 60
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 6.85
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Addiction (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (5p50aa003510-27)
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (P50- AA03510)
- National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH060417)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (P50DA009241, R29DA012056, R01DA013444)
- National Center for Research Resources (M01RR006192)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Gambling Behavior and Treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
- Keywords
- gambling addiction, problem gambling, sports betting, slot machine gambling, gambling severity, alcohol consumption, mental illness, bankruptcy, Addiction Severity Index, treatment-seeking gamblers
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Alcoholism, Female, Gambling, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Retrospective Studies, United States, Behavior, Addictive
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