Gambling Use
General Population
Gambling is a common activity in Alberta. The most recent figures estimate 82.0% of Albertans aged 18 and older gambled in the past year; these rates of use are similar to those reported for all Canadians (Canadian Partnership for Responsible Gambling, 2010). The most common forms of gambling for Albertans are lotteries (61.8%), charity-run events like raffles and bingo (49.5%), and scratch/instant win tickets (29.2%) (Canadian Partnership for Responsible Gambling, 2010).
Men and women are almost equally likely to gamble (83.9% versus 80.2%) in the province, and gambling participation is relatively consistent over the lifespan, with a significant drop off after age 65 (Smith & Wynne, 2002). In Alberta, gambling is pervasive across all education and income categories, with the exception of the highest education attainment category (those who hold advanced university degrees) and those with the lowest annual income level (Smith & Wynne, 2002), who may not be able to afford to gamble.
Youth
The most recent figures suggest that in Alberta, most youth (62.6%) in grades 7 to 12 gambled in the past year (Wild, Wolfe, & Currie, 2006). Gambling was more common among males than females across this age group. The most popular activities were playing cards for money (41.3%), scratch/instant win tickets (35.0%) and betting on sporting events (28.4%) (Wild et al., 2006). Research suggests that excessive exposure to gambling at a younger age can make youth more vulnerable to developing gambling problems as adults (Tepperman, 2002).
Use
Problem Gambling
Treatment
Prevention
References
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