Predictors of older adult gambler in representative sample: Implications for education, prevention and treatment

Session Title

Session 2-4-A: Harms and Social Issues

Presentation Type

Event

Location

Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

Start Date

29-5-2019 3:30 PM

End Date

29-5-2019 4:55 PM

Disciplines

Social Work

Abstract

Abstract:

Though rates of gambling among older adults appear to be increasing, few studies have examined the factors that distinguish older adult problem gamblers in a representative sample. This presentation will detail findings from a statewide, epidemiological survey using univariate and multinomial logistic regression. Among older adults (56-97; N=624), those with gambling problems were more likely to be African American or to have gambling friends and less likely to be divorced than all other older adult gamblers. Overall, older adult gamblers were more likely than young gamblers (18-35; N=714) to be white, divorced or separated, and undereducated and to report military service, owning a home, using tobacco, having a disability and less likely to play daily fantasy sports, live poker or to bet on sports. Compared to middle-aged adults (36-55; N+624), older adult gamblers were less likely to be Asian or Hispanic, to report drug usage, to play daily fantasy sports, trade high risk stocks or bet on sports, and more likely to report military service or home ownership. Across groups, older adults were underrepresented among those with the highest levels of problem gambling severity but were more likely than other gamblers to participate in multiple gambling activities.

Implications:

A greater understanding of older adult gamblers will assist in tailoring education, intervention, and treatment efforts to the unique needs and characteristics of this population, resulting in harm reduction and more robust prevention strategies.

Keywords

Problem gambling, gambling disorder, older adult gamblers, gambling sub-types

Author Bios

Addam Reynolds, MSW, is a doctoral student and a graduate research assistant in the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University. His research interests include aging, health, addiction among older adults, and methods to increase research participant diversity.

Dmitriy Nikitin, MSPH, is a research project coordinator for Internet and interactive gaming at the Center for Gambling Studies. Prior to joining the Center, Dmitriy served as a researcher at the Internet Tobacco Vendor Study at UNC Chapel Hill and a research fellow at the State Innovation Exchange. His research experience includes tobacco regulatory science and opioid policy.

Funding Sources

The work was supported by a grant from the Division of Gaming Enforcement and the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services of New Jersey

Competing Interests

The authors have no financial or non-financial competing interests with this project over the last three years.

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May 29th, 3:30 PM May 29th, 4:55 PM

Predictors of older adult gambler in representative sample: Implications for education, prevention and treatment

Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

Abstract:

Though rates of gambling among older adults appear to be increasing, few studies have examined the factors that distinguish older adult problem gamblers in a representative sample. This presentation will detail findings from a statewide, epidemiological survey using univariate and multinomial logistic regression. Among older adults (56-97; N=624), those with gambling problems were more likely to be African American or to have gambling friends and less likely to be divorced than all other older adult gamblers. Overall, older adult gamblers were more likely than young gamblers (18-35; N=714) to be white, divorced or separated, and undereducated and to report military service, owning a home, using tobacco, having a disability and less likely to play daily fantasy sports, live poker or to bet on sports. Compared to middle-aged adults (36-55; N+624), older adult gamblers were less likely to be Asian or Hispanic, to report drug usage, to play daily fantasy sports, trade high risk stocks or bet on sports, and more likely to report military service or home ownership. Across groups, older adults were underrepresented among those with the highest levels of problem gambling severity but were more likely than other gamblers to participate in multiple gambling activities.

Implications:

A greater understanding of older adult gamblers will assist in tailoring education, intervention, and treatment efforts to the unique needs and characteristics of this population, resulting in harm reduction and more robust prevention strategies.