Casino gamblers three times more likely to have problem, research finds

Tuesday 8th of March 2016

Casino gamblers are three times more likely to be problem gamblers, according to new research commissioned by Gambling Research Australia.

The research, titled “Responsible gambling and casinos final report,” was conducted by the South Australian Centre for Economic Studies and revealed that “committed gamblers” who gamble a lot more than the rest of the general population, are likely to frequently visit casinos.

“Casino gamblers are over three times more likely to gamble on gaming machines, almost three times more likely to gamble on racing, seven times time more likely to gamble on sports and ten times more likely to gamble on the internet or on private games,” said the report.

The research also revealed that casino gamblers were more likely to gamble frequently, more likely to be problem gamblers and moderate risk gamblers, more likely to gamble on wagering and other activities, tend to be younger, educated males, more likely to work full-time, and live in close proximity to the city.

However, despite the risk to problem gambling, the casino industry does not report on its consumer protection initiative, and thus it is not known whether pre-commitment and other initiatives are effective, said the report.

The report covered casinos in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia.

Bricks & Mortar Problem Gambling Research Initiatives