Brief Report Prevalence of Pathological Gambling and Associated Problems in Individuals Who Visit Non-Gambling Video Arcades
The objective of the present study was to investigate the gambling behavior of individuals who frequent non-gambling video games arcades. One hundred and twenty two subjects (mean age of 19.2 years (SD = 5.5); males constituted 82.8%) who spend time in arcades completed the South Oaks Gambling Screen and the Jacob's Health Survey. The results showed that 10.7% were identified as probable pathological gamblers and 14.8% were problem gamblers. The frequency of visits to arcades for non-gambling activities appeared to be correlated with the extent to which individuals gamble, and is furthermore associated with pathological gambling. The rate of pathological gamblers who frequent arcades is more than twice as high as the rates reported in other studies with adolescents and adults.
Gambling constitutes a very popular activity amongst the young. Certain individuals will develop, in adolescence, a chronic incapacity to resist the temptation to gamble. Among adolescents (from 13 to 19 years of age), 5 to 6 percent population meet the criteria for pathological gambling (Fisher, 1993, 1994; Gaboury & Ladouceur, 1993; Ladouceur, Dub~ & Bujold, 1994; Lesieur & Klein, 1987). Thus, the
This research was partially supported by grants from the Fonds Richelieu and Loto-Qudbec awarded to the first author. Send correspondence and reprint requests to Robert Ladouceur, Ph.D., l~cole de Psychologic, Cit6 Universitaire, Qudbec, Canada GIK 7P4.
Journal of Gambling Studies Vol. 11(4), Winter 1995 9 1995 Human Sciences Press, Inc.
361
362
JOURNAL OF GAMBLING STUDIES
prevalence of pathological gambling in adolescence is nearly twice as high as in the general adult population. Many questions remain concerning the factors involved in the development of excessive gambling. For example, can playing non-gambling video games in arcades (where the outcome of the game does not result in winning or losing money) lead young people to gamble? Different characteristics of these games were recently discussed in details by Griffiths (1993). The present study investigates the gambling behaviors of individuals who frequent arcades where gambling machines are not available (see Fisher, 1995, for an in depth description of gambling behaviors in arcades where gambling is allowed). It is predicted that the prevalence of pathological gambling amongst this population will be greater than in the adolescent and young adult population at large.
METHOD
Subjects The sample was made up of 122 subjects who spend time in arcades in Quebec city. Refusal rate was only 5 %. Participants' ages varied from 11 to 38 years, with a mean age of 19.2 years (SD = 5.5). Males constitute 82.8% of the sample while females account for the other 17.2%. With respect to level of education, 19% of the sample attended university, 20.7% attended college, 37.2% obtained a high school education, and 23.1% only completed primary school.
Measures The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) (Lesieur & Blume, 1987) was used to determine the presence of pathological gambling. In addition to the twenty elements of evaluation that make up the SOGS, questions taken from Jacob's Health Survey (Jacobs, 1987) were also included. These questions refer to abuse of psychotropic drugs and other problematic behaviors such as attempting suicide and engaging in illegal activities. Subjects were also given questions of a sociodemographic nature, and were asked how many times per week they visited the arcade for non-gambling activities.
ROBERT LADOUCEUR AND DOMINIQUE DUBI~
363
Procedure A research assistant administered the questionnaire in the arcades. Individuals participated on a voluntary basis. In order to preserve confidentiality, they were instructed not to write their names on their forms. Subjects required ten to fifteen minutes to complete all the questions.
RESULTS
Gambling Behavior Results indicate that 83.6 % of subjects had already gambled and that 29.5% gamble a minimum of once a week. The results reveal that 45.9% of the sample go to the arcade to play non-gambling games once a week or less, and 54.1% once a week or more.
Prevalence of Pathological Gambling Results indicate that 10.7 % of subjects who were interviewed are probable pathological gamblers (defined as those who obtained a score of 5 of more on the SOGS) while 14.8 % are problem gamblers (respondents who scored 3 or 4 on the SOGS). No significant difference was found between males and females with respect to rates of pathological gambling or frequency of visits to arcades. However, the sample included few females. A significant relationship between pathological gambling and the frequency of visits to an arcade was found: 92.3 % of pathological gamblers, as defined above, visited arcades at least once a week, compared to 77.8% of problem gamblers and 44% of individuals without gambling problems, scoring less than 3 on the SOGS (X2 = 15.5, p. < .0001). Furthermore, 7.4% of the sample reported that at least one of their parents has or once had a gambling problem.
Correlations with Other Behaviors The scores obtained on the South Oaks Gambling Screen are positively correlated with the use of tranquilizers (r -- .19, n = 120, p < .04), frequency of visits to arcades for non-gambling activities (r -- .40, n = 122, p < .0001), and missing school in order to gamble
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(r = .24, n = 121, p < .008). Age was found to correlate negatively with scores on the SOGS (r -- - . 1 8 , n = 121, p < .05). Neither frequency and number of illegal substances used, nor having been arrested for a criminal offense were found to correlate with scores obtained on the SOGS. However, results indicate that 16.7% of pathological gamblers, 5.6 % of problem gamblers and 6.7 % of subject without gambling problems attempted suicide. These results concur with the numbers obtained by Ladouceur et al. (1994) who reported that 7.2% of college students tried to end their own lives. Frequency of visits to arcades in order to play non-gambling games were positively correlated with missing school in order to gamble (r = .31, n = 113, p
The objective of the present study was to investigate the gambling behavior of individuals who frequent non-gambling video games arcades. One hundred and twenty two subjects (mean age of 19.2 years (SD = 5.5); males constituted 82.8%) who spend time in arcades completed the South Oaks Gambling Screen and the Jacob's Health Survey. The results showed that 10.7% were identified as probable pathological gamblers and 14.8% were problem gamblers. The frequency of visits to arcades for non-gambling activities appeared to be correlated with the extent to which individuals gamble, and is furthermore associated with pathological gambling. The rate of pathological gamblers who frequent arcades is more than twice as high as the rates reported in other studies with adolescents and adults.
Gambling constitutes a very popular activity amongst the young. Certain individuals will develop, in adolescence, a chronic incapacity to resist the temptation to gamble. Among adolescents (from 13 to 19 years of age), 5 to 6 percent population meet the criteria for pathological gambling (Fisher, 1993, 1994; Gaboury & Ladouceur, 1993; Ladouceur, Dub~ & Bujold, 1994; Lesieur & Klein, 1987). Thus, the
This research was partially supported by grants from the Fonds Richelieu and Loto-Qudbec awarded to the first author. Send correspondence and reprint requests to Robert Ladouceur, Ph.D., l~cole de Psychologic, Cit6 Universitaire, Qudbec, Canada GIK 7P4.
Journal of Gambling Studies Vol. 11(4), Winter 1995 9 1995 Human Sciences Press, Inc.
361
362
JOURNAL OF GAMBLING STUDIES
prevalence of pathological gambling in adolescence is nearly twice as high as in the general adult population. Many questions remain concerning the factors involved in the development of excessive gambling. For example, can playing non-gambling video games in arcades (where the outcome of the game does not result in winning or losing money) lead young people to gamble? Different characteristics of these games were recently discussed in details by Griffiths (1993). The present study investigates the gambling behaviors of individuals who frequent arcades where gambling machines are not available (see Fisher, 1995, for an in depth description of gambling behaviors in arcades where gambling is allowed). It is predicted that the prevalence of pathological gambling amongst this population will be greater than in the adolescent and young adult population at large.
METHOD
Subjects The sample was made up of 122 subjects who spend time in arcades in Quebec city. Refusal rate was only 5 %. Participants' ages varied from 11 to 38 years, with a mean age of 19.2 years (SD = 5.5). Males constitute 82.8% of the sample while females account for the other 17.2%. With respect to level of education, 19% of the sample attended university, 20.7% attended college, 37.2% obtained a high school education, and 23.1% only completed primary school.
Measures The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) (Lesieur & Blume, 1987) was used to determine the presence of pathological gambling. In addition to the twenty elements of evaluation that make up the SOGS, questions taken from Jacob's Health Survey (Jacobs, 1987) were also included. These questions refer to abuse of psychotropic drugs and other problematic behaviors such as attempting suicide and engaging in illegal activities. Subjects were also given questions of a sociodemographic nature, and were asked how many times per week they visited the arcade for non-gambling activities.
ROBERT LADOUCEUR AND DOMINIQUE DUBI~
363
Procedure A research assistant administered the questionnaire in the arcades. Individuals participated on a voluntary basis. In order to preserve confidentiality, they were instructed not to write their names on their forms. Subjects required ten to fifteen minutes to complete all the questions.
RESULTS
Gambling Behavior Results indicate that 83.6 % of subjects had already gambled and that 29.5% gamble a minimum of once a week. The results reveal that 45.9% of the sample go to the arcade to play non-gambling games once a week or less, and 54.1% once a week or more.
Prevalence of Pathological Gambling Results indicate that 10.7 % of subjects who were interviewed are probable pathological gamblers (defined as those who obtained a score of 5 of more on the SOGS) while 14.8 % are problem gamblers (respondents who scored 3 or 4 on the SOGS). No significant difference was found between males and females with respect to rates of pathological gambling or frequency of visits to arcades. However, the sample included few females. A significant relationship between pathological gambling and the frequency of visits to an arcade was found: 92.3 % of pathological gamblers, as defined above, visited arcades at least once a week, compared to 77.8% of problem gamblers and 44% of individuals without gambling problems, scoring less than 3 on the SOGS (X2 = 15.5, p. < .0001). Furthermore, 7.4% of the sample reported that at least one of their parents has or once had a gambling problem.
Correlations with Other Behaviors The scores obtained on the South Oaks Gambling Screen are positively correlated with the use of tranquilizers (r -- .19, n = 120, p < .04), frequency of visits to arcades for non-gambling activities (r -- .40, n = 122, p < .0001), and missing school in order to gamble
364
JOURNAL
OF GAMBLING STUDIES
(r = .24, n = 121, p < .008). Age was found to correlate negatively with scores on the SOGS (r -- - . 1 8 , n = 121, p < .05). Neither frequency and number of illegal substances used, nor having been arrested for a criminal offense were found to correlate with scores obtained on the SOGS. However, results indicate that 16.7% of pathological gamblers, 5.6 % of problem gamblers and 6.7 % of subject without gambling problems attempted suicide. These results concur with the numbers obtained by Ladouceur et al. (1994) who reported that 7.2% of college students tried to end their own lives. Frequency of visits to arcades in order to play non-gambling games were positively correlated with missing school in order to gamble (r = .31, n = 113, p
