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Published (Version of record)CC BY-NC V4.0, Open Access
Published (Version of record)CC BY-NC V4.0, Open
Journal article
Electronic gaming machine accessibility and gambling problems: A natural policy experiment
Journal of behavioral addictions, Vol.12(3), pp.721-732
05/10/2023
PMID: 37594879
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Source: InCites
Abstract
Background
Electronic gaming machines (EGMs) are one of the most harmful forms of gambling at an individual level. It is unclear whether restriction of EGM functions and accessibility results in meaningful reductions in population-level gambling harm.
Methods
A natural policy experiment using a large (N = 15,000) national dataset weighted to standard population variables was employed to compare estimates of gambling problems between Australian residents in Western Australia (WA), where EGMs are restricted to one venue and have different structural features, to residents in other Australian jurisdictions where EGMs are widely accessible in casinos, hotels and clubs. Accessibility of other gambling forms is similar across jurisdictions.
Results
Gambling participation was higher in WA, but EGM participation was approximately half that of the rest of Australia. Aggregate gambling problems and harm were about one-third lower in WA, and self-reported attribution of harm from EGMs by gamblers and affected others was 2.7× and 4× lower, respectively. Mediation analyses found that less frequent EGM use in WA accounted for the vast majority of the discrepancy in gambling problems (indirect path = −0.055, 95% CI −0.071; −0.038). Moderation analyses found that EGMs are the form most strongly associated with problems, and the strength of this relationship did not differ significantly across jurisdictions.
Discussion
Lower harm from gambling in WA is attributable to restricted accessibility of EGMs, rather than different structural features. There appears to be little transfer of problems to other gambling forms. These results suggest that restricting the accessibility of EGMs substantially reduces gambling harm.
Details
- Title
- Electronic gaming machine accessibility and gambling problems: A natural policy experiment
- Creators
- Alex M T Russell - Central Queensland UniversityMatthew Browne - Central Queensland UniversityNerilee Hing - Central Queensland UniversityMatthew Rockloff - Central Queensland UniversityPhilip Newall - Central Queensland UniversityNicki A Dowling - Deakin UniversityStephanie Merkouris - Deakin UniversityDaniel L King - Flinders UniversityMatthew Stevens - STRS Consultants (Brinkin, NT)Anne H Salonen - Finnish Institute for Health and WelfareHelen Breen - Southern Cross UniversityNancy Greer - Central Queensland UniversityHannah B Thorne - Central Queensland UniversityTess Visintin - Central Queensland UniversityVijay Rawat - Central Queensland UniversityLinda Woo
- Publication Details
- Journal of behavioral addictions, Vol.12(3), pp.721-732
- Publisher
- Akademiai Kiado Rt.
- Identifiers
- 991013136978602368
- Copyright
- © 2023 The Author(s) This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Business, Law and Arts
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article