‘How Much Money Do You Spend on Gambling?’ The Comparative Validity of Question Wordings Used to Assess Gambling Expenditure

Abstract

Gambling expenditure is a commonly asked question in jurisdiction‐wide surveys of gambling behaviour and in surveys of household spending. However, the validity of self‐reported gambling expenditure is questionable due to the fact that these expenditures usually do not match actual gambling revenue. The present study asked a random sample of 2424 Ontario adult gamblers, in 12 different ways, about past month gambling expenditure. The relative validity of each question format was subsequently established by the correspondence of reported gambling expenditures with actual Ontario gambling revenue, as well as with amounts obtained by prospective diaries. Slight variations in question wording resulted in significant variation in reported expenditure amounts. However, certain question wordings elicited amounts closer to actual revenues and are therefore recommended for use in future surveys.

Acknowledgement

This research was supported by funding from the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre.

Notes

[1] The inside cover of the diary included the following instructions, regarding the calculation of net losses and wins:

Under ‘NET LOSS/WIN’ indicate the difference between the amount of money you spent gambling and the amount you receive back as winnings.

• In cases where the outcome is not determined on the same day (e.g., lottery tickets, sports betting, stock market), your net loss/win for the day is the amount you spent on the tickets or stocks (e.g., ‘$50’). If you subsequently win money from these tickets, etc., record the winnings on the day the winnings occurred (e.g., ‘+$10’). In the case of stocks, options or futures that you purchased during the week but have not yet sold, simply record their value on the Sunday of that week.

• In cases where you immediately reinvest your winnings (e.g., bought more lottery tickets or put the money back into the VLT), your net loss/win for the day is how much money you are ahead or behind from that activity at the end of the day.

• In calculating net loss/win be sure you do not include the money you spent going to the gambling venue or that you spent on food, drinks, etc.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Robert T. Wood

Robert T. Wood is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.

Robert J. Williams

Robert J. Williams is a Professor in the School of Health Sciences and also the Coordinator for the Alberta Gaming Research Institute at the University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.