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ABSTRACT
Gambling is a popular leisure activity for older adults (55+), and existing research suggests that overall older adults are less prone to problem gambling compared to younger cohorts. People born after World War II are now beginning to reach retirement age. The purpose of this article was to explore age-related cohort differences between people born from 1943 to 1960 compared to those born from 1925 to 1942 in their attitudes and behaviours related to gambling. This study employs a large sample (2103) of older adults collected at gambling locations across Southern Ontario, Canada in 2013. Comparisons were made using Pearson’s chi-squared tests for categorical variables and independent samples t-tests for continuous variables with logarithmic transformations for highly-skewed variables. Those of the 1943 to 1960 cohort showed significantly higher problem gambling scores and per visit spending, but lower numbers of visits per year. There was no discernible pattern between cohorts in terms of attitudes toward gambling. Assumptions of lower risk of problem gambling among older adults will have to be re-evaluated as the post-war generation becomes an ever greater proportion of older adults.
Acknowledgement
We would also like to express our thanks to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming for permitting the study to be conducted in several of their casino and slot machine venue locations, and the participants who participated in this study.
Conflicts of InterestFunding sources
This study was conducted at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Ontario with funding support from the Gambling Research Exchange Ontario. Partial funding for salary support was from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, grant #425 (2017).
Competing interests
However, Dr Turnerhas received funding from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation to evaluate one of the OLG’s prevention initiatives.
Constraints on publishing
The authors declare no constraints on publishing.
Notes
1. Website: http://www.greo.ca/en/index.aspx.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Mark van der Maas
Dr. van der Maas is a post doctoral fellow at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in the Institute for Mental Health Policy Research. His research focuses primarily on how trends in gambling provision expose vulnerable groups to gambling-related harm.
Flora I. Matheson
Flora I. Matheson is a research scientist at the Centre for Urban Health Solutions in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital. She is an assistant professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. She completed her master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Toronto, specializing in crime, deviance and socio-legal studies. A sociologist, Dr. Matheson uses a gender lens to examine inequities in health and problem behaviours in vulnerable and marginalized populations.
Nigel E. Turner
Dr. Nigel E. Turner is an Independent Scientist with the Institute for Mental Health Policy Research at CAMH. He is also Assistant Professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. Dr. Turner has a PhD in psychology from the University of Western Ontario. Dr. Turner is a well-published researcher in the field of gambling studies. He has extensive experience in a variety of quantitative and qualitative research methods including experiments, surveys, interviews, focus groups, and content analysis.
Hayley A. Hamilton
Dr. Hayley Hamilton is a Scientist with the Institute for Mental Health Policy Research at CAMH. She is also an Associate Professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, and Co-Director of the Collaborative Program in Addiction Studies at the University of Toronto. Dr. Hamilton’s research work includes the public health monitoring of mental health and addictive behaviours, and the influence of individual, social and other factors on aspects of health and behaviour.
Robert E. Mann
Dr. Robert Mann is a Senior Scientist with the Institute for Mental Health Policy Research at CAMH where he is the Head of Population Health and Community Transformation Research. He is also an Associate Professor with the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Dr. Mann focuses his research on mental health and substance use issues.
John McCready
John McCready, Ph.D., is the Senior Researcher and Sole Proprietor with Toronto-based Healthy Horizons Consulting and a Collaborator Scientist with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Dr. McCready is particularly interested in research and policy and program development projects related to problem gambling prevention among older adults and members of ethnic and indigenous communities.