Attitudes towards gambling in a Canadian university sample of young adults

ABSTRACT

While studies of gambling attitudes continue to grow among national adult populations and adolescents, no study to date has explored attitudes towards gambling among young adults (adults 18–25 years of age). We address this gap by exploring gambling attitudes using the Attitudes Towards Gambling Scale (ATGS) among a sample of 1,254 Canadian young adults from the University of Manitoba (n = 399 males, 32%). Results indicate that young adults are comparable to both adolescent and mature adults with respect to attitudes towards gambling, holding slightly negative feelings towards it as an activity, but feel individuals should retain the right to gamble despite personal risk. Regression analyses show that gambling, family/peer approval of gambling, and injunctive drinking norms of family and friends are the strongest predictors of favourable attitudes towards gambling. Given the strong roles of approval of gambling and drinking in young adults’ social environments, we recommend that research needs to more robustly address the normalization of multiple problem behaviours (drug use, deviance, etc.) among family and friends. We further recommend that therapeutic interventions be geared towards establishing new norms for young adults, for which group settings addressing multiple problem behaviours are especially helpful and cost-effective.

KEYWORDS:

• Young adults
• Canada
• college students
• attitude
• peer effects

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Manitoba Gambling Research Program of Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries (Grant # MGRP-SM-16-18); however, the findings and conclusions of this paper are those solely of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries.

Notes on contributors

Matthew D. Sanscartier

Matthew D. Sanscartier is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Carleton University. His research focuses on populism, quantitative and mixed methodologies, stigmatized labour, and gambling in adolescents and young adults. His work has been featured in Journal of Gambling Studies, New Technology, Work, and Employment, and the Journal of Mixed Methods Research.

Jason D. Edgerton

Jason D. Edgerton is an associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology and senior fellow at St John’s College, University of Manitoba. His research interests focus on the various dimensions of social inequality and educational issues, as well as youth gambling, addiction and mental health. He is co-author of the social statistics textbook Understanding Social Statistics (Oxford University Press).

Matthew T. Keough

Matthew T. Keough is an assistant professor in Psychology at York University. His research focuses on improving our understanding of the aetiology and treatment of addictive behaviour, including both substance use and behavioural addictions (e.g. problem gambling). His work is rooted in motivational models of personality and cognitive theory and aimed at identifying risk factors for addiction and the mechanisms underlying this risk.