Gambling and Substance Use- Co-occurrence among Adults in a Recent General Population Study in the United States

In 2011-2013, the Research Institute on Addictions at the University of Buffalo, in New York, conducted a Survey of Gambling in the U.S. via Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing. This survey of gambling behaviors and problems consisted of 2,963 completed interviews conducted in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Quantitative

• Of the U.S. population, 76.9% of adults gambled in the past year (compared to 67.6% drinking any alcohol, 28.7% smoked tobacco, and 11.2% reported marijuana use).

Aging Adults

• Frequency of gambling and problem gambling is:
  • 8% of Blacks.
  • 8% of Hispanics.
  • 7% of whites

College and Young Adults

• Frequency of gambling and problem gambling is:
  • 3% of Blacks
  • 5% of whites
  • 1% of Hispanics

Co-Occurring Disorders

• 6% of the general U.S. population struggles with problem gambling.
  • 33% among those with marijuana abuse or dependence.
  • 17% among those who have alcohol abuse or dependence
  • 14% among those with tobacco dependence

Gender

• Males have 2x the rate of frequent gambling (13.1%) and problem gambling (6.8%) as females (6.1% and 2.5%, respectively).

Socioeconomics

• 5% is the rate of problem gambling in lower 1/5 of Socioeconomic Status.
• 7% is the rate of problem gambling in the highest 1/5 of Socioeconomic Status.

Qualitative

• Lower family income was associated with gambling severity.
• Those most in financial need are the ones who have more gambling problems

Aging Adults

• People who are over age 60 have lower rates of all gambling/substance use behaviors than younger and middle-aged respondents.

BIPOC

• Blacks have higher rates of frequent and problem gambling than whites.
• Blacks are at a significantly higher risk of problem gambling than other racial/ethnic groups.

Co-Occurring Disorders

• The more an individual gambles, the more likely s/he is to drink alcohol more frequently.
• Respondents who have current marijuana abuse/dependence have the highest rates of problem gambling.

Gender

• Males report higher prevalence rates than females for gambling/any substance use.

Treatment

• Substance abuse treatment programs, which attempt to incorporate interventions for problem gambling, may not only reduce gambling problems but they may also have benefits on substance abuse treatment outcomes.
• Co-occurring addictive behaviors could serve as “recurrence triggers” for gambling, thus diminishing the long-term effectiveness of treatment interventions.

Risk Factors

• Young
• Male
• Non-Hispanic Black
• Low socioeconomic status
• Alcohol abuse/dependence
• Tobacco dependence
• Marijuana abuse/dependence

Gender

• Male
  • Younger adults
  • Lower socio-economic groups
• Female
  • Older
  • Higher socio-economic status

Recommendations

• Treatment providers for problem/pathological gambling should assess comorbid addictive disorders.
• Substance abuse treatment programs should be using screening and interventions for problem gambling.