Expansion of gambling does not give rise to gamblers

Legalising gambling activities or providing more opportunities for gambling through online platforms does not lead to rise in gambling activities or in the number of people with gambling problems, says a US-based study.

Problem gambling includes behaviour such as constantly thinking about gambling, increasing bets to sustain thrill, lying to conceal gambling activity and the inability to stop gambling, among others.

"We compared results from two nationwide telephone surveys, conducted a decade apart. We found no significant increase in the rates of problem gambling in the US, despite a nationwide increase in gambling opportunities," said John Welte, senior research scientist at the University at Buffalo.

The first telephone survey interviewed 2,613 people in 1999-2000, and the second survey interviewed 2,963 people in 2011-13.

The researchers found that despite an increase in gambling opportunities, rates of problem gambling remained stable.

Using several different criteria, the researchers found no statistically significant change in problem gambling or its more severe form, pathological gambling.

The researchers found that overall participation in gambling activities actually decreased.

The percentage of respondents who gambled dropped to 76.9 percent in 2011-13, down from 82.2 percent in 1999-2000.

"Our results show it is clear that US residents are gambling less often," Welte concluded.

The study appeared in the online edition of the Journal of Gambling Studies.