Associations between financial gambling motives, gambling frequency, and level of problem gambling: A meta-analytic review

Background and aims: Money is central to psychological definitions of gambling, but contemporary accounts are ambiguous regarding the role of financial motives in disordered gambling. The aims of the current research were to obtain meta-analytic weighted effect sizes for zero-order associations of financial motives against gambling frequency and level of problem gambling, as well as partial associations after controlling for other motives (e.g., coping). Methods: A meta-analysis of the literature through February 2021 was undertaken. Studies were identified from multiple sources (e.g., database search, other researchers). PRISMA standards were followed when screening identified records and extracting relevant data. The data analytic plan was pre-registered. We included 44 cross-sectional studies that involved student, community, and clinical samples of people who gamble (sample sizes ranged from 22 to 5,666), using validated self-report measures of financial gambling motives alongside measures of either gambling frequency and/or problem gambling. Results: Financial gambling motives were positively associated with gambling frequency, r = .29, [.21, .37], N= 22,738 and level of problem gambling, r = .35, [.31, .38], N = 38,204 with moderate effect sizes. Partial associations after controlling for overlapping variance with other gambling motives were also positive (gambling frequency: β = .14, [.05, .22], N = 3,844; level of problem gambling: β = .18, [.13, .22], N = 28,146), with small-to-moderate effect sizes. Effect sizes were heterogeneous and the extent of heterogeneity was high. Analyses of the zero-order association involving gambling frequency indicated that gambling motives measure (greater for Gambling Motives Questionnaire-Financial) and sample mean age (greater for younger samples) were moderators. No other moderators were statistically significant. Conclusions: Financial gambling motives appear to be reliably and positively associated with both gambling frequency and level of problem gambling.

Actual Self-Image Versus Ideal Self-Image: An Exploratory Study of Self-Congruity Effects on Gambling Tourism

This study aims to apply self-congruity theory to examine the relationship between self-congruity of tourists and their perceived image of a gambling destination. This study employs the Euclidean distance model and extends Malhotra's pars of adjectives with five new items about gambling motives. A face-to-face questionnaire survey was used, and a total of 152 samples were collected from tourists in Macau. The results show that the actual self-image of tourists is more related to their perception of Macau image. For actual congruence, tourists exhibit a greater tendency to match the informal, liberal, and emotional image of Macau. For ideal congruence, they have a tendency to match the contemporary, organized, and pleasant image of Macau. This study makes up for the deficiency of self-congruity theory in tourism research. This study helps tourism departments to develop appropriate strategies to promote gambling tourism and disseminate relevant information that can bring gambling destinations closer to tourists.

Revisiting the role of financial motives in disordered gambling: A meta-analytic review

Aims: Money is central to psychological definitions of gambling, but contemporary accounts of disordered gambling are ambiguous regarding the role of financial motives for gambling. The aims of the current research were to obtain meta-analytic weighted effect sizes for zero-order associations of financial motives against disordered gambling and gambling frequency, as well as partial associations after controlling for other motives (e.g. coping). Design: A meta-analysis of the available literature through October 2019 was undertaken. Studies were identified from multiple sources (e.g., database search, consulting other researchers). PRISMA standards were followed when screening identified records and extracting relevant data. The data analytic plan was pre-registered. Setting: Cross-sectional studies that involved student, community, and clinical samples ofpeople who gamble. Participants: Forty-one studies were included with 32,997 participants from different countries. Measurements: Validated self-report measures of financial motives for gambling alongside measures of either problem gambling and/or gambling frequency. Findings: Financial motives for gambling were positively associated with both disordered gambling, r = .34, [.30, .38], p =1.04e-61, and gambling frequency, r = .29, [.20, .37], p = 1.70e-13, with moderate effect sizes. The partial associations after controlling for overlapping variance with other gambling motives were also positive (disordered gambling: β = .18, [.14, .23], p = 2.53e-15; gambling frequency: β = .16, [.08, .24], p = 9.45e-5), with small-to-moderate effect sizes. The effect sizes were heterogenous and the extent of heterogeneity was high. Moderator analyses of the zero-order association involving gambling frequency indicated that effect sizes were larger for studies that used the Gambling Motives Questionnaire-Financial relative to studies that developed their own gambling motives measure. No further moderators were statistically significant. Conclusions: Financial motives are reliably and positively associated with both disordered gambling and gambling involvement and should be incorporated into etiological models of gambling disorder.

Motivos de juego de apuestas en adolescentes de 14-18 años.

Objetivos Los juegos de apuestas son cada vez más populares en adolescentes. Existen pocos datos en nuestro medio acerca de la magnitud del problema, el perfil y los motivos de juego, sobre los que establecer medidas preventivas. El objetivo principal del estudio es conocer los motivos de juego en esta población, dado que es la variable clave para entender el problema. De forma secundaria se realiza una aproximación a la prevalencia y al perfil del adolescente que utiliza el juego de apuestas. Material y métodos Se ha diseñado una encuesta específica online dirigida a los alumnos de 14-18 años de colegios de la provincia de Valladolid. Se incluyen datos sociodemográficos básicos y el Gambling Motives Questionnaire (1) (Cuestionario de Motivos de Juego, GMQ) ya validado en nuestro país (2). Los resultados que se analizan corresponden a un primer corte de 140 encuestas. Resultados y Conclusiones Aunque solamente el 5% ha apostado dinero en juegos online o casas de apuestas, el 13,6% participa en juegos de apuestas. Según este primer análisis el perfil del adolescente que juega es un varón (79%), con una edad media de 15 años, que acude a un centro público, que permanece más de 3 horas conectado a Internet (63%) y participa en actividades deportivas (79%). Ni el hecho de ser repetidor, tener problemas de relación con los padres, que estos ejerzan control sobre el uso de Internet o consumir cannabis se relacionan con este perfil. Según la GMQ el principal motivo de juego es el social (¯x=7,63±2,4), seguido de búsqueda de emociones positivas (¯x=7,42±2,4) y en menor medida, afrontamiento de estrés (¯x=5,84±1,3). Estos datos preliminares muestran una prevalencia y perfil similares a otros estudios realizados en nuestro país (3). La identificación de los motivos de juego es esencial a la hora de establecer programas de prevención.