Cognitive Distortions as a Major Risk Factor in Online Gambling

Terri-Lynn MacKayAddictive Behaviours Laboratory, University of Calgary

tlmackay@ucalgary.ca

PrevalenceGeneral Canada-1.5-3.1% (2007) US-4% (2006) UK-7.2% (2006), 8.8% (2007), 9.7% (2008), 10.6%

(2009).

Among sub-populations Guest entering a US casino-36.5% Undergraduate US-23% Undergraduate UK-22%

Problem Gambling Internet gamblers are more likely to be problem

gamblers (Griffiths & Barnes, 2008; Griffiths, Parke, Wood & Rigby, 2009; Griffiths, Wardle,

Orford, Sproston & Erens, 2009; Ladd & Petry, 2002; McBride & Derevenski, 2008; Petry, 2006; Petry &

Weinstock, 2007; Wood & Williams, 2007, Wood & Williams, 2009) Why?

Characteristics of the Internet? People that gamble online possess a number of

general risk factors for problem gambling?

Why gamble online?

Accessibility, convenience, event frequency, money value, and demonstration games (Griffiths).

Primary reasons individuals reported for preferring online gaming over land-based gaming were because of the convenience, ease, comfort, accessibility and privacy (Wood, Williams, & Lawton, 2007).

Main reasons reported for gambling online were convenience, entertainment, comfort, accessibility, monetary incentive, anonymity and privacy (American Gaming Association, 2006)

Risk factors for online gambling(empirical findings)

Being male and younger Scoring lower on general health measures

(mental and physical) Drinking at least twice the recommended

amount in one day

Main Research Questions

What makes online players more susceptible to problems?

Do online gamblers initiate via the Internet or are they land-based gamblers?

What factors contribute to problems among online gamblers?

Sample, method, analysis 377 undergraduates (46% male) Completed online questionnaire 38.7% online gamblers Significant univariate analyzed via logistic regression Multiple regression analysisfor problem gambling level among online gamblers

Domain Risk Factor Instrument

Demographic Age (younger) CPGI

Gender CPGI

Ethnicity (Asian) Statistics Canada

Academic GPA

Problem Gambling Severity (higher) CPGI

Medium related Frequency (higher) CPGI

Expenditures (higher) CPGI

Age of onset CPGI

Early wins (yes) CPGI

Cognitive Distortions (higher) Gambler’s Beliefs

Erroneous beliefs (higher)

Gambling Fallacies Scale

Concurrent Alcohol abuse AUDIT

Drug use DAST

Depression BDI

Anxiety Leibowitz Anxiety Scale

Impulsivity Barratt Impulsivity Scale

Results

Internet gamblers are primarily land-based gamblers who are also using an online medium.

The most significant predictors of online gambling are the number of activities (particularly land-based) and cognitive distortions.

Cognitive distortions predict severity above and beyond medium related variables.

Results (for those who like stats..) The full model correctly classified 76% of gamblers

(84% land-based, 63% online). Two variables made independent contributions: number

of gambling activities and cognitive distortions. Only 3% of online gamblers began by gambling on the

Internet and 13% started both at the same age. When problem gambling severity was analyzed for

Internet gamblers with a multiple regression analysis in blocks: demographics (1) , play variables (2), cognitive distortions (3) the final model was significant.

Next Steps…

Collaboration between the U of A Poker Research Group.

Looking at skill vs. luck component of poker.

Are online players really distorting?

BURNING QUESTIONS?