The relationship between gambling expenditure, socio-demographics, health-related correlates and gambling behavioura cross-sectional population-based survey in Finland

Abstract

AimsTo investigate gambling expenditure and its relationship with socio-demographics, health-related correlates and past-year gambling behaviour. DesignCross-sectional population survey. SettingPopulation-based survey in Finland. ParticipantsFinnish people aged 15-74years drawn randomly from the Population Information System. The participants in this study were past-year gamblers with gambling expenditure data available (n = 3251, 1418 women and 1833 men). MeasurementsExpenditure shares, means of weekly gambling expenditure (WGE, Euro) and monthly gambling expenditure as a percentage of net income (MGE/NI, %) were calculated. The correlates used were perceived health, smoking, mental health [Mental Health Inventory (MHI)-5], alcohol use [Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)-C], game types, gambling frequency, gambling mode and gambling severity [South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS)]. FindingsGender (men versus women) was found to be associated significantly with gambling expenditure, with exp = 1.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.29, 1.52 and P ConclusionsIn Finland, male gender is associated significantly with both weekly gambling expenditure and monthly gambling expenditure related to net income. People in Finland with lower incomes contribute proportionally more of their income to gambling compared with middle- and high-income groups.