Prevalence of problem gambling: a replication study 7 years later.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between availability of gambling activities and participation in gambling, maximum amount of money lost in 1 day to gambling, and number of pathological gamblers.


METHODS
Two random samples (1002 and 1257 adults) were surveyed 7 years apart using the South Oaks Gambling Screen to identify pathological gamblers.


RESULTS
Seven years later, significantly more people reported having gambled, and the number of pathological gamblers had increased by 75%.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings support the hypothesis that increases in the availability of gambling are related to increases in the number of problem gamblers.
Ladouceur
R
R
Ecole de psychologie, Université Laval, Quebec City. Robert.Ladouceur@psy.ulaval.ca
Jacques
C
C
Ferland
F
F
Giroux
I
I
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D011792:Quebec / Q000453:epidemiology