Gambling behavior and gambling problems in Norway 2007.
In Norway, legalized gambling is pervasive, easily accessible and socially accepted, particularly the participation in national lotteries. We conducted a stratified probability sample study during January-March 2007 (age group 16-74 years, N = 3,482, response rate 36.1%) to assess gambling behavior and prevalence of problematic gambling by the NORC Diagnostic Screen (NODS). Overall, 67.9% of the study population had been engaged in past-year gambling and 0.7% were past-year problematic gamblers (NODS score 3+). Male gender, low educational level, single marital status, and being born in a non-Western country were variables positively associated with problematic gambling. Past-year problematic gamblers indicated the slot machine (34.6%) and Internet gambling (26.9%) as the most important games, while most non-problematic gamblers pointed out the lotteries (62.3%) as the most important game. The prevalence of self-reported sleeping disorders, depression and other psychological impairments was significantly higher among problematic gamblers. Gambling problems affect people's lives in multiple ways.
Bakken
Inger Johanne
IJ
SINTEF Health Research, Trondheim, Norway. inger.bakken@sintef.no
Götestam
K Gunnar
KG
Gråwe
Rolf W
RW
Wenzel
Hanne Gro
HG
Øren
Anita
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution