Gambling expenditure predicts harm: evidence from a venue-level study.
OBJECTIVE
The Total Consumption Theory of gambling suggests that gambling expenditure is positively associated with gambling-related harm. We test the hypothesis that electronic gaming machine (EGM) expenditure predicts gambling-related harm at the level of the EGM venue.


METHODS
Cross-sectional analysis of survey and administrative data.


METHODS
General urban adult population of the Northern Territory of Australia.


METHODS
The sample consisted of 7049 respondents to a mail-survey about venue visitation and gambling behaviour across 62 EGM venues.


METHODS
Gambling-related harm was defined as the endorsement of two or more items on the Problem Gambling Severity Index. We obtained venue-level EGM expenditure data from the local licensing authority for all venues in the study area. We compared the prevalence of gambling-related harm among patrons aggregated at the venue level with the estimated mean EGM expenditure for each adult resident in the venue's service area using a Huff model, correlation analysis and multivariate binomial regression.


RESULTS
Aggregated to the venue level (n = 62), per-capita EGM expenditure was correlated significantly with rates of gambling-related harm (r = 0.27, n = 62, P = 0.03). After adjusting for venue type and number of EGMs, an increase in mean per-capita monthly EGM expenditure from $AU10 to $AU150 was associated with a doubling in the prevalence of gambling-related harm from 9% (95% CI = 6-12%) to 18% (95% CI = 13-23%).


CONCLUSIONS
As suggested by the Total Consumption Theory of gambling, aggregate patron electronic gaming machine expenditure predicts the prevalence of gambling-related harm at the venue level.
Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
Francis
F
Markham
Martin
M
Young
Bruce
B
Doran
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015876:Northern Territory; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
Electronic gaming machines; Total Consumption Theory; gambling expenditure; gambling venues; gambling-related harm; slot machines