Connecting Gambling and Risk Activity

Erin Gibbs Van Brunschot

Alberta Gaming Research Institute

Annual Conference

Banff Centre

April 9-10, 2010

Risk Activity: A Range of Behaviours

What is risk behaviour?

Behaviour that is associated with potential negative (loss) or potential positive (gain) outcomes Common use of risk – negative behaviour,

negative characteristic or negative outcome “risky”, “at-risk”, “high-risk”

The nature or type of losses or gains may vary: social, political, economic, etc.

Degrees of losses or gains may vary

What is Gambling?

1. To bet on an uncertain outcome.

2. To play a game of chance for stakes: to stake something on a contingency – take a chance.

3. To anticipate an advantage or a benefit in unknown or unpredictable circumstances.

Overview – Gambling and Risk Behaviour:

1) Risk factors

2) Gambling and “the big four”: alcohol, smoking, drugs and suicidal behaviour

3) Explaining risk behaviour

4) Gradients of risk behaviour

Connecting Gambling and Risk Behaviour:

Precursor (Gambling or)

Risk Activity

Aftermath

Structural • laws, regulations and enforcement• opportunities

Risk Perception

Individual • “risk factors” versus “protective factors”•‘signs’ of problems

•“risk taking”•“risk behaviours” (co-morbidities)•general problem behaviour

•consequences and non-consequences•losses and gains

1. “Risk Factors”

What are “risk factors”?

Characteristics or qualities that increase the likelihood of particular negative outcomes:Age

Sex

Economic status

Family

background

Risk Continuum…

Low-RiskActivity

At-RiskActivity

High-risk/ Problem Activity

Degreeof harm:

Not harmful/ Not

problematic

Harmful/Problematic

2. The “Big Four”

smoking

drinking

drug use

suicidal behaviour

3. Explaining risk behaviour

Sociological explanations: Opportunity Differential association Lifestyle/exposure Anomie Symbolic interactionism

Psychological explanations: Impulsivity, self-control and sensation-seeking Addiction Pathology

4. Risk Gradients

a spectrum…

Risk Continuum…

Low-RiskActivity

At-RiskActivity

High-risk/ Problem Activity

Degreeof harm:

Not harmful/ Not

problematic

Harmful/Problematic

Conclusions

There are positive aspects to risk (and gambling) activity

There many potential pathways to participation in risk activity

The pathways depend on demographic characteristics, experience, and structural factors