Post on 19-Jan-2016
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