Connecting Gambling and Risk Activity Erin Gibbs Van Brunschot Alberta Gaming Research Institute...
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Transcript of Connecting Gambling and Risk Activity Erin Gibbs Van Brunschot Alberta Gaming Research Institute...
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