Exposure to Other People's Gambling and Gambling Behaviors in Australian Secondary School Students

Objective: This study explored associations between exposure to other people's gambling and the prevalence of gambling in the last month, engagement in hard gambling activities (defined as those which occur more frequently, with a quicker determination of outcomes, and/or high payout ratios), and the prevalence of at risk and problem gambling, among a large sample of Australian adolescent school students. Method: In 2017, 6,377 students from Victoria and Queensland answered gambling questions as part of the cross-sectional triennial Australian Secondary Students' Alcohol and Drug Survey. Students reported on gambling behaviors (gambling in the last month, types of gambling activities), were assessed for problem gambling using the Diagnostic Statistical Manual IV adapted for Juveniles (DSM-IV-[MR]-J), and reported whether people they knew (parents, siblings, other relatives, best friend, or someone else) had gambled in the last month. Logistic regressions explored the relationship between other people's gambling and student gambling behaviors in the last month. Results: Approximately, one in five students reported that someone from their household gambled in the last month. Overall, 6% of students reported they had gambled, and 4% gambled on a hard gambling activity, in the previous month; 10% were classified as potentially at risk or problem gamblers. Having a parent, sibling, best friend, another relative, or someone else who gambled in the last month were each significantly associated with the three gambling outcomes. Conclusions: There is a need to address the modeling of gambling behaviors by young people's friends, family, and others, in order to reduce gambling behaviors and problem gambling among Australian adolescents. Public Health Significance Statement This study indicates that, among a large sample of Australian secondary school students, having a parent, sibling, best friend, another relative, or someone else who gambled in the last month, is associated with an increased likelihood of youth gambling in the last month, engaging in a hard gambling activity, and being classified as an at risk or problem gambler.