1. Mental Health

Specker et al. (1996) suggest that persons who have been diagnosed with depression or anxiety are at higher risk for developing gambling problems.  Overall 70% of those experiencing problems with gambling had been diagnosed with major depression at some point in their life, compared to only 23% in the control group.  In comparing females and males, they found that 80% of women and 64% of men, who were experiencing problems related to gambling, had been diagnosed with major depression at some point in their life.  Westphal & Johnson (2000) also report higher rates of depression among women who gamble, compared to women in the general population.

Specific to anxiety disorders, Specker et al. (1996) found that 37.5% of those experiencing problems related to gambling had been diagnosed with some type of anxiety disorder at some point in their life.  In sharp contrast no one in the control group had ever been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.  Gender differences were large: 73% of women compared to 16% of men, had been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder at some point in their life.  Details about the different types of anxiety disorders can be seen in Figure 2.

Figure 2:  Gender comparison of anxiety disorder diagnoses among those experiencing problems related to gambling.

Boughton & Brewster (2002) also reported high rates of depression and anxiety among Ontario women gambling at a problematic level.  They report that 63% of the women had seen a health care professional for depression, 53% for anxiety, and 28% for panic.  Furthermore, as seen in Table 3, between 40% and 60% of the women indicated that the reason they gambled was either related to mood management or stress relief: 

Table 3:  Reasons for gambling, specifically related to mood management or stress relief.

Finally, Steel & Blaszczynski (1998) report that, among “pathological gamblers”, there are high rates of personality disorders compared to those found in general psychiatric patient populations.  In their study, 92% of participants had been diagnosed with at least one personality disorder.  Males had higher rates of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, while females had higher rates of dependent personality disorders.

2. Trauma

Specker et al. (1996) suggest that it is very likely that childhood trauma may have an influence on the development of problem gambling.  They found that rates of childhood sexual and physical abuse were significantly greater in women experiencing problems related to gambling, than the rates found in national samples (32.5% vs. 1-2%). 

Boughton & Brewster (2002) also found high rates of abuse among women who gamble.  As seen in Figure 3, over 60% of the women had experienced emotional abuse at some point in their life, over 40% had experienced physical abuse at some point in their life, and almost 30% of the women had experienced sexual abuse at some point in their life.

Figure 3:  Childhood and adult experiences related to trauma in Ontario women who gamble.

3. Socio-Economic Factors

The research suggests that low-income persons are more vulnerable to gambling problems.  According to Welte et al., (2001), the rate of problem gambling is significantly higher among low-income individuals.  In their Ontario study, Wiebe et al., (2001) found that “individuals with incomes less than $30,000 are the most likely to be classified as problem gamblers”. 

In her study on Maori women who gamble, Morrison (2004) reports that “poverty had been a feature in the lives of most of the women interviewed for this study. Gambling was often seen as a way to supplement income and improve their financial status.”

In a Statistics Canada report on Women in Canada, O'Donnell, V. et al., (2005) report that in 2003, women had average earnings of $36,500 a year, 71% of what their male counterparts were earning.  In their study on women who gamble in Ontario, Boughton & Brewster (2002) found that the average net personal income of the women was $1,769 per month, while the average household income was $2,608 per month.  This is significantly lower than the national average reported by O'Donnell, V. et al., (2005).

Boughton & Brewster (2002) also report that 78% of the women gambled in order to win money.  As indicated in Table 4, financial need and stressors were also triggers for gambling for 35% to 56% of the women.  

Table 4:  Triggers for gambling, specifically related to financial need.

Finally, Ladd & Petry (2002) found women and men had spent about the same amount of money gambling each month prior to entering treatment, but women were more likely than men to have filed for bankruptcy.  This certainly makes sense when we consider the gender differences in incomes as stated by O'Donnell, V. et al., (2005).  Since women tend to earn less money, the financial consequences will be more significant for them when a gambling problem develops.

4. Loneliness and Boredom

There is a strong social component for women around gambling (Boughton, 2003), Walker, G. et al. (2002) report that communing was identified by 74% of the women as being a very important reason for casino gambling.  For women who feel isolated and bored, gambling venues offer social networks that are very safe and accessible.  “Gambling provides a cheap means of entertainment, a social outlet by which women can escape their home and be with other women”, Brown & Coventry (1997).

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