1. Gambling Preferences:
In the most recent study of Ontario adults, participant's gambling activities were explored over the past year (Wiebe, Mun & Kauffman, 2006). As seen in Table 1 tickets (lottery, scratch and raffle) were the most common gambling activities that women engaged in, followed by electronic gaming machines (slots and VLT's) and then bingo. These findings were similar to a study conducted in 2001 (Wiebe, Single & Falkowski-Ham, 2001).
|
|
All Participants
% |
Females
% |
Males
% |
|
Tickets |
106% |
102.8% |
109.3% |
|
Electronic Gambling Machines |
6.5% |
6.9% |
6.2% |
|
Bingo |
4.8% |
6.5% |
3.1% |
|
Casino Table Games |
6.5% |
2.2% |
11.0% |
|
Horse Races |
4.1% |
2.9% |
5.4% |
|
Speculative Investments |
1.9% |
0.6% |
3.3% |
|
Sports Betting |
8.9% |
2.4% |
15.7% |
Table 1: Participation in gambling within the past year, by Ontario adults
2. Problematic Gambling:
Although the most common form of gambling that women engage in is buying tickets, this is not the gambling activity they are having the most difficulties with. Data collected from Ontario’s MOHLTC funded Problem Gambling Teatment System by Rush and Shaw Moxam (2001) is reported in Table 2. More than half of the women presenting for treatment in Ontario are having problems with the slot machines, while the second biggest concern is with bingo, and then with tickets (lottery, scratch and break-open).
|
|
All Participants
% |
Females
% |
Males
% |
|
Slot Machines |
41.6% |
54.6% |
28.5% |
|
Bingo |
27.9% |
45.6% |
10.2% |
|
Tickets (lottery, scratch, break-open) |
29.2% |
34.1% |
24.3% |
|
Sports Betting |
16% |
2.6% |
29.4% |
|
Table Games (cards, roulette and dice) |
9.7% |
1.4% |
17.8% |
|
Horse Races |
11.1% |
0.9% |
21.3% |
Table 2: Gender differences among Ontario adults, in problematic gambling activities.
In their Ontario study on women who gamble, Boughton & Brewster (2002) also concluded that the most problematic gambling activities for women were the slot machines and bingo.
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