Are scratchcards addictive? The prevalence of pathological scratchcard gambling among adult scratchcard buyers in the Netherlands

Addiction
Laura DeFuentes-MerillasWim van den Brink

Abstract

To determine the prevalence of regular, potential problematic and pathological scratchcard gambling (PSG) 5 years after the introduction of scratchcards in the Netherlands. A non-proportional stratified random sample of 12,222 scratchcard buyers was approached. Regular scratchcard buyers (n = 3342) were asked to fill out the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). Those with a SOGS score of 3 or more (n = 340) were interviewed with the gambling section of the DSM-IV Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS-T). Weighted data were used to obtain unbiased prevalence estimates. The estimated prevalence of regular and potential problematic scratchcard gambling were 28.4% and 2.68%, respectively. Only 0.24% met DSM-IV criteria for PSG. Of those, only 0.09% were addicted uniquely to scratchcards. The remaining 0.15% were also addicted to other games of chance. Demographic and gambling characteristics of these 'combined' PSG (young men, mainly slot-machine players) resembled characteristics of pathological gamblers in general. In contrast to these 'combined' PSG, 'unique' PSG were mainly women between 25 and 34 years who spent relatively small amounts of money on scratchcards (equivalent to one scratchcard a day). Scratchcards have a very low add...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jan 20, 2011·Alcohol and Alcoholism : International Journal of the Medical Council on Alcoholism·UNKNOWN ANPAAMichel Craplet
Oct 16, 2012·Journal of Gambling Studies·Jordy F GosseltKim Wagteveld
Feb 1, 2015·Addictive Behaviors·Catarina Raposo-LimaPedro Morgado
Aug 12, 2014·Addiction·Anna E Goudriaan
Jun 8, 2013·Addiction·Anna E Goudriaan
May 1, 2010·Journal of Gambling Studies·V Ariyabuddhiphongs
May 11, 2021·Journal of Gambling Studies·Paul Delfabbro, Jonathan Parke

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