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An Update on Gender Differences in the Characteristics Associated with Problem Gambling: a Systematic Review

  • Gambling (J Derevensky, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Identifying and understanding gender differences associated with the development, maintenance and consequences of problem gambling has important implications for improving prevention and treatment interventions. The current paper systematically reviews the most recent evidence (2012–2015) examining gender differences in the prevalence of problem gambling and the characteristics associated with problem gambling.

Recent Findings

Twenty-nine articles, including treatment-seeking and community representative adult and adolescent samples, were included. Males were typically more likely than females to be either at-risk or problem gamblers, although this finding may be an artefact of other characteristics, such as preferred gambling activity. There was consistent evidence that male problem gambling was associated with impulsivity, substance and alcohol use, while female problem gambling was associated with unemployment, psychological distress and childhood abuse.

Summary

The majority of findings, however, were mixed or limited by the small number of studies, highlighting the need for further gender-sensitive research to improve prevention and intervention approaches.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia

    Stephanie S. Merkouris, Kerrie A. Shandley, Erin Oldenhof & Nicki A. Dowling

  2. Australian Gambling Research Centre, Australian Institute of Family Studies, 20/485 La Trobe Street, Melbourne, Australia

    Anna C. Thomas

  3. Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia

    Anna C. Thomas

  4. Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia

    Simone N. Rodda

  5. School of Public Health and Psychosocial Studies, AUT University, 90 Akoranga Drive, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand

    Simone N. Rodda

  6. Turning Point, Eastern Health, Fitzroy, Australia

    Simone N. Rodda

  7. School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Australia, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria, 3125, Australia

    Erin Oldenhof

  8. Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia

    Nicki A. Dowling

  9. Centre for Gambling Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

    Nicki A. Dowling

Authors
  1. Stephanie S. Merkouris
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  2. Anna C. Thomas
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  4. Simone N. Rodda
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  5. Erin Oldenhof
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  6. Nicki A. Dowling
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephanie S. Merkouris.

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Conflict of Interest

Stephanie Merkouris, Kerrie Shandley, Simone Rodda, Erin Oldenhof, and Nicki Dowling declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Anna Thomas reports other financial support from Australian Commonwealth Government, during the conduct of the study; personal fees from Gambling Research Australia, personal fees from Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, and non-financial support from Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre, outside the submitted work.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with animal subjects performed by any of the authors. With regard to the authors’ research cited in this paper, all procedures were followed in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000 and 2008.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Gambling

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Merkouris, S.S., Thomas, A.C., Shandley, K.A. et al. An Update on Gender Differences in the Characteristics Associated with Problem Gambling: a Systematic Review. Curr Addict Rep 3, 254–267 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-016-0106-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-016-0106-y

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