The Finnish Foundation for Alcohol Studies, Helsinki, Finland.
Department of Public Health Solutions, Health and Well-Being Promotion Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
Eur J Public Health. 2021 Dec 1;31(6):1217-1223. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckab162.
Studies have found an association between problem gambling and poverty. However, there is relatively little research on social inequalities and problem gambling using population representative data.
A population-representative self-report web-based and postal survey with register-based linkage was conducted in the three geographical areas of Finland. Participants (n = 7186, aged 18 or older) were randomly selected from the population register. Sociodemographic factors and social welfare benefits were studied among gambling groups and their statistical difference were examined by χ2 test. Seven logistic regression models were calculated, where unemployment, social security benefits and low income were treated as dependent variables and where sex, age, family structure and education were controlled as covariates. The results were presented as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Problem and at-risk gambling (ARG) was more common among people who were unemployed [PG: χ2=6.4 (1), P < 0.01, ARG: χ2=12.4 (1), P < 0.001] or had received social security benefits [PG: χ2=41.6 (1), P < 0.001, ARG: χ2=22.9 (1), P < 0.001]. The OR for problem gambling was high as 5.6 (CI: 3.22-9.61) among respondents who had received social assistance even when covariates were taking into count. Almost a third of those experiencing problem or at-risk gambling received at least one form of social security benefit.
The most important task of gambling policy should be reducing gambling-related harms and diminishing social inequality. However, even in government organized system where gambling profits are used for common good, profits come from the most socially disadvantaged people thereby exacerbating inequality.
研究发现赌博问题与贫困之间存在关联。然而，使用具有代表性的人口数据研究社会不平等与赌博问题的相关研究相对较少。
在芬兰的三个地理区域进行了一项基于人群的自我报告网络和邮寄调查，并与登记处进行了链接。参与者（n=7186，年龄在 18 岁或以上）从人口登记册中随机抽取。在赌博人群中研究了社会人口因素和社会福利，并通过 χ2 检验检查了其统计差异。计算了七个逻辑回归模型，其中失业、社会保障福利和低收入被视为因变量，而性别、年龄、家庭结构和教育被视为协变量。结果以比值比（OR）和 95%置信区间（CI）表示。
失业人群中更常见赌博问题和有风险赌博行为（PG：χ2=6.4（1），P<0.01，ARG：χ2=12.4（1），P<0.001）或接受社会保障福利的人群（PG：χ2=41.6（1），P<0.001，ARG：χ2=22.9（1），P<0.001）。即使考虑到协变量，接受社会援助的受访者的赌博问题 OR 高达 5.6（CI：3.22-9.61）。近三分之一的有赌博问题或有风险赌博行为的人至少接受了一种形式的社会保障福利。
赌博政策的最重要任务应该是减少赌博相关的危害和缩小社会不平等。然而，即使在政府组织的系统中，赌博利润用于公益，利润也来自于最社会弱势的人群，从而加剧了不平等。
