Income-related inequality in in

What this research is about In Italy, gambling has increased over the last two What you need to know decades. Both the number of licenses allowed and the This study documented the income-related introduction of new gambling products have led to inequality in gambling in Italy. Richer people were this increase. The increase in gambling has led to a more likely to take part in traditional gambling greater number of gambling revenues. But it has also games, while poorer people preferred betting and increased gambling problems among both youth and new generation games. This income-related adults. inequality increased over time from 2014 to 2017. The games favoured by poorer people have been Past research suggests that specific types of gambling the main causes of increased gambling and products are linked to more gambling disorders. In gambling problems in Italy. The results suggest particular, betting (football pools and ) that a large part of the increasing social costs and new generation games (slot machines, Texas related to gambling are likely being paid by people hold’em) are often associated with gambling who are less well-off. problems. Specific types of gambling may also be linked to a person’s income. There is little research on from those who reported full information about this topic. But, one study found that poorer people gambling habits, income, sex, age, region, education, were more likely to play and spend more of and working condition. This included 7,348 their income on gambling than richer people. If less participants in 2014 and 5,773 in 2017. well-off people are more likely to gamble and pay into gambling taxes, they would also be more likely to bear The researchers classified participants as Gamblers the social costs of gambling problems. (those who gambled at least once in the last year) and non-Gamblers. The survey captured information It is unknown if there is an income-related inequality about the use of eight specific gambling games. These in gambling in Italy (i.e., differences in gambling based included traditional games (, instant on a person’s income). The current study explored , lotto and ); betting (football pools and who is paying the most in the increasing gambling sport betting); and new generation games (slot revenue and related social costs in Italy. It also machines and Texas hold’em). The Canadian Problem examined the factors on which policy making may act Gambling Index (CPGI) was used to assess to address this source of inequality. participants’ gambling risk level.

What the researchers did The researchers used the Erreygers Index (EI) to The researchers used data from the 2014 and 2017 measure the inequality of gambling based on Italian Population Survey on Alcohol and other Drugs participants’ income. The researchers compared (IPSAD). This survey captured data on substance use, income-related inequalities for the three categories of gambling and other risk behaviours in the Italian games (traditional, betting, new generation). The population aged 15-74. The researchers analyzed data researchers used regression-based decomposition to

determine the contribution of income, gender, age, About the researchers education, working condition, and location to income- Giuliano Resce, Elisa Benedetti, and Sabrina related inequalities in gambling. Molinaro are affiliated with the Institute of Clinical What the researchers found Physiology (IFS) at the Italian National Research Council (CNR) in Rome, Italy. Raffaele Lagravinese is Gamblers who preferred traditional games had higher affiliated with the Department of Economics and income levels. Gamblers who played betting and new Finance at Università di Bari in Bari, Italy. For more generation games had lower income levels. These information about this study, please contact Sabrina findings were confirmed both in 2014 and 2017. Molinaro at [email protected]. Considering all games together, the EI was positive. Citation This means that gambling was an activity of higher income people. However, considering the types of Resce, G., Lagravinese, R., Benedetti, E., & Molinaro, gambling products separately, the EI was positive and S. (2019). Income-related inequality in gambling: increasing for traditional games from 2014 to 2017. evidence from Italy. Review of Economics of the This means that traditional games were played more Household, 17(4), 1107-1131. by people with a higher income, and pro-richness https://doi.org/10.1007/s11150-019-09468-9 increased over time. For betting and new generation Study funding games, the EI was negative and decreasing. This means that betting and new generation games were No funding was declared. both preferred by lower income people, and income- related inequalities increased slightly over time. About Gambling Research Exchange (GREO) The pro-rich inequality found for traditional games Gambling Research Exchange (GREO) has partnered was mainly driven by gender, age, and working with the Knowledge Mobilization Unit at York condition. That is, males, older people, and employed University to produce Research Snapshots. GREO is an people were both more likely to play traditional independent knowledge translation and exchange games and have a higher income. The pro-poor organization that aims to eliminate harm from inequality found for betting and new generation gambling. Our goal is to support evidence-informed games was driven by income and age. That is, people decision making in safer gambling policies, standards, with a low income and younger people were more and practices. The work we do is intended for likely to play these games. These results were researchers, policy makers, gambling regulators and unchanged over the years. operators, and treatment and prevention service How you can use this research providers. These findings suggest that a part of the increasing Learn more about GREO by visiting greo.ca or emailing social costs related to gambling are likely being paid [email protected]. by lower income people. Politicians and policymakers could design or reform targeted public policies, such as gambling taxes, as a way to discourage addictive games. They could also call for a promotion of gambling education and prevention programs.

Future research could extend the current findings by looking at different countries. They could also consider problem gambling status to explore its impact on income-related inequality in gambling.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International License. 2019