Exploring the harm associated with lottery gambling in French and Québécois populations What this research is about Lotteries are the most popular types of gambling What you need to know across the world. Lotto and scratch card games are Research suggests that people who play lotteries examples of lottery games. Lotteries are easy to play have a low risk of experiencing gambling-related and do not require any skill. But the chance of winning harms. However, there is a lack of research that is very low. Research suggests that people who play explores the relationship between playing lotteries lotteries are less likely to have gambling problems and problem gambling. The aim of this study was than people who play other gambling games. to compare the gambling behaviour and gambling However, according to the prevention paradox, a problems between gamblers who only played large number of individuals with a low to moderate lotteries and gamblers who played other games. risk can give rise to more cases of a disease than a The researchers analyzed data collected by small number of individuals with a high risk. Since telephone surveys in France and the province of lotteries are very popular, the harms associated with Quebec in Canada. Compared to gamblers who lottery gambling can add up. played various games, exclusive lottery gamblers spent less time and money on gambling, and were Most studies on gambling harms have not explored less likely to report risky behaviours (e.g., alcohol how lottery gambling on its own contributes to use, drug use). However, exclusive lottery problem gambling. In this study, the researchers gamblers who were male, had a lower income, described lottery gamblers in France and the province and had less education were more likely to have a of Quebec in Canada. They explored how exclusive gambling problem. These results suggest that the lottery gamblers’ behaviour compared to the harms of low-risk lottery games may be behaviour of gamblers who played different types of concentrated in specific groups of people. gambling games. The researchers also investigated the relationship between playing lotteries, problem asked about how often they drank alcohol, used gambling, and addiction. tobac co, and used drugs in the past year. The survey What the researchers did also assessed their mental health and the severity of their gambling problems. To understand lottery gambling in France, the researchers used data that had been collected as part To understand lottery gambling in Quebec, the of a national telephone survey from December 2013 researchers used data that had been collected by a to May 2014. Survey participants were 15,635 people telephone survey in 2009 and 2012. Participants were living in metropolitan regions of France who were 18 years of age or older. A total of 11,888 people between 15 and 75 years old. The survey collected responded to the survey in 2009, and 12,008 people information about the types of gambling games they responded to the survey in 2012. The survey collected played, how often they gambled, and how much information about the types of gambling games money they spent on gambling. Participants were also participants played, how often they gambled, and how much money they spent on gambling. problems (e.g., lottery gamblers with less income, less Participants were also asked about how often they education, and a lower job status). More research is drank alcohol, used tobacco, and used cannabis in the needed to understand the effect of lottery gambling past year. The survey also assessed the severity of on populations with lower socioeconomic status. gambling problems among participants who reported About the researchers some risky gambling behaviour. Jean-Michel Costes and Vincent Eroukmanoff are The researchers analyzed data from past-year affiliated with Observatoire des Jeux with the Minister gamblers (8784 participants from France, and 16,447 of Finance in Paris, France. Sylvia Kairouz is affiliated participants from Quebec). They divided the with the Lifestyle and Addiction Research Lab within participants into two groups: exclusive lottery the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at gamblers and non-exclusive lottery gamblers (those Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. who also played other types of gambling games). Eva Monson is affiliated with Université de What the researchers found Sherbrooke in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. For more information about this study, please contact Sylvia Exclusive lottery gamblers represented about 71% of Kairouz at [email protected]. gamblers in France and 61% of gamblers in Quebec. These gamblers reported primarily buying lottery and Citation scratch tickets. Even among non-exclusive lottery Costes, J. M., Kairouz, S., Monson, E., & Eroukmanoff, gamblers, lottery games remained the most popular, V. (2018). Where lies the harm in lottery gambling? A followed by casino games, sports betting, and poker. portrait of gambling practices and associated Compared to gamblers who played different types of problems. Journal of Gambling Studies. Advance games, exclusive lottery gamblers spent less money online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899- on gambling. They also gambled less often. Fewer 018-9761-3 exclusive lottery gamblers engaged in risky behaviour Keywords like smoking, drinking alcohol, and using drugs. Problem gambling was also less common among Lottery gamblers, gambling patterns, gambling exclusive lottery gamblers compared to gamblers who problems, risky also played other games. In France and Quebec, gamblers who were male, had Gambling Research Exchange Ontario (GREO) a lower income, and had a lower level of education Gambling Research Exchange Ontario (GREO) has were more likely to be moderate risk or problem partnered with the Knowledge Mobilization Unit at gamblers. Spending more time and money gambling York University to produce Research Snapshots. GREO was also associated with having a gambling problem is an independent knowledge translation and for all gamblers. In France, exclusive lottery gamblers exchange organization that aims to eliminate harm with a gambling problem were more likely to be male, from gambling. Our goal is to support evidence- older, have lower income and educational levels, and informed decision making in responsible gambling have a lower job status. These results suggest that policies, standards and practices. The work we do is specific groups of people are more negatively affected intended for researchers, policy makers, gambling by playing lotteries. regulators and operators, and treatment and prevention service providers. How you can use this research Gambling prevention providers could use this Learn more about GREO by visiting greo.ca or research to create programs that target groups who emailing [email protected]. may be at higher risk of developing gambling This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International License. 2018 .