Cross-national comparisons of the prevalence of gambling, problem gambling in young people and the role of accessibility in higher risk gambling: A study of Australia, Canada, Croatia and Israel

Countries with public policies that support gambling through gambling legislation foster an environment in which gambling is socially accepted, tacitly encouraged and actively promoted. Although gambling worldwide has features in common, countries differ in terms of the nature of their gambling markets. The current study examined the role of perceived gambling accessibility in gambling behaviors and problem gambling in four different countries: Australia, Canada, Croatia and Israel. A convenience sample comprised 1787 university students aged 18–30. Gambling behaviors and problems were found to be more prevalent and gambling was perceived to be more accessible in liberalized markets (e.g. Australia, Canada and Croatia) as compared to Israel which is relatively more conservative and has more restrictive regulations. Social accessibility was perceived to be higher in those who gambled and associated with higher risk gambling, especially for women. The study highlights the potentially important role of social normalization of gambling and how supply variations can influence perceptions as well as impact gambling behavior.