Attitudes to gambling in Melbourne among adolescents of different ethnic backgrounds

Three hundred and fifty Years 10, 11 and 12 students from six coeducational schools in metropolitan Melbourne were surveyed regarding their gambling behaviour with the use of a survey which included the Australian Gambling Scale (AGS) (Senn, 1996). The questionnaire also included a Gambling Activities Checklist, Superstition Scale and Leisure Activities Checklist. The first hypothesis, that being male would be a predictor of gambling fiequency and problem gambling, was not supported. However, the second hypothesis, that early age of onset of gambling, experience of a big win, family interest in gambling and superstitious beliefs would predict gambling frequency, and that gambling frequency along with the previously listed variables would predict problem gambling was partly supported. Having had an early big win, parental gambling, western superstition (but not eastern), gambling for excitement, gambling to win money and gambling with friends predicted gambling frequency. Gambling fiequency, gambling for excitement and gambling to win money predicted problem gambling. Ethnic differences were found in predictors of gambling frequency and problem gambling. Reliability analysis on the newly-developed AGS indicated high internal consistency (1 =.90). The scale needs to be validated by comparing it to a well-established problem gambling scale, such as the South Oaks Gambling Screen.