Correlates of Problem Gambling in Canada: The Moderating Effect of Sex

Numerous studies report sex differences in the prevalence of problem gambling (PG), but the etiological basis of these differences across recognized risk factors is unclear. Data from a large, nationally-stratified Canadian survey (n = 10,044) were used to explore whether sex moderates relationships between PG and its risk factors, including (1) gambling participation, (2) gambling motivations, (3) mental health, and (4) substance use. The sample was 53.6% female, had a mean age of 52.4 years (SD = 15.4), and 61.8% had Northern/Western European heritage. The magnitude of the relationship between sixteen (44%) study variables and PG varied between sexes, though these effects were generally small. These variables include: (1) past month participation in lotteries, electronic gambling machines, sports betting, bingo, and financial speculation; (2) all measures of gambling intensity (breadth, frequency, expenditure); (3) enhancement and coping motivations for gambling; and (4) five additional substance use and mental health variables. With the exception of past month bingo participation, posttraumatic stress disorder, history of substance-related problems, negative life events, and impulsivity, these effects were larger for females relative to males. Finally, multivariate analyses revealed notable differences in the risk factors for PG, with variation in male PG being uniquely explained by gambling to develop skill, substance use disorder, negative life events, and age, and variation in female PG being uniquely explained by online gambling, breadth of gambling involvement, and coping motives. These findings highlight potential sex-specific pathways to PG that should be the subject of future research.