Abstract
BACKGROUND: Excessive gambling can lead to the development of gambling disorder (problem gambling). AIMS: To estimate the prevalence and describe patterns of problem gambling in the Czech Republic.
METHODS: (1) National Survey 2012, a cross-sectional questionnaire survey on the general population aged 15-64 (N=2,134), which included the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), (2) omnibus questionnaire survey on population aged 15+ sampled using quotas in 2013 and 2014 (N=1,797 and 1,810 respectively), which included the Lie/Bet test, and (3) omnibus questionnaire survey on general practitioners and paediatricians in 2012 and 2014, which included question on the prevalence of problem (pathological) gamblers (N=551 and 550 respectively). RESULTS: According to PGSI, the prevalence of problem gambling in the adult population in 2012 was estimated as 5.1% (7.4% of males and 2.8% of females), about 2.3% were in moderate and high risk, of which 0.6% were in high risk (1.2% of males and 0.0% of females).
The results of the Lie/Bet test (score of at least one point) in 2014 showed that 4.9% of the adult population were at risk (7.4% of males and 2.6% of females). According to PGSI, 6.2% of young adults aged 15-34 in 2012, and 5.3% according to the Lie/Bet in 2014 were at risk.
The survey among GPs estimated 80-90 thousand problem (pathological) gamblers (0.9-1.0% of the adult population) in 2012 and 90-110 thousand (1.0-1.2%) in 2014. The youngest age group 15-24, had the highest proportion of persons at risk, but those aged 35-44 had the highest proportion of the high-risk category.
At least 1/3 of gamblers on EGMs were at risk of problem gambling; for fixed odds betting and on-line gambling it was at least 1/4 of the gamblers. CONCLUSION: About 5% of adult Czech population are in risk of a gambling disorder.
Problem gambling is mostly associated with EGMs, an increase in problem gambling related to fixed odds, live betting and on-line gambling can be expected.