Decreasing local gaming venues in Australia may reduce the number of people suffering from financial distress

View Abstract View Snapshot Back to Search Results

snapshot summaries

Author(s): Badji, Samia ; Black, Nicole ; Johnston, David W.

Journal: Addiction

Year Published: 2020

Date Added: August 29, 2020

In this study, the researchers investigated the relationship between the number of gaming venues in local areas in Australia and the number of people who file for insolvency. Insolvency refers to when people cannot pay their debt. The researchers analyzed administrative records from Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland for the years 2011–2018. They considered several variables in their analysis that might have affected the relationship between gaming venues and insolvencies. The researchers found that closing a gaming venue in a local area reduced the number of people who filed for insolvency by 1.8. Policy makers can use this research to decide whether or not to approve gaming licenses for local businesses.

Citation: Badji, S., Black, N., & Johnston, D. W. (2020). Association between density of gaming venues in a geographical area and prevalence of insolvency: Longitudinal evidence from Australia. Addiction, 115(12), 2349-2356. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15090

Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15090

Keywords: bankruptcy ; Electronic Gambling Machines (EGMs) ; financial impacts ; gambling

Topics: Gambling Related Harms ; Game Types ; Individual Harms ; Information for Operators ; Slots and VLTs

Conceptual Framework Factors: Environment - Social and Economic Impacts ; Exposure - Accessibility ; Environment - Economics ; Gambling Environment ; Gambling Exposure

Study Design: Spatial Analysis

Geographic Coverage: Australia, New South Wales ; Australia, Queensland

Study Population: Local areas within three states in Australia (N=225). Local areas were defined as Statistical Area level 3 (SA3) geographical level.

Sampling Procedure: The researchers analyzed administrative data from three states in Australia. Data of the numbers of personal insolvencies came from the Australian Financial Security Authority.

Study Funding:

This study was funded by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation (VRGF) Gambling Research Program.