Socioeconomic status and location of electronic gaming machines in Finland

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Author(s): Raisamo, Susanna ; Toikka, Arho ; Selin, Jani ; Heiskanen, Maria

Journal: BMC Public Health

Year Published: 2019

Date Added: November 26, 2019

In Finland, electronic gaming machines (EGMs) are widespread and available in everyday places, such as grocery stores, gas stations, and restaurants. In this study, the researchers explored the relationship between the number of EGMs and socioeconomic status (SES) of 1006 postcode areas in Finland. The results show that EGMs are unequally located in Finland. Areas of lower SES were found to have more EGMs, particularly areas with more people who have a low income. The size of the population in an area did not have an effect on the number of EGMs. However, areas with older average age of residents and more jobs per employed person were found to have more EGMs. These findings could be used to inform policy regarding the placement of EGMs.

Citation: Raisamo, S., Toikka, A., Selin, J., & Heiskanen, M. (2019). The density of electronic gambling machines and area-level socioeconomic status in Finland: A country with a legal monopoly on gambling and a decentralised system of EGMs. BMC Public Health, 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7535-1

Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7535-1

Keywords: Electronic Gambling Machines (EGMs) ; gambling ; socioeconomic status

Topics: Game Types ; Information for Operators ; Priority Populations ; Slots and VLTs ; Socioeconomic Status

Conceptual Framework Factors: Social - Social Demographics ; Social Factors ; Social - Neighbourhood

Study Design: Observational: Cross-sectional

Geographic Coverage: Finland

Study Population: Finnish adult population

Sampling Procedure: EGM location data were obtained from the Finnish gaming operator’s (Veikkaus) data. The data were only based on the number of decentralised EGMs according to the postcode level since data on the number of EGMs in casinos and gaming arcades were not available. Data on socio-economic status (SES) were from Statistics Finland.

Study Funding:

This research was funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Helsinki, Finland, under section 52 of the Appropriation of the Lotteries Act.