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Gambling takes place in different settings, which can vary depending on the location and type of venue. People often feel safe and comfortable in land-based venues like casinos and hotels, which may lead people to spend more time gambling than they may have planned. These venues can also influence a person’s exposure to gambling in many ways. For instance, exposure can be limited by age restrictions, but it is enhanced by having easy access to money through ATMs, an attractive layout, and food and alcohol being readily available. These factors may encourage people to continue gambling. Land-based venues do, however, try to promote responsible gambling by using practices such as self-exclusion programs, behaviour tracking, policies against cash or credit advances, instituting time limits, and making clocks available so people know how much time they are spending at the venue. The extent to which these practices are applied, however, varies by jurisdiction.
Another setting that has grown rapidly in recent years is Internet gambling. This type of gambling is easy to access 24 hours a day from any location and allows the player to pay with credit. There is no clear evidence at present to determine if Internet gambling places people at greater risk of exposure to harm than land-based gambling.
Download the two-page Gambling Exposure Factor summary (PDF)
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Download the Gambling Exposure Factor section from the Conceptual Framework of Harmful Gambling (PDF)
Download the complete Conceptual Framework of Harmful Gambling (PDF)
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