Gambling behavior and criminal convictions: a register-based investigation

Abstract

Background

Gambling severity and criminal convictions are known to be correlated, but there is a lack of understanding of the associations between the type and frequency of offending, game types, gambling motives and gambling intensity. This study aims to fill this gap by examining systematically whether conviction prevalence varies with gambling behavior.

Method

The study combined register-based variables on criminal convictions from the past 45 years to a gambling-related population survey (n = 3993). Descriptive data are provided on the prevalence of criminal convictions among different past-year gambling behavior subgroups. Logistic regression models were built to explore the associations between having convictions on one’s record and gambling behavior traits more in depth.

Results

The results of this study indicate that the prevalence of having criminal convictions not only varies among different demographic groups and well-being correlates, but also among different groups of past-year gamblers based on played game types, gambling versatility, gambling severity and gambling motives. Having a history of convictions was predicted by male gender, older age group, receiving basic social allowance, at-risk gambling and risky alcohol use. Escape as a gambling motive and playing EGMs proved to be significant predictors of having multiple criminal convictions.

Conclusions

Gamblers differ in conviction prevalence as a function of gambling game types, versatility and gambling motives. These findings contribute to better understanding the dialectic interplay between gambling and criminal behavior and may inform the development of targeted interventions.

Keywords:

• Gambling
• gambling preferences
• gambling motivation
• crime
• convictions

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Additional information

Funding

The Finnish Gambling 2019 population study and the daily work of Kalle Lind and Anne Salonen were funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland, within the objectives of the §52 Appropriation of the Lotteries Act. However, it had no role in the study design, analysis, or interpretation of the results of the manuscript or any phase of the publication process. In addition, HH received personal grant granted by the Finnish Foundation for Alcohol Studies. This grant was also based on funding from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland.