Living Near Gambling Venues Linked to Higher Online Participation, Study Finds

People living closest to land-based gambling venues had an estimated 1.49 times the probability of gambling online compared with those living furthest away, according to a study published in the Journal of Gambling Studies.

The research, published on October 10, compared the 10% of respondents with the greatest proximity to venues against the 10% with the least. The estimated difference increased to 1.69 times among suburban and rural residents.

Authors Jing Zhang, Luning Li and Emmanouil Tranos, from the universities of Bristol and Glasgow, examined how physical gambling environments relate to online participation. Their findings varied substantially between urban centres and less densely populated areas. 

Absolute Differences Were More Modest

The researchers also calculated participation probabilities at different distances, providing context for the headline relative-risk figures.

At an average distance of 0.5km from the four nearest venues, the estimated probability of online gambling was 14.5%. At 2.5km, it was 12.6%, a difference of 1.9 percentage points.

That distance comparison covers different points in the distribution from the closest-versus-furthest decile comparison used for the 1.49 ratio.

Among suburban and rural residents, the corresponding probabilities were 14.7% and 12.1%. The results concern participation in online gambling, rather than the probability of experiencing gambling disorder. 

Betting Results Differed From Casino Findings

For online betting, suburban and rural residents in the closest distance decile had an estimated 1.24 times the participation probability of those in the furthest decile.

The authors found a different pattern in urban centres, where greater proximity to venues was associated with lower estimated online gambling participation.

They did not find sufficiently strong statistical evidence to draw conclusions about proximity effects on online casino and bingo-type gambling.

Results also depended on how proximity was measured. The overall positive relationship did not remain robust after adjustments when researchers used neighbourhood venue counts instead of distance.

The authors discuss two potentially competing processes: physical venues may encourage gambling participation, while access to land-based products may also draw some activity away from online channels. The balance varied across their models and population groups. 

Survey Design and Remaining Limitations

The study used a YouGov survey commissioned by GambleAware and conducted between October 31 and November 23, 2022.

From 18,305 respondents, the analysis retained 11,977 whose residential locations could be identified precisely. Exposure measures included venue counts in respondents’ residential and neighbouring areas, alongside average distance to their four nearest venues.

The researchers applied a double negative control design to address unmeasured factors that could influence both residential location and gambling participation.

Although the method was intended to estimate causal effects, the authors acknowledged that remaining confounding could bias the results. They also identified sensitivity to exposure measures and limitations associated with missing data. The findings therefore depend on the study’s modelling assumptions. 

The funding declaration identifies support through the GambleAware-funded Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research, alongside an Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling-funded project.