Lottery Gambling Research

Lottery gambling is a social activity that varies widely among individuals of different ages, race, gender, and socioeconomic status. However, many people believe that it is harmless. The reality is, lottery gambling is addictive. In addition, lottery outlets are concentrated in neighborhoods with high numbers of minorities.

Research literature on lotteries often highlights the less-than-stellar aspects of this venerable activity. For example, a 2011 paper in the Journal of Gambling Studies reviewed research on lottery gambling.

The research analyzed several important factors affecting lottery gambling. One of the most interesting findings was the effect of age on gambling. As a group, adults from 18 to 21 had the highest proportion of gambling days. A similar trend was noted in adolescents in the 14 to 15 age category.

Other notable results included the fact that Asians had the lowest percentage of days gambling on the lottery as compared to whites. Likewise, men had the highest number of gambling days of all surveyed groups. And while males played more than females, they were not as prone to addiction as their female counterparts.

Gender was highly significant in predicting how much lottery players would gamble. Men were twice as likely to play the lottery as women.

Another noteworthy study was the fact that scratch tickets were linked to risky gambling. Researchers from Yale University found that those who win the scratch lottery are more likely to have a problem with other forms of gambling, such as playing blackjack.