Psychosocial predictors of problem gambling severity in males: findings from a longitudinal study of Australian men

Gambling disorder has emerged as a significant public health issue in Australia. Men are more likely than women to gamble and to develop gambling disorder. This study aimed predict men’s problem gambling severity using a multivariate approach comprised of different indicators of psychosocial functioning, past gambling behavior, and demographics (age and socioeconomic disadvantage). This study reports on data from a subset of 2018 men aged 20–62 years who participated in Waves 1 to 4 of the Australian Longitudinal Study of Male Health (Ten to Men). Hierarchical negative binomial regression was used to predict problem gambling severity. All predictor variables were found to have significant bivariate associations with problem gambling severity. However, the final regression model found only two predictors could explain unique variance in problem gambling. Increased gambling frequency and lower rates of social support at Wave 3 were predicted greater levels of problem gambling severity at Wave 4 – collectively accounting for a moderate proportion of variance. The identification of these risk factors is consistent with past research and help identify potential targets for early identification and intervention for problem gambling in men.