Abstract
A recently developed model of electronic gaming machine (EGM) problem gambling (Thomas, Sullivan & Allen, 2008) suggested that motivation may mediate relationships between gambling problems and antecedent factors. Their qualitative study found that EGM gambling problems generally followed significant life stressors. People used EGMs as a cognitive escape from stressors and saw venues as an accessible and welcoming oasis from problems. Low levels of social support from partners or friends and maladaptive coping habits increased the likelihood that EGMs were used to manage problems. The present quantitative research used a new measure of EGM gambling motivations to examine these relationships in a community sample of 355 current EGM gamblers (232 females (M = 29.60 years, SD = 15.41; 123 males (M = 29.64 years, SD = 12.29). Multiple regression analyses showed that age, stressors, maladaptive coping, and social support from friends all independently predicted (a) gambling as an escape and (b) gambling because it was accessible. Older people, those who had experienced a stressor, those who relied on maladaptive coping strategies, and those who had low friendship support had a tendency to gamble as an escape and because it was accessible. People who reported these motivations gambled more frequently and experienced more EGM gambling problems. It was concluded that people experiencing significant stressors may be vulnerable to EGM gambling problems because this gambling form provides an accessible means of cognitive and physical escape. People with limited coping resources may be particularly vulnerable.

Bibliography: Anna Thomas has investigated problem gambling as part of her Honours and PhD research programs over the past eight years. She has recently developed a model of EGM problem gambling using qualitative methodology and constructed a scale measuring EGM gambling motivations based on the results. Anna is concurrently managing a gambling research project at Swinburne University investigating multiple aspects of accessibility.