Socio-economic status and problem gambling: An analysis of the Italian case

Some researches confirm that gambling propensity and problem gambling are higher among individuals belonging to disadvantaged social classes, although results vary due to the type of gambling, country or period taken into consideration. Individuals with similar socioeconomic status show affinity in several dimensions of social life and individual preferences, with important association between indicators of social position and health. In fact, those belonging to disadvantaged social groups have a higher chance of being trapped in life conditions riskier for their health. This study, corroborating the social stratification of problem gambling hypothesis, reaffirms the role of inequality in the interpretation of social phenomena in contemporary societies where the unequal distribution of material, symbolic and relational goods among member appears to be structural.