Housing Stability and Problem Gambling: Is There a Relationship?

Despite negative consequences, few studies have explored problem-gambling risk and housing stability. This article examined whether gamblers with stable housing would be at lower problem-gambling risk than those with transient/unstable housing. Community-recruited 15- to 85-year-old gamblers (n = 312) provided structured telephone interviews of their gambling problems, substance and psychiatric conditions, and sociodemographics, including current living situations. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition, Text Revision gambling criteria classified three gambling groups. Results show that for every one non-problem gambler, 0.24 subthreshold gamblers experienced stable housing (95% CI = 0.08-0.79). Future research necessitates further delineation of the relationship of housing stability and problem-gambling risk.