Scoping Review About Gambling and Gambling Problems In Older Adults

The development and manifestation of gambling-related problems is unevenly distributed in the general population. Socio-demographic change and an ageing population raise the question of the relevance of gambling and gamblingrelated problems among senior citizens. Against this background, a comprehensive scoping review about the state of research on gambling among older adults (≥ 60 years) regarding gambling patterns, gambling-related problems, and risk/protective factors was conducted. We analyzed 34 representative population studies from 2010 to 2023. Findings suggest that while gambling is not rare among the elderly, they do not have a universally higher likelihood of gambling problems compared to younger cohorts. One reason for this could be that this age group prefers lottery-type gambles with lower addictive potential and rather avoid online gambling and thus gambling forms with higher addictive potential. Many findings are heterogeneous, but mirror results for younger cohorts, such as men gambling more than women, and the presence of psychiatric comorbidities in problematic gamblers. Uniquely, somatic comorbidities (cardiovascular diseases and diabetes) are also identified. In sum, a greater focus on trajectories and on the lifetime history of gambling is needed as well as a comparison of elderly gamblers both with other elderly and other age groups, to better identify effects unique to the elderly gamblers. Reasons for the high heterogeneity in findings (like different screening methods, variable definitions of “elderly”, different legislations) as well as advances in research on gambling in the elderly are discussed. Practical applications and recommendations are presented.