Are electronic gambling machine availability and area-level socioeconomic disadvantage associated with local residents’ gambling losses and share of local revenue?

Aims: Physical availability is a key determinant of gambling spending and, consequently, gambling harm. The aim of the study was to examine, using objective revenue data linked to gamblers’ residential postal codes, how the availability of electronic gambling machines and area-level socioeconomic disadvantage are associated with average electronic gambling machine losses per adult and the share of local electronic gambling machine revenue attributable to local residents. Methods: The analysis draws on register-based data on electronic gambling machine revenue at the postal code level combined with area-level socioeconomic indicators drawn from official statistics. Linear regression models were used to estimate the associations between electronic gambling machine availability, area-level socioeconomic status, and two outcomes: average electronic gambling machine losses per adult and the share of electronic gambling machine revenue attributable to local residents. Results: Average losses per adult among local residents increase with electronic gambling machine availability and are highest in the most disadvantaged areas, particularly where availability is high. At the same time, the share of local electronic gambling machine revenue attributable to local residents declines as availability increases, although this decline is less pronounced in more disadvantaged areas, where local residents account for a substantially larger share of revenue than in less disadvantaged areas. Conclusions: The findings suggest that higher electronic gambling machine availability and local socioeconomic disadvantage are associated with greater gambling losses among local residents, who also contribute a larger share of electronic gambling machine revenue in more disadvantaged areas. Given that monetary losses are a key risk factor for gambling harm, effective prevention requires the regulation of electronic gambling machine availability.