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Gambling and Alcohol Use: Trends in the State of New Mexico from 1996–1998

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Abstract

Alcohol consumption and its relationship to gambling was examined in a statewide New Mexico survey in 1996 and 1998. Data regarding both drinking habits and gambling behavior were obtained from a stratified random sample of the adult population (N = 2674) across the entire State of New Mexico via phone survey. These surveys were carried out shortly after a period when New Mexico experienced an initial surge in the legalized gaming industry. Fifty-seven percent of survey respondents reported drinking in the past month, while 43.1% reported no drinking in the past 30 days. Results show that while the number of days in the past 30 that a person drinks is significantly correlated with some types of gambling behavior (e.g., in 1998, drinking more days was associated with more card gambling and sports gambling), it is the amount of alcohol consumed per occasion that is associated with more gambling behavior. For example, in both 1996 and 1998, drinking more per occasion was associated with more sports betting, dice gambling, number/lottery gambling, gambling using machines, and paper game gambling (e.g., pull tabs, punchboard). These results suggest that problem gambling behavior is not affected as much by the number of occasions on which one consumes alcohol, as by the amount of alcohol consumed per occasion.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded in part by a contract from the State of New Mexico and the Executive Committee of the UNM Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions. Special thanks to William R. Miller, Ph.D., Paul Guerin, Ph.D., Scott Walters, Ph.D., Melanie Bennett, Ph.D., Jan Evans, M.D., and others who provided advice, support, and assistance throughout this effort.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions, University of New Mexico, Yale SE, Suite 200, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA

    Jason Blankenship & Randall Starling

  2. Department of Communication and Journalism and Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addiction, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA

    W. Gill Woodall

  3. Departments of Sociology and Family and Community Medicine and Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addiction, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA

    Philip A. May

Authors
  1. Jason Blankenship
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  2. Randall Starling
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  3. W. Gill Woodall
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  4. Philip A. May
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Correspondence to Jason Blankenship.

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Blankenship, J., Starling, R., Woodall, W.G. et al. Gambling and Alcohol Use: Trends in the State of New Mexico from 1996–1998. J Gambl Stud 23, 157–174 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-006-9051-3

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