Gambling & crime study suffers small sample size

Charity Gaming Association (Inc): Gambling and crime study suffers from small sample size

The AUT study on the links between gambling and crime is hindered by the small sample size the Chief Executive of the Charity Gaming Association, Francis Wevers said today.

"The authors recognise the problem and have said the findings cannot be generalised and should be treated with caution."

"Therefore it is a little disturbing to read quite generalised extrapolation of the data in the media and to see the authors quoted making very general observations. The study group is so small (33 gamblers and 7 significant others) that its results can only be true of the people who participated. It is not valid to imply wider impacts in society or even among the problem gambling population as a whole.

"Having said that, the study does not contain any real surprises because there are many examples, going back over many decades, which show people who take disproportionate risks when they are gambling are likely to take similar risks with other moral and ethical judgements - which clearly goes towards the observed criminal behaviour, or vice versa," concluded Francis Wevers.

ENDS

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