Proximity to Casino Gambling Venues and Risk of Problem Gambling in Massachusetts

We examine the relationship between proximity to electronic gambling machines or casino table games within gambling venues and the risk of being a person who experiences gambling problems among participants in a Massachusetts high-risk sample cohort study. The analysis employs data from Wave 2 through Wave 5 of the Massachusetts Gambling Impact Cohort (MAGIC) study conducted from 2015 to 2019. The Problem and Pathological Gambling Measure (PPGM) was employed to categorize participants as non-gamblers, recreational gamblers, at-risk gamblers, or problem/pathological gamblers. No significant relationship was found between the type of gambler and either table game or electronic gambling machine distance or density for either the wave prior to casino introduction or any of the waves subsequent to casino introduction. Results suggest that the Massachusetts population may be desensitized to some of the potential negative effects of casino proximity due to long-term exposure to casinos in neighboring jurisdictions.