Gambling is widespread among the elderly in the Basque Country, but cases of problematic gambling are rare

Although gambling is a widespread activity among the elderly in the Basque Autonomous Community, there are very few cases of problematic games and the report "People over 65 and gambling in the Basque Country" carried out by the Basque Observatory of the Game shows that gambling is more associated with tradition and entertainment than with addictive behaviors.  This is evident from the surveys of 750 people and information collected in three discussion groups.

Security Counselor Bingen Zupiria and UPV-EHU Deputy Rector Ixone Fernández de Labastida presented the study during a day on the occasion of the International Day of Responsible Play on 17 February. 

Going to the specific data, this report shows that 87.1% of people over 65 years of age in theBasque Country have played some kind of gambling in the last year, and this high participation shows that it is part of the routines of this group. However, 58.7% play only one day or less a month and 32.8% play 2-4 days a month.

The expenditure is also moderate: the average expenditure over the last week is EUR 7.78 (EUR 5 median), although this expenditure is increasing at Christmas (EUR 134.38 on average). Although the differences in expenditure during the Christmas period are more pronounced, in general, the older Basques behave in moderate amounts and do so in accordance with the ritual and exceptional logic associated with tradition and social exchange, according to experts.

Among older people, traditional lotteries (National Lottery, Christmas, 'El Niño'), Primitive and ONCE coupon are their favorite games. They point out that speeches collected in discussion groups show that older people identify these modalities as "eternal games" , linked to custom, trustand shared illusion, and "clearly distinguish them from other types of games that seem more dangerous or alien to them."  In any case, gambling machines, bingo to the second level, and online gambling or online gambling is almost non-existent.

According to the study, the game of the elderly in the ACV is not so much based on the desire to make money, but on tradition, socialization and shared illusion. 

Thus, 98.8% ofthe people who play do not have a dependency indicator, only 0.4% are in a situation of mild pathological play and another 0.8% may be at risk. In absolute terms, some 4,000 elderly people could be at risk in the Basque Country and 2,000 in the phase of mild pathological play.

In addition, the data show that the gender gap is small in this age group and, on the other hand, as age progresses, the frequency and expenditure of gambling decreases: 90.5 per cent of those between 65 and 74 years of age play, compared with 75.2 per cent of those over 85 years of age. 

There are differences according to the type of cohabitation; the persons most involved are persons living with help in the home (90.1 per cent) and slightly less those living alone (85.2 per cent).

The Basque Government has pointed out that this report shows that the gambling habits of the elderly are not a general source of problems and that they want to adapt public policies to this reality, based on prevention and responsible gambling.