Playing to escape: Examining escapism in Gamblers and Gamers

Abstract

This study examines negative and positive escapism in gamblers, gamers, and individuals who gamble and game. University students (N = 387) completed a battery of online questionnaires that included a demographic information scale, measures of the frequency and type of activity (i.e., gambling, gaming), and modified escapism scales that assessed both positive and negative escapism. Participants included 134 (34.9%) individuals who both gamble and game, 91 (23.7%) exclusive gamblers, 82 (21.4%) exclusive gamers, and 76 (19.8%) individuals who did not engage in either activity. The majority of the participants were female (74.2%). One-way analyses of variance revealed that both negative and positive escapism scores were significantly higher in gamers than in gamblers. Furthermore, individuals who both gamble and game had higher escapism scores associated with participating in gaming activities rather than gambling activities. This result suggests that individuals who play games have different motives to play than do individuals who gamble. Differences in motivation for game play may help in understanding the distinction between gamblers and gamers. As a practical implication, this distinction could be particularly rele-vant, given the recent blurring of boundaries between the two industries. Other practical and theoretical implications include the development of modified escapism measures for gamblers, as well as further support for the theoretical conceptualization of escapism as negative or positive.