This study examines the relationship between daily encounters with gambling facilities and gambling participation in a Czech region that transformed from having one of the world's highest gambling facility densities to implementing strict regulations. Using a sample of 2,447 respondents from 277 municipalities, the research analyses how daily encounters with gambling facilities, rather than mere facility presence, influence gambling behaviour. The study incorporates individuals' accessibility based on daily encounters within their living space, moving beyond conventional metrics of availability. Results show that the extent of encounters during daily routines is a stronger predictor of gambling participation than facility presence alone, with the most pronounced effects observed in casinos and gaming halls. Municipalities with comprehensive gambling offerings showed the highest proportion of at-risk and problem gamblers. These findings emphasise the importance of considering population mobility in gambling accessibility analyses and suggest implications for local regulatory policies.

• Keywords
• Accessibility, Availability, Encounter, Experience, Problem gambling,
• MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Gambling * psychology   epidemiology   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Behavior, Addictive * psychology   epidemiology   MeSH
• Social Environment * MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH

Gambling encompasses a wide variety of activities, and the structural characteristics of each form contribute to its potential risk. However, the literature does not fully agree on the risk levels of certain gambling forms. In this study, we classify less risky gambling forms (soft forms) based on public perceptions of their riskiness. We examine the link between gambling experience and problem gambling prevalence. A survey was conducted in a model region of the Czech Republic, a post-socialist country with high gambling availability, with N = 2,498 respondents. A typology of gambling forms (lotteries, betting, and casino games) was created based on perceived risk similarities. Lotteries are the most frequently played gambling form, with 86.3% reporting lifetime participation. Among those who exclusively engage in lottery-type forms, 15 percentage points more women than men participated in the last year, and the gap widens to 31 points over a lifetime. Forms of gambling perceived as more risky show a lower proportion of non-problem gamblers, both for recent and lifetime participation. Furthermore, individuals who gambled within the past month or year are at higher risk of developing gambling problems compared to those whose gambling experiences were less recent.

• Keywords
• Experience, Gambling, Lottery, PGSI short-form, Perceived riskiness, Soft gambling,
• MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Gambling * psychology   classification   epidemiology   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Behavior, Addictive * psychology   epidemiology   classification   MeSH
• Prevalence MeSH
• Surveys and Questionnaires MeSH
• Risk-Taking * MeSH
• Risk Factors MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH

In 2019, a questionnaire was conducted among foreigners living in the Czech Republic focused on gambling, in which 110 respondents from Vietnam and 80 respondents from Ukraine answered. Firstly, the Attitudes towards gambling scale (ATGS-8) was used to discover respondents' attitudes to gambling. Secondly, their experience with gambling was examined with the help of the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) which allowed, among others, to estimate the level of prevalence of problem gambling in these groups. The methods used allowed us to compare both the Ukrainians to Vietnamese as well as Ukrainians and Vietnamese to Czechs, as similar survey was conducted among the major population of the country in 2017. The overall score of attitudes to gambling is slightly higher for the citizens of Ukraine (17.97) and Vietnam (18.29) compared to the majority. The Vietnamese living in the Czech Republic also have a significantly higher proportion of people in the category of pathological gamblers as based on the PGSI index (Vietnamese 4.2%), whilst the value of this index for Ukrainians (0.7%) is similar to the one of the majority. The analysis of immigrants' gambling behaviour shows that Ukrainians are more like the majority population. The Vietnamese immigrants differ from both the majority population and Ukrainians in terms of attitudes whilst gambling is for them as common problem as alcohol consumption, and an even bigger problem than smoking.

• Keywords
• ATGS-8, Gambling, PGSI, Ukrainians, Vietnamese,
• MeSH
• Gambling * psychology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Surveys and Questionnaires MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH
• Ukraine epidemiology   MeSH
• Vietnam MeSH