Gambling Problem Gambling: No Quick

Gambling

Problem Gambling: No quick fix for a behavior with a wide range of social, psychological, and biological causes

Gambling is one of the few leisure activities common to all races, classes and cultures. (Griffiths & Delfabbro, 2002) Australia is a nation particularly friendly to gamblers. The practice of gambling was legal since the nation's first white settlements. (McMillen, 2004) For most Australians today, gambling seems like a harmless 'flutter.' 80-90% of adults gamble. So why do some individuals become problem gamblers? (Dickerson, Baron, Hong, & Cottrell, 1996)

Problem gambling is an incapacitating disorder that often results in failure to maintain financial solvency. (American Psychiatric Association, 1980, p. 324, cited by Dickerson, Baron, Hong, & Cottrell, 1996) Mark Griffiths and Paul Delfabbro (2002) urge that the treatment of problem gamblers must have a holistic approach. There is no single explanation for problem gambling. The biochemistry and psychology of particular human brains, social pressures, cultures and the methods available for gambling all affect the likelihood of gambling becoming problematic rather than pleasurable to the individual.

Body: Gambling in Australia Today -- Causes and solutions

Different contemporary psychological models suggest gambling may be an addictive disorder, an unresolved conflict, a biological imbalance of brain chemicals, learned behaviour, or the result of irrational thinking. (Blaszczynski, 2003) Gambling is classified as irrational thinking because although almost all activities are weighted strongly in favour of the house gamblers continue to believe they can win money from gambling (Walker, 1992).

Socially, gambling has a very central place in the Australian leisure industry, and politically the revenue generated from gaming has funded many major social works initiatives. Economically, families can become ruined. Families with problem gamblers often lack the revenue necessary for their own basic necessities if one of the spouses has a gambling problem. (Productivity Commission, 1999, p. 91, cited in Griffiths and Delfabbro, 2002)

Spouses of problem gamblers often reported physical and emotional problems similar to those of the gambler (Dickerson, 1995). These ranged from insomnia to being unable to provide basic medical care, to depression. But although the spouses' physical and mental health may have been equally affected by financial worries and marital conflict, addicted gamblers seem to have a greater biological or chemical need for arousal or relaxation. It is unclear if this would be sufficient to explain the differences between normal and excessive gambling. This flies in the face of assertions by ethicists who sniff at the idea of gambling as an uncontrollable compulsion. (Barrett, 2003) Even when both are afflicted by the economic ruin of gambling, gambling and non-gambling spouses seem to have different biological wiring.

Certain demographics impact the venue of gambling behavior. Younger gamblers are more apt to use the Internet. Women are more likely to use slot machines than bet on sports. Lower income individuals use slot machines rather than horse racing. Yet, not every group gambles equally often, demographically. Protestants seem less likely to gamble than Catholics. Culture plays a role, and demographics affect the choice gambling venue method. (Griffiths & Delfabbro, 2002)

Yet when new forms of gambling are introduced, there is an overall increase in gambling. The method of gambling may also influence the likelihood of abuse. Continuous activities are more likely to be associated with gambling problems. The perception, if not the actual probability of earning an easy reward, creates a faulty system of thinking in all subjects. Regular gamblers tend to score higher on measures of sensation seeking than controls and problem gamblers engage in a very limited range of activities -- does the impulse control and limited life result or cause the behaviour?

There are also different gambling 'types.' The first type may be addicted to gambling itself for excitement. The other uses a gambling subculture to escape from other problems in his or her life. (Griffiths & Delfabbro, 2002) There are also controlled and uncontrolled gamblers who attempt to regulate their addictions. (Blaszczynski, 2003)