Alex Blaszczynski

A Science-Based Framework for Responsible Gambling: The Reno Model

As social observers increasingly identify gambling-related problems as a public health issue, key stakeholders need to join together to reduce both the incidence and prevalence of gambling-related harm in the community. This position paper describes a strategic framework that sets out principles to guide industry operators, health service and other welfare providers, interested community groups, consumers and governments and their related agencies in the adoption and implementation of responsible gambling and harm minimization initiatives.

Boredom Proneness in Pathological Gambling

To test the hypothesis that pathological gamblers seek stimulation as a means of reducing aversive underaroused states of boredom and/or depression, the Beck Depression Inventory, Zuckermans Sensation Seeking Scale and a Boredom Proneness Scale were administered to 48 diagnosed pathological gamblers and a control group of 40 family physician patients. Analyses of variance showed pathological gamblers obtained significantly higher boredom proneness and depression scores than those of controls. That the Boredom Proneness Scale failed to correlate with the Zuckerman Boredom Susceptibility subscale suggested the two measure differing dimensions. Results indicated the possible existence of three subtypes of pathological gamblers, one group characterized by boredom, another by depression, and a third by a mixture of both depression and boredom.

Superstitious Beliefs in Gambling Among Problem and Non-Problem Gamblers: Preliminary Data

Superstitious beliefs, defined as a strong conviction based on the erroneous perception of a cause-effect association between two independent events, are considered to play an instrumental role in the maintenance of gambling behaviour. In this preliminary study, responses to eight items assessing superstitious beliefs were compared among 56 electronic gaming machine (EGM) problem gamblers, 22 non-problem EGM and 23 non-EGM non-problem gamblers. Results suggested that problem gamblers endorsed more superstitious beliefs than non-problem gamblers and that such beliefs were correlated with gambling intensity. Further research is required to determine if superstitious beliefs represent a vulnerability factor for the development of problem gambling or emerge as a consequence of involvement in gambling.

Personality Disorders Among Pathological Gamblers.

The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of DSM-III-R diagnostic categories of personality disorders in pathological gamblers and to highlight the possible association between such disorders, psychological distress and selected forms of gambling. The Personality Disorders Questionnaire-Revised and a battery of psychometric measures were administered to a sample of 82 consecutive admissions to a behavioral treatment program for gambling problems at an impulse control disorders research unit in Sydney, Australia. Seventy-three percent of subjects were male. The total sample reported having gambled a mean of 15 years of which, on average, the last 6.4 years were associated with problems. Results indicated that the majority of subjects met diagnostic criteria for at least one Personality Disorder (93%), with an average of 4.6 personality disorders per subject. The majority of gamblers evidenced personality disorders from the Cluster B grouping with particularly high rates of borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders which were found to be associated with high levels of impulsivity and affective instability. Antisocial personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder were both found to be possible mediators of the severity of the problem gambling behaviours.

Problem Gambling Within a Chinese Speaking Community.

The purpose of this study was to obtain preliminary data on pathological gambling rates within a metropolitan Chinese community to determine if more costly extensive epidemiological surveys were justified. Two thousand survey questionnaires were distributed to parents through children attending a local Chinese speaking school. A response rate of 27.4% was obtained. Over a quarter of respondents were born overseas in either Mainland China or Hong Kong. Results indicated that gambling was not a popular activity with 60.0% of respondents stating that they never gambled. Of those who gambled, a third of respondents identified lotto as the preferred form. Using a Chinese translation version of the SOGS and a cut-off score of 10, a prevalence estimate of 2.9% for pathological gambling was found with males showing a higher rate (4.3%) as compared to females (1.6%). Respondents reporting a prior history of gambling in their country of origin were more likely to be classified as probable pathological gamblers. Despite the use of a sample of convenience, changes to the wording of two items in the Chinese translation of the SOGS and the possibility of false positive cases in the present study, it is concluded that further research into problem gambling in this community should be undertaken.

A systematic review of Internet-based therapy for the treatment of addictions

Traditional therapies for addictions are underutilized and characterized by high attrition rates suggesting they may not meet the needs of a proportion of individuals with addiction-related problems including problem drinking, smoking, substance use and problem gambling. Internet-based therapy has emerged as a new treatment modality for psychological disorders and health issues and this review is the first attempt to summarize and evaluate the evidence of the effectiveness of Internet therapy for addictions. Extensive literature searches were conducted to identify studies meeting the criteria of delivering structured Internet-based treatment programs for addictions that incorporated a component of trained therapist interaction. Only nine studies met criteria for inclusion with seven representing a randomized controlled trial. These included seven papers reporting on tobacco-cessation programs, one Internet-based therapy for pathological gambling, and one treatment program for substance abuse. A range of therapeutic models, treatment components and outcome measures was included across these studies. Positive treatment effects were reported following completion of therapy and at longer-term follow-up. The review concluded that Internet-based therapies for addictions are effective in achieving positive behavioral changes but that more research is required to determine the comparative effectiveness of various Internet-based therapies and their components.

A digital revolution: Comparison of demographic profiles, attitudes and gambling behavior of Internet and non-Internet gamblers

Internet gambling is one of the fastest growing sectors of e-commerce and rapidly growing as a mode of gambling. Although Internet gambling is characterized by high levels of customer choice, little is known about Internet gamblers or their engagement with Internet and non-Internet forms of gambling. Regulators are struggling to respond to Internet gambling given that little is known about the impact of this mode of gambling on the existing gambling market, who is gambling online and how. This paper presents one of the largest studies of Internet gambling; an online survey completed by 6682 Australian gamblers. Results show that Internet gamblers are a heterogeneous group, although there is a tendency for Internet gamblers to be male, have high incomes and be well educated. Internet gamblers have more positive attitudes towards gambling and are more highly involved gamblers, engaging in many different gambling activities in both online and offline forms. However, a proportion of Internet gamblers prefer the privacy and anonymity of Internet gambling and do not like land-based venues, suggesting that Internet gambling is creating a new market of gambling customers. Understanding the impact of this new mode of gamblers on existing gamblers and new players is important to contribute to the appropriate regulation of this activity.

Problem Gambling in Europe: Challenges, Prevention, and Interventions

In the kaleidoscope of ever changing landscapes, this book provides a clear and highly informative snapshot of the current gambling situation as it pertains to the European context. What we are now seeing is rapid and almost unfettered growth of gambling within many European countries on the heels of the historical/political impact of Glasnost, Perestroika, the melding of Western and Eastern Europe and legal and free market chaos, the emergence of the European Union and its free competing economies, and the liberalization of gambling laws. The editors of Problem Gambling in Europe are to be congratulated for completing an admirable task in compiling an excellent reference source that provides a brief but densely packed tapestry displaying the context, development, implications and response to gambling and problem gambling in twenty-one major European countries. In essence, the book achieves its stated aim in providing readers with a strong foundation to better understand the social climate, regulatory practices and costs and benefits associated with gambling. The book’s strong focus on problem and pathological gambling and approaches to its management is not surprising given the background academic and professional interests of the editors. Perhaps reflecting the sensitivities of national pride, the structure of the book is arranged in alphabetical order of countries, with each chapter focussed exclusively on one country; Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. To achieve some degree of consistency and to guide the reader through a potential maze of differing gambling environments, each chapter is broadly divided into four sections: background, evidence, action and conclusion. The author/s commence their contribution with a brief overview of their country’s geographical, historical and demographic background coupled with a descriptive outline of the gambling market with reference to its regulatory framework and available types of gambling. The next section sets out the evidence base for substantiating claims made with respect to prevalence rates of gambling, and problem and pathological gambling, at-risk groups, risk factors and motivation. This is logically followed by the action taken to address problem and pathological gambling ranging from responsible gambling initiatives to the provision of treatment services and referral pathways. The final section, conclusion, provides a neat summary of the gambling situation within and between jurisdictions, and also the deficiencies that need to be addressed through future endeavours. There are several strengths to this book. The book collates not only a wealth of information on European gambling in a single source but also successfully seeks to inform the reader on multiple and interesting aspects of gambling including regulatory

Crime, antisocial personality and pathological gambling

To investigate the hypothesized causal relationship between pathological gambling and gambling-related illegal behaviors, 77 patients seeking behavioral treatment for excessive gambling and 32 members of Gamblers Anonymous were administered a structured interview schedule. Data on the incidence, nature and extent of both gambling and non-gambling related illegal behaviors was obtained and DSM-III (A.P.A., 1980) criteria for Antisocial personality were used as the measure of sociopathy.Of the sample, 54.1% admitted to a gambling related offense and 21.1% were charged. Results showed that 14.6% met DSM-III criteria for Antisocial Personality, Four subgroups were subsequently identified; gamblers who committed no offense (36.7%), gambling only offenses (40.4%), non-gambling only offenses (9.2%) or both gambling and non-gambling offenses (13.7%). Significantly more subjects from the gambling plus non-gambling related offenses subgroup were classified as antisocial personalities.Of pathological gamblers who committed offenses, two thirds reportedly did so as a direct consequence of gambling induced problems. Subjects reporting gambling-only related offenses showed a significant increase in antisocial features after adolescence suggesting that antisocial features emerge as a secondary phenomenon to pathological gambling behavior patterns.

Differences in cognitive distortions between problem and social gamblers.

The cognitive model of gambling argues that irrational beliefs and erroneous perceptions including illusions of control, superstitious beliefs, expectancies of winning, attributional biases, selective memory, and entrapment play a pivotal role in the development and maintenance of impaired control over patterns of gambling behaviours. Assessment strategies using self-report, behavioural inferences, and verbalizations produced by ‘thinking aloud’ techniques, and the effectiveness of treatment interventions designed to correct cognitive distortions have provided substantive empirical evidence supporting this model. However, research has yet to measure such differences between the quality, intensity, or conviction of specific dysfunctional beliefs held by problem in contrast to social gamblers. At the theoretical level, the absence of such demonstrable differences would undermine the validity of the cognitive explanatory model. Based on a review of the available literature, a preliminary measure to assess differences in irrational gambling beliefs was constructed and administered to a convenience sample of 56 problem gamblers and 52 social gamblers. In support of the cognitive model, analysis indicated that, compared to social gamblers, problem gamblers endorsed more irrational beliefs across all domains except for the variable of ‘denial’. Implications for research issues relevant to the identification of irrational beliefs that may be subjected to challenge within a cognitive therapy paradigm are mentioned.