Gambling in America - When Recreation Becomes Addiction

Although gambling is simply one form of recreation and fun for many people, studies have shown that for 4% to 6% of gamblers it can become a compulsion or addiction. This behavior may cause them to gamble away their paychecks and go deeply into debt. It may harm marriages and relationships with children, other relatives, and friends.

The overwhelming majority of problem gamblers are male, and most are bright, scoring well above average or high on intelligence quotient tests. For many, gambling had begun during the early teen years. They usually excelled at trading stocks, commodities, futures, options, and bonds and at games requiring skill, such as blackjack and poker. Problem gamblers have been described as controlling, risk-taking, self-involved, sociable, and in need of approval, affirmation, and confirmation.

A review of fourteen U.S. and six Canadian gambling studies on adolescents found that from 1990 to 2000 the number of teens aged twelve to seventeen reporting serious gambling problems increased from 10% to 15%. Teens' involvement in gambling was believed to be greater than their use of tobacco, hard liquor, and marijuana. Furthermore, gambling affected children as well as teens. In 2000 a majority of twelve-year-olds had had at least one experience with gambling.

Problem gambling is not new—the first Gamblers Anonymous group was started in 1949. In 1972 the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) was founded, and in 1975 the first nationwide study was conducted to determine the scope of the problem. Maryland opened the first state-funded treatment program in 1979.

In 1980 the American Psychiatric Association accepted pathological gambling as a "disorder of impulse control," describing it as an illness that is chronic and progressive but one that can be diagnosed and treated. There are three phases in the progression of gambling addiction:

• The winning phase—Gamblers experience a big win or a series of wins that give them unreasonable confidence and optimism that their winning streak will continue. During this phase they often increase the amounts of their wagers.
• The losing phase—When they are losing, gamblers often start to gamble alone, borrow money, and become irritable and withdrawn, especially when they are unable to pay off debts. Many accelerate their gambling in an effort to win back their losses.
• The desperation phase—During this phase, more time is spent gambling. The gamblers often blame others for their problems and alienate family and friends. Some may even engage in illegal activities to finance their gambling. They may feel hopeless, attempt suicide, abuse alcohol and/or other drugs, or suffer an emotional breakdown.

A national survey conducted by the NCPG found that during 1998 about $20 million in public and private funds was spent on problem gambling programs. The programs included prevention, employee education and training, research, and treatment. In 2000 the NCPG established the National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-522-4700), which received almost 116,000 calls during its first year.

Does Internet Gambling Encourage Addiction?

Some researchers and industry observers have stated the belief that the Internet may attract problem gamblers, especially those who are trying to hide their gambling addiction. Others have been concerned because the anonymity offered by the Internet creates the potential for children and teens, posing as adults, to gamble.

George T. Ladd and Nancy M. Petry, in "Disordered Gambling among University-Based Medical and Dental Patients: A Focus on Internet Gambling" (Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, March 2002), determined that while Internet gambling was the least common activity reported by problem gamblers (about 8%), persons with Internet gambling experience had the most severe problems with gambling addiction.

Only 22% of the participants without any Internet gambling experience had problems, compared to 74% of those who used the Web. Internet gamblers were younger, more likely to be unmarried, and tended to have less education and income than persons who did not use the Internet to gamble.

Ladd and Petry cautioned that "the availability of Internet gambling may draw individuals who seek out isolated and anonymous contexts for their gambling behaviors. Accessibility and use of Internet gambling opportunities are likely to increase with the explosive growth of the Internet."