ONLINE GAMBLING AND ADDICTION

     The accessibility of the Internet makes it extremely simple for anyone to start gambling as much and whenever the addict would like. Bets are also smaller so users are more attracted to start playing. Traveling to a real casino isn’t as easy and costs more money; therefore those with higher incomes are more likely to do so. Those with gambling addictions can be drawn to play online because of the huge range of gambling opportunities and ease of connecting quickly shortening the time to start playing.

      If a problem gambler spends two or three days gambling at a casino, someone will likely notice (for example, his friends, family, casino staff, etc.). In contrast, online gamblers can play at work, at home, or even on smart phones without anyone being aware that they are actually gambling.

     A very important part of gambling addiction treatment is having a strategy to avoid play. For traditional gambling, this generally means avoiding casinos, VLTs, bars, or other physical locations where gambling is made available. With online gambling avoiding this temptation is much more difficult. Every computer with internet access (whether it is at work, home, or somewhere else) becomes a virtual casino awaiting the next bet.

     With online gambling, access to one's bank account is always only a click away - which makes the likelihood of impulse betting and "chasing losses" much greater compared to locations where one must physically withdraw money from a bank machine (for example).

One of the most common "tricks" used by online casinos is to offer a "free-to-play" version of their games. Of course, the goal is to introduce new players to online gambling and make them feel comfortable placing real bets with real money after they have had some success with the free version. And how do internet gambling websites make sure that new players are successful? Simple, the odds are inflated to favor the player when he/she is gambling with play money. By doing so, the player incorrectly assumes that the success he / she had with the free version will translate into success when using real money. Of course, the odds change in favor of the house as soon as real money is involved.

     On the internet it is sometimes easy to forget that electronic money is still real money (just ask any eBay user about how easy it is to chase a bid well beyond what is a reasonable asking price). Players may be able to use credit cards to deposit money into an online account that they can access as funds inevitably run out.

     Internet gambling websites may use computer programs to represent what one may believe to be real human players. These "poker bots" may be programmed for both optimal play and / or to increase the amount that the human players are actually betting.

Online gamblers may unknowingly be the victims of deceptive opponent practices. For example, one common technique involves collusion between online poker players. That is, several players are actually in the same physical location and are sharing information to give them an advantage over other players.

     Whereas traditional casinos may be able to ban problem gamblers, there is little to prevent a compulsive gambler from accessing online gambling sites at will. Online gambling sites typically do have policies on restricting access (for example to underage players and to those who have voluntarily banned themselves), but their ability to actually enforce this is very debatable. Furthermore, a player banned from one site can simply sign up at another with just a few mouse clicks.

      Online gambling at home provides greater convenience and comfort than playing in a casino, allows bets to be placed without the scrutiny of others, offers a more immerse interface, and allows players to place bets after heavy consumption of drugs or alcohol - all factors which can increase both the duration of time spent gambling and the amount of money wagered.

     Online gambling websites are among the fastest growing and most profitable businesses in existence today.   The keys to the business success of the online gambling model are not difficult to see.

      Compared to traditional land-based casinos, online gambling websites are able to operate at a fraction of the cost, do not require tangible materials or equipment (machines, tables, security cameras, a physical building, etc.), and do not need the hundreds of staff that would normally be required for a traditional casino (e.g., dealers, servers, security guards, floor managers, cleaning staff, bartenders, restaurant staff, etc.).

      Just like in a traditional casino, when it comes to internet gambling, the odds are always in favor of the house (or in this case, the programmers who designed the software). Of course the player has a small chance of making money in short term, but losing is a mathematical certainty over the long term if play continues.

 SOURCE: http://www.techaddiction.ca/online-gambling-addiction.html

 SOURCE: http://www.addictionhelpcenter.com/gambling-and-the-internet/

 SOURCE: http://www.techaddiction.ca/online-gambling-casino.html

HOW THE BRAIN GETS ADDICTED TO GAMBLING

 

In the past, the psychiatric community generally regarded pathological gambling as more of a compulsion than an addiction—a behavior primarily motivated by the need to relieve anxiety rather than a craving for intense pleasure. In the 1980s, while updating the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the American Psychiatric Association (APA) officially classified pathological gambling as an impulse-control disorder—a fuzzy label for a group of somewhat related illnesses that, at the time, included kleptomania, pyromania and trichotillomania (hairpulling). In what has come to be regarded as a landmark decision, the association moved pathological gambling to the addictions chapter in the manual's latest edition, the DSM-5, published this past May. The decision, which followed 15 years of deliberation, reflects a new understanding of the biology underlying addiction and has already changed the way psychiatrists help people who cannot stop gambling.

The APA based its decision on numerous recent studies in psychology, neuroscience and genetics demonstrating that gambling and drug addiction are far more similar than previously realized. Research in the past two decades has dramatically improved neuroscientists' working model of how the brain changes as an addiction develops. In the middle of our cranium, a series of circuits known as the reward system links various scattered brain regions involved in memory, movement, pleasure and motivation. When we engage in an activity that keeps us alive or helps us pass on our genes, neurons in the reward system squirt out a chemical messenger called dopamine, giving us a little wave of satisfaction and encouraging us to make a habit of enjoying hearty meals and romps in the sack. When stimulated by amphetamine, cocaine or other addictive drugs, the reward system disperses up to 10 times more dopamine than usual.

Continuous use of such drugs robs them of their power to induce euphoria. Addictive substances keep the brain so awash in dopamine that it eventually adapts by producing less of the molecule and becoming less responsive to its effects. As a consequence, addicts build up a tolerance to a drug, needing larger and larger amounts to get high. In severe addiction, people also go through withdrawal—they feel physically ill, cannot sleep and shake uncontrollably—if their brain is deprived of a dopamine-stimulating substance for too long. At the same time, neural pathways connecting the reward circuit to the prefrontal cortex weaken. Resting just above and behind the eyes, the prefrontal cortex helps people tame impulses. In other words, the more an addict uses a drug, the harder it becomes to stop.

Research to date shows that pathological gamblers and drug addicts share many of the same genetic predispositions for impulsivity and reward seeking. Just as substance addicts require increasingly strong hits to get high, compulsive gamblers pursue ever riskier ventures. Likewise, both drug addicts and problem gamblers endure symptoms of withdrawal when separated from the chemical or thrill they desire. And a few studies suggest that some people are especially vulnerable to both drug addiction and compulsive gambling because their reward circuitry is inherently underactive—which may partially explain why they seek big thrills in the first place.

Even more compelling, neuroscientists have learned that drugs and gambling alter many of the same brain circuits in similar ways. These insights come from studies of blood flow and electrical activity in people's brains as they complete various tasks on computers that either mimic casino games or test their impulse control. In some experiments, virtual cards selected from different decks earn or lose a player money; other tasks challenge someone to respond quickly to certain images that flash on a screen but not to react to others.

A new understanding of compulsive gambling has also helped scientists redefine addiction itself. Whereas experts used to think of addiction as dependency on a chemical, they now define it as repeatedly pursuing a rewarding experience despite serious repercussions. That experience could be the high of cocaine or heroin or the thrill of doubling one's money at the casino. “The past idea was that you need to ingest a drug that changes neurochemistry in the brain to get addicted, but we now know that just about anything we do alters the brain,” says Timothy Fong, a psychiatrist and addiction expert at the University of California, Los Angeles. “It makes sense that some highly rewarding behaviors, like gambling, can cause dramatic [physical] changes, too.”

SOURCE:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF5SzIN63w8

SOURCE:https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-the-brain-gets-addicted-to-gambling/

WHAT TO DO WHEN MEMBER IN YOUR FAMILY HAVE PROBLEM WITH PATHOLOGICAL GAMBLING? 

When there’s a problem or compulsive gambler in the family, more than just the gambler is negatively affected. The entire family suffers as a result of the behavior and thinking of the gambling addict. How each family is impacted depends on the severity of the gambling problem, how long it has gone on, the closeness of the relationship with the gambler and other factors. Serious financial, psychological, emotional, social and legal problems may completely undermine family functioning to the point of collapse.

How to help with a gambling problem Compulsive and problem gamblers often need the support of their family and friends to help them in their struggle to stop gambling. But the decision to quit has to be theirs. As much as you may want to, and as hard as it is seeing the effects, you cannot make someone stop gambling. If your family member has a gambling problem, you may have many conflicting emotions. You may try to cover up for a loved one or spend a lot of time and energy trying to keep him or her from gambling. At the same time, you might be furious at your loved one for gambling again and tired of trying to keep up the charade. The gambler may also have borrowed (or even stolen) money from you with no way to pay it back.

It can be painful and frustrating to see someone you love suffer from a gambling problem. Even worse, you may be suffering the negative impacts of problem gambling even though you don't have the problem. Remember that it's not your fault. You did not create the problem. And unfortunately you cannot make a gambler stop gambling. But you may be able to help your friend or loved one to help themselves.

Tools for family members of problem gamblers

Start by helping yourself. You have a right to protect yourself emotionally and financially. Don’t blame yourself for the gambler’s problems. The right support can help you make positive choices for yourself, and balance encouraging your loved one to get help without losing yourself in the process.

Don’t go it alone. It can feel so overwhelming coping with a loved one’s problem gambling that it may seem easier to rationalize their requests and problems “this one last time”. Or you might feel ashamed, feeling like you are the only one who has problems like this. Reaching out for support will make you realize that many families have struggled with this problem. Or you might consider therapy to help sort out the complicated feelings that arise from coping with a problem gambler.

Learn to say "NO" to the problem gambler. This will force the gambler to face the problem head-on. Try to unify friends and family in saying no as well. Set boundaries in managing money. If a loved one is serious about getting help for problem gambling, it may help if you take over the family finances to make sure the gambler stays accountable and to prevent relapse. However, this does not mean you are responsible for micromanaging the problem gamblers impulses to gamble. Your first responsibilities are to ensure that your own finances and credit are not at risk.

Consider how you will handle requests for money. Problem gamblers often become very good at asking for money, either directly or indirectly. They may use pleading, manipulation or even threats and blaming to get it. It takes time and practice to learn how you will respond to these requests to ensure you are not enabling the problem gambler and keeping your own dignity intact.

Learn as much as you can about problem gambling including its warning signs, negative impacts and options for help and recovery. When confronting someone about problem gambling, stay calm and be supportive. Tell them how their gambling affects you. Recognize their good qualities and any positive steps they have made.

Don’t preach, lecture, or allow yourself to lose control of your anger. Also don’t exclude the gambler from family life and activities.

Don’t expect immediate recovery, or that all problems will be resolved when the gambling stops. Remember that change takes time, effort and often several attempts to be successful. Be sure to identify triggers and help them learn how to deal with urges to gamble.

SOURCE:https://www.elementsbehavioralhealth.com/behavioral-process-addictions/how-problem-gambling-affects-the-family/

SOURCE:http://www.paproblemgambling.com/get-help

SOURCE:http://www.haveigotaproblem.com/download/331/Helping-a-family-member-with-a-gambling-problem

SOURCE:http://www.masscompulsivegambling.org/get-help/help-for-family-members/

GAMBLING  AND CRIME

Addictive behaviour and its link with criminal activity has long been an area of research interest (e.g., alcohol, and to a lesser extent narcotic drug use). More recently, the same arguments have been used in relation to links between crime and problem gambling addiction. For instance, studies from various regions worldwide suggest an association between criminal activity and easily accessible gambling, yet, despite growth in the commercial gambling industry, relatively little is known about the nature, extent or impact of gambling-related crime. Problem gamblers tend to be individuals who are chronically and progressively unable to resist impulses to gamble and that their gambling compromises, disrupts or damages family, personal, and vocational pursuits. The behaviour increases under times of stress and associated features include lying to obtain money, committing crimes (e.g. forgery, embezzlement, fraud etc.), and concealment from others of the extent of the individual's gambling activities (Griffiths, 2006). Criminal behaviour is most commonly associated with problem gamblers because problem gamblers spend more than their disposable income and often have to resort to criminal activity as a way of getting money to carry on gambling and repay associated debt problems. Law enforcement officials claim that gambling expansion inevitably leads to “an increase in enterprise crime and money laundering activity particularly relating to casinos...and an increase in illegal activities such as loan sharking, extortion and frauds” (Proke, 1994; p 61). Public opinion polls also tend to reflect a general perception that a correlation exists between widely available gambling and crime. For instance, a Canadian study by Azmier (2000) found that 64% of participants agreed that gambling expansion leads to an increase in crime.

Male gamblers are more likely to become violent, and as problem gaming worsens, the intensity of the violence becomes more severe. That’s according to a new study conducted by the University of Lincoln in England and published by the Addiction journal.

Researchers evaluated 3,025 men ranging from 18 to 64 years of age from various socio-economic backgrounds to determine if they had ever engaged in violent behavior. Violent behavior was defined as a physical altercation, assault, deliberately attacking someone, using a weapon, and other malicious acts.

The study also inquired on whether the violence was performed under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and asked respondents about their personal gambling habits.

Eighty percent, or 2,420 of the respondents, said they had gambled at some point in their lifetime. Shockingly, 50 percent of pathological gamblers reported being in a physical altercation in the last five years. And 45 percent of problem gamblers and 28 percent of those who identified themselves as casual gamblers admitted to being involved in some sort of fight over the same time period. Comparatively, only 19 percent of non-gambling males reported being involved in a violent situation.

According to a reserch of gambler’s anonymous (GA) members, 46% of respondents indicated that they had committed an illegal act. These crimes were frequently armed robbery, theft or fraud (such as writing bad checks), and other studies have shown that domestic violenc-,, abuse-, and neglect-related crime rates are also higher amongst problem gamblers.In fact, problem and pathological gamblers are between 3 and 3.5 times more likely to be arrested and/or spend time in jail! 

Gambling addiction is astronomically higher amongst inmates as well. One study estimated that problem gambling is 300% to 500% more prevalent amongst prisoners than in the general population. More recently, some deputies of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department – which operates the largest prison system in the country – gave unofficial estimates that 40% to 60% of inmates in low- and medium-security jails presented with signs of problem gambling – as much as 16 times the rate of the general population! Gambling addicts are also 2 to 7 times more likely to take illegal drugs, binge drink and smoke. Many experts have also observed that they drive high, drunk, distracted or sleep deprived far more frequently than the general population.

Gambling-related crime tends to relate to four distinct types (Smith, Wynne & Hartnagel, 2003). These are: 

• Illegal gambling – Gambling activity that is counter to jurisdictional regulations statutes, such as operating without a gambling license, cheating at play, etc.; 

• Criminogenic problem gambling – Activities such as forgery, embezzlement, and fraud, typically committed by problem gamblers to support a gambling addiction; 

• Gambling venue crime – Crimes that occur in and around gambling locations, such as loan sharking, money laundering, passing counterfeit currency, theft, assault, prostitution and vandalism;

 • Family abuse – Victimization of family members caused by another family member’s gambling involvement, (e.g., domestic violence, child neglect, suicide, and home invasion). 

Why do some problem gamblers turn to crime?

Generally, because they experience the following sequence of events: asset losses; accumulating debts; exhausting legal means of obtaining funds including drawing on savings and retirement funds; borrowing from family and friends; cash advances on credit cards; and loans from financial institutions or “loan sharks” - until committing a crime becomes their only option. Although the evidence is anecdotal, loan sharking is widespread in casinos. Problem gamblers who use loan sharks generally exacerbate their troubles because debts are magnified, as is the stress from worrying about not being able to repay the loan. 

The American National Gambling Impact Study examined the possible causal relationship between problem gambling and criminal behaviour and indicates that among those who have not gambled in the past year, only 7% have ever been in prison. In contrast, three times as many individuals who have been problem gamblers at any point during their lifetime (21%) have been incarcerated. 

SOURCE: http://www.calpg.org/impacts-on-crime-and-suicide/

SOURCE: http://www.internetjournalofcriminology.com/Griffiths_Betting_Shops_and_Crime.pdf

  

MOTIVATING YOURSELF TO STOP

If you are in a crisis situation and likely to self-harm immediately ask for professional help. Once you are no longer in danger of harming yourself you can continue with this advice.

First you need to decide if your goal is to become completely abstinent and never gamble again, or to control your gambling to acceptable levels. List reasons for and against complete abstinence and controlled gambling, to help you decide on your ultimate goal.

You need to be honest to your partner, about your level of debt and perhaps seek financial assistance.

If you are committing offences to support your gambling habit: stop any further offence immediately; take responsibility for your actions – accept the consequences, with legal help; discuss your actions with your partner.

Avoid drinking before or during gambling; talk to your partner rather than drowning your sorrows indrinking after losing; if you are dependent on alcohol and/or drugs, consult your doctor; in a crisis seek help immediately rather than turn to alcohol or drugs which may increase your risk of self-harm.

Keep in mind that overcoming gambling will considerably improve your quality of life.

You may feel ambivalent about giving up gambling – it is necessary for you to understand your motivation. Write down at least ten reasons to stop gambling and list them starting with the most important. Do the same for reasons to continue gambling. Compare the two lists – can you see that your behaviour is affecting not only you but also others close to you; your gambling arises from selfish reasons and causes problems in all aspects of life; your stress levels would be much lower if you stopped gambling.

Others can help motivate a gambler by: Not pressurizing the gambler to seek help, since nagging tends to lead to resistance to help. Ensure the gambler takes responsibility for action to stop gambling. Provide him or her with information on what help is available. Protect yourself against any debts the gambler may incur and remove yourself from being responsible for these debts.

Consider the benefits for yourself and others if you stop gambling. Determine your level of motivation – are you realistic in your goal?

SOURCE:http://www.haveigotaproblem.com/media/downloads/Motivating%20Yourself%20To%20Stop.pdf

PROTECTIVE FACTORS

While risk factors make people more prone to experiencing substance use, problem gambling and mental health issues, protective factors serve to help buffer or shield people from the effects of negative things going on in their lives. As a result, protective factors can help prevent or lessen problem gambling, substance use or mental health issues.

Biological Protective Factors

Just as the genes people inherit from their parents can make them more susceptible to mental health, problem gambling and substance use issues, people’s genes can also make them less susceptible. Also, people may inherit adaptive personality traits that serve to help them “bounce back” faster after depressing events happen to them. Likewise, people also could inherit a tendency to deal more successfully with anxiety-provoking situations, thus helping to protect them from developing anxiety-related disorders.

Environmental Protective Factors

There are many beneficial things one can do to reduce the impact of negative life circumstances. As described below, protective factors can include actions taken to increase coping with life stressors, avoiding substance use and problem gambling, and seeking treatment for problematic mental health issues. Just as substance use, problem gambling and mental health problems can be risk factors for each other, avoiding substance use or problem gambling and maintaining good mental health can help prevent problems in these areas as well.

Coping Skills

One category of protective factors involves developing good ways of coping with stress and improving overall emotional well-being. In general, coping involves creating a supportive and nurturing environment for oneself, developing skills for interacting effectively with people, and maintaining a stable living and working situation. Good coping mechanisms include:

• Learning effective communication skills

• Learning problem-solving skills

• Developing a good support system

• Learning to take responsibility for one’s actions and well-being

• Maintaining employment and a meaningful day-to-day routine

• Participating in recovery/support groups (for substance use, problem

  gambling and mental health problems)

• Practicing relaxation skills and enjoying life

SOURCE: http://www.ct.gov/dmhas/lib/dmhas/pgs/Cooccuringworkbook.pdf