Problem gambling

An Overview of Help Seeking by Problem Gamblers and Their Families Including Barriers to and Relevance of Services

by Ruth DeSouza

Australian guideline for treatment of problem gambling: An abridged outline

by Shane Thomas

Published in Medical Journal of Australia, December 2011

Onko syytä huolestua väkivallasta ongelmapelaajien perheissä?

by Johanna Järvinen-Tassopoulos

Co-authored with Kostas Tassopoulos
Tiimi 5/2011

Problem gambling: an outcome of a life history strategy

by Sigal Tifferet

Evolution has created a spectrum of life history strategies that are linked to different personality profiles. People... more Evolution has created a spectrum of life history strategies that are linked to different personality profiles. People with low-K life history strategies display traits such as low parental investment, non-adherence to social rules, short-term planning, risk taking and impulsivity. We hypothesized that low-K strategists, who are characterized by this personality profile, would be inclined towards problem gambling. Seventy male customers of Israeli kiosks that offer lottery tickets answered questionnaires about their gambling behaviour, personality traits and demographics. As hypothesized, customers who came to buy a lottery ticket had lower K strategies than other customers. In addition, customers with a lower K strategy tended to report higher levels of problem gambling, independent of demographics. We propose that problem gambling may be a consequence of a low-K life history strategy and that by using evolutionary theory we can enhance our understanding of problem gambling, by linking it to a broader theoretical framework.

Injunctive Norms and Problem Gambling Among College Students

by Ursula Whiteside

Gambling and Debt Pathfinder Study

by Carolyn Downs

Gambling and Debt Pathfinder Study (Final Report)

by Carolyn Downs

Co-authored with Ryan Woolrych: published by MMU (Oct 2009)

The Gambling and Debt pathfinder study was funded by GamCare and the Money Advice Trust, and supported by the... more The Gambling and Debt pathfinder study was funded by GamCare and the Money Advice Trust, and supported by the Salvation Army . This study critically examines the nature of the relationship between gambling and debt. This is achieved by investigating the wider social issues associated with gambling-related debt, understanding the strategies used by individuals and families in coping with gambling-related debt and exploring the help seeking strategies employed by problem gamblers and debtors.

A Theoretical Model of EGM Problem Gambling: More Than a Cognitive Escape

by Gavin Sullivan

Thomas, A., Sullivan, G. B., & Allen, F. A. (2009). Theoretical Model of EGM problem gambling: More than a cognitive escape. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 7, 97–107.

Although electronic gaming machine (EGM) gambling is established as a particularly risky form of gambling (Dowling,... more Although electronic gaming machine (EGM) gambling is established as a particularly risky form of gambling (Dowling, Smith and Thomas, Addiction 100:33–45, 2005), models of problem gambling continue to be generalist so factors and processes specific to EGM gambling can be overlooked. This study conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 EGM problem gamblers and six gambling counsellors and used grounded theory methods to develop a theoretical model of EGM problem gambling. The final model demonstrates the importance of both situational and structural characteristics in maintaining excessive EGM gambling. Originally a harmless pastime, EGM gambling became a means by which gamblers cognitively and physically avoided problems. EGM venues were highly accessible, had an inviting atmosphere, and were private yet companionable. Games were entertaining and distracting. Maladaptive coping habits, low social support and few alternative social spaces contributed to the reliance on gambling.