HealthTeacher

What Is the Impact of Problem and Pathological Gambling?

"…For those who lose control and gamble compulsively, there can be devastating consequences-professionally and personally." Steven E. Hyman, M.D., Director, National Institute of Mental Health.

Impact on Youth, Their Families, and Their Schools

Impact on Youth

The following represents a consensus of findings about youth gambling:

a. Probable pathological gamblers are greater risk-takers.

b. Adolescent prevalence rates of pathological gamblers are two to four times that of adults.

c. Adolescent problem/pathological gamblers have lower self-esteem.

d. Problem gamblers have higher rates of depression.

e. Youth problem gamblers dissociate more frequently when gambling compared with peers who have few gambling problems.

f. Adolescents with gambling problems are at heightened risk for suicide ideation and suicide attempts.

g. While adolescents with gambling problems report having a support group, old friends are often replaced by gambling associates.

h. Adolescents remain at increased risk for the development of an addiction or polyaddictions. ^{i, ii}

Gambling studies consistently report the correlation between gambling and other high-risk behaviors, such as this review reported in PEDIATRICS, 1998 :

"Of the students, 53% reported gambling in the past 12 months, and 7% reported problems attributable to gambling. Male gender, any use of alcohol, infrequent use of cigarette smoking, any marijuana use, any inhalant use, infrequent steroid use, frequent illegal drug use, seatbelt nonuse, driving after drinking alcohol, being threatened, carrying a weapon, being involved in a fight, and years of sexual activity were all significantly associated with reported gambling in the past 12 months. Among the students who gambled, younger age, male gender, daily marijuana use, frequent use of cocaine, frequent use of inhalants, any steroid use, never wearing seatbelts, carrying a weapon for up to 3 days a month, fighting, and years of sexual activity were all significantly associated with reported problems with family and friends as a consequence of gambling. There was an increase in the absolute number of risk behaviors reported between those who had not gambled, those who had gambled, and those for whom gambling had created problems." ⁱⁱⁱ

The Delaware studies, summarized below, support the above findings.

The 49% of 8th graders that reported gambling were:

Over 50% more likely to drink alcohol.

More than twice as likely to binge drink.

More than three times as likely to use marijuana.

Three times as likely to use other illegal drugs.

Almost three times as likely to get in trouble with the police.

Three times as likely to be involved in a gang fight.

Almost three times as likely to steal or shoplift.

The 44% of eleventh graders that reported gambling were:

Over 25% more likely to drink alcohol.

Twice as likely to binge drink.

One-third more likely to use marijuana.

Almost twice as likely to use other illegal drugs.

Almost four times more likely to get in trouble with the police.

More than three times as likely to be involved in a gang fight.

Almost three times as likely to steal or shoplift.

29% of those who gambled in the past month also were DUI.

42% of those who gambled in the past month also used tobacco.

Impact on Families

Delaware surveys report on the following time use:

Time with parents 8th graders | 11th graders

Time with video, computer. 8th graders | 11th graders

Impact on Education

Delaware surveys report on the following impact of youth gambling on education:

Average grades 8th graders| 11th graders

Skipping school 8th graders |>11th graders

Hours of study 8th graders | 11th graders

Impact on Communities

What are the costs of gambling and Problem and Pathological Gambling?
Attempts to estimate the cost of gambling in social, personal, and economic terms vary widely. Some elements that are typically included in estimating the impact of problem and pathological gambling include the following:

Personal Costs ' the costs to the gambler and his/her family. Research suggests that the effects on the gambler and his/her family may be severe, including financial, physical, and emotional problems ' divorce, domestic violence, child abuse or neglect, bankruptcy, depression, suicide. Children of problem gamblers are more likely to engage in delinquent behavior such as smoking, drinking, and other drug use and gambling. Friends and relatives are hit for money to cover gambling and other debts, to provide food for the gambler's family. "Problem gamblers spend 4 ½ times as much on gambling each month as do non-problem gamblers." ^iv It is estimated that "between 10 and 15 persons are directly and adversely affected by the pathological gambler. The gambler will borrow from close associates, the gambler very likely will also steal. And when the associates can't pick up the pieces, the entire society may have to pay for welfare, for treatment costs, for police service, for jails and prisons". ^v

Social Costs ' The social effects of gambling are also significant and include
--Crime in communities. 7.9% of total crime (FBI Index I) was attributed to gambling in counties with Class III gambling.

7.7% of property crime

10.3% of violent crime

E.g. For an average county with 100,000 population this implies 772 more larcenies, 357 more burglaries, 331 more auto thefts, 12 more rapes, 68 more robberies, and 112 more aggravated assaults. ^vi

--Business and Employment Costs:

Lost productivity,

Lost work time,

Unemployment-related employer costs

Bankruptcy

low productivity on the job and in the community,

--Welfare benefits and other increased demand on the community to cover the unmet physical needs of families wasted by gambling.
--Suicide
--Illness

Stress related: cardiovascular, anxiety, depression and cognitive disorders.

--Direct regulatory costs.
These aggregate costs have been estimated at a minimum $5 billion per year. The costs have been estimated at $1200 per year per pathological gambler and $715 per year per problem gambler. ^vii

ⁱ Derevensky, J.L., Gupta, R., Youth Gambling: A Clinical and Research Perspective. http://www.camh.net/egambling/issue2/feature/

ⁱⁱⁱ Gambling and Other Risk Behaviors Among 8th to ' 12th Grade Students. PEDIATRICS. Vol. 102,No 2. August, 1998, p. 23.
^iv Source Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, June 30, 1999. (p 4-14)
^v http://www.ncalg.org/library/library.asp?url=S._Nevada_Beyond_Limits.pdf
^vi Schwer, R. Keith. Beyond the Limits of Recreation: Social Costs of Gambling in Southern Nevada. 2003 Annual Meeting of the Far West and American Popular Culture Association.
^vii Source: Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, June 30, 1999. (p 4-14)