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CORK Bibliography: Gambling

96 citations. September 2010 to present

Prepared: June 2011

Alvarez-Moya EM; Jimenez-Murcia S; Aymami MN; Gomez-Pena M; Granero R; Santamaria J et al. Subtyping study of a pathological gamblers sample. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 55(8): 498-506, 2010. (45 refs.)

Objective: To classify into subgroups a sample of pathological gambling (PG) patients according to personality variables and to describe the subgroups at a clinical level. Method: PG patients (n = 1171) were assessed with the South Oaks Gambling Screen; the Temperament and Character Inventory Revised; the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised; Eysenck's Impulsivity Scales, a diagnostic questionnaire for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) PG criteria; and the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV, Axis I disorders, substance use module. Clinical measures were collected through a semi-structured interview. We performed a 2-step cluster analysis based on the above-mentioned personality variables. Clinical data were compared across clusters. Results: Four clusters were generated. Type I (disorganized and emotionally unstable) showed schizotypic traits, high impulsiveness, substance and alcohol abuse, and early age of onset, as well as psychopathological disturbances. Type II (schizoid) showed high harm avoidance, social aloofness, and alcohol abuse. Type III (reward sensitive) showed high sensation seeking and impulsiveness but no psychopathological impairments. Type IV (high-functioning) showed a globally adaptive personality profile, low level of substance and alcohol abuse or smoking, and no psychopathological disturbances. Conclusions: At least 4 types of PG patients may be identified. Two types showed a response modulation deficit, but only one of them had severe psychopathological disturbances. Two other types showed no impulsiveness or sensation seeking and one of them even exhibited good general functioning. The different personality and clinical configuration of these clusters might be linked to different therapeutic approaches.

Ariyabuddhiphongs V. Before, during and after measures to reduce gambling harm. (editorial). Addiction 106(1): 12-13, 2011. (13 refs.)

Auger N; Lo E; Cantinotti M; O'Loughlin J. Impulsivity and socio-economic status interact to increase the risk of gambling onset among youth. Addiction 105(12): 2176-2183, 2010. (61 refs.)

Aims: To determine if impulsivity and socio-economic status (SES) interact to influence gambling onset in youth. Design: Longitudinal study of grade 7 students followed for 8 years. Setting: Montreal, Canada. Participants: A total of 628 adult students aged 12.6 years on average at cohort inception. Measurements: Impulsivity and SES (parent education, area deprivation) were collected during secondary school. Age of gambling onset was collected retrospectively when participants were aged 20.3 years. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to model the association between time to first report of gambling and interaction terms for each of impulsivity and parent education, and impulsivity and area deprivation accounting for sex and ethnicity. Findings: Median (interquartile range) age of gambling onset was 17.0 (4.0) years. Impulsivity independently increased the risk of gambling onset among participants with no university-educated parent [hazard ratio (HR) 1.3; 95% confidence interval 1.1-1.5] and those living in highly deprived areas (HR 1.7; 1.5-2.0). Impulsivity was not associated with gambling onset among high SES youth. Among participants with high impulsivity, risks were elevated for those with no university-educated parent relative to one or more university-educated parent (HR 1.7; 1.1-2.7), and for participants living in deprived relative to advantaged areas (HR 5.0; 2.6-9.6). SES was not associated with gambling onset among participants with low impulsivity. Conclusions: Impulsivity is a risk factor for gambling onset among low but not high SES youth, and low SES influences gambling onset primarily among impulsive youth. Gambling prevention programmes may need to consider potential interaction between impulsivity and SES.

Barry DT; Stefanovics EA; Desai RA; Potenza MN. Differences in the associations between gambling problem severity and psychiatric disorders among black and white adults: Findings from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. American Journal on Addictions 20(1): 69-77, 2011. (28 refs.)

We examined differences in the associations of gambling problem severity and psychiatric disorders among a nationally representative sample of 32,316 black and white adults. Black respondents were more likely than white ones to exhibit problem or pathological gambling (PPG) and a stronger relationship between subsyndromal gambling and any mood disorder, hypomania, and any substance use disorder. Differences in the patterns of co-occurring disorders between syndromal and particularly subsyndromal levels of gambling in black and white respondents indicate the importance of considering race-related factors in mental health prevention and treatment strategies.

Blanco C; Alegria AA; Petry NM; Grant JE; Simpson HB; Liu SM et al. Prevalence and correlates of fire-setting in the United States: Results From the National Epidemiology Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 71(9): 1218-1225, 2010. (45 refs.)

Objective: To estimate the prevalence, sociodemographic correlates, comorbidity, and rates of mental health service utilization of fire-setters in the general population. Method: A face-to-face survey of more than 43,000 adults aged 18 years and older residing in households was conducted during the 2001-2002 period. Diagnoses of mood, anxiety, substance use disorders, and personality disorders were based on the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-DSM-IV Version (AUDADIS-IV). Results: The prevalence of lifetime fire-setting in the US population was 1.13 (95% CI, 1.0-1.3). Being male, never married, and US-born and having a yearly income over $70,000 were risk factors for lifetime fire-setting, while being Asian or Hispanic and older than 30 years were protective factors for lifetime fire-setting. The strongest associations with fire-setting were with disorders often associated with deficits in impulse control, such as antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) (odds ratio [OR] = 21.8; CI, 6.6-28.5), drug dependence (OR = 7.6; 95% CI, 5.2-10.9), bipolar disorder (OR = 5.6; 95% CI, 4.0-7.9), and pathological gambling (OR = 4.8; 95% CI, 2.4-9.5). Associations between fire-setting and all antisocial behaviors were positive and significant. A lifetime history of fire-setting, even in the absence of an ASPD diagnosis, was strongly associated with substantial rates of Axis I comorbidity, a history of antisocial behavior, a family history of other antisocial behaviors, decreased functioning, and higher treatment-seeking rates. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that fire-setting may be better understood as a behavioral manifestation of a broader impaired control syndrome and part of the externalizing spectrum. Fire-setting and other antisocial behaviors tend to be strongly associated with each other and increase the risk of lifetime and current psychiatric disorders, even in the absence of a DSM-IV diagnosis of ASPD.

Blaszczynski A. Harm minimization can be achieved by a symbiosis between government, industry and individuals. (editorial). Addiction 106(1): 10-12, 2011. (8 refs.)

Livingstone & Adams highlight the nexus between distribution, density and socio-geographic location of electronic gaming machines (EGMs), commercial market forces and government reliance on gaming taxation revenue. They describe in detail the substantial expenditure associated with this form of gambling. However, population prevalence rates of around 1% obfuscate the fact that 5% of adults gamble regularly on EGMs with 16-28% of club and hotel patrons, respectively, meeting criteria for pathological gambling. Problem gambling rates are undoubtedly greater in less regulated Australasian jurisdictions, for example, Macau, although patterns may differ; putative cultural factors contribute to baccarat and casino table games rather than EGMs being reported by treatment-seeking problem gamblers (personal communication, Lee Wai Wah Seiko, SKH Counselling Service of Problem Gamblers, Macau) in Macau. As articulated by these authors, regulatory framework and government attitudes shape the extent of social harm.

Blaszczynski A; Nower L. Instrumental tool or drug: Relationship between attitudes to money and problem gambling. Addiction Research & Theory 18(6): 681-691, 2010. (26 refs.)

Few studies have explored gamblers' attitudes towards money despite the central role money plays in the development and maintenance of problem gambling (PG) behaviours. This study explored attitudinal differences towards money among subgroups of electronic gaming machine players (n = 127) using the framework advanced by Lea and Webley [2006. Money as tool, money as drug: The biological psychology of a strong incentive. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 29: 161-209]: the Tool Theory, in which money functions instrumentally as a means of obtaining certain commodities, and the Drug Theory, in which money is considered to exert action at a neurochemical level to produce reinforcing effects similar to drug use. Findings provided preliminary support for the Drug Theory in PG. In contrast to non-problem gamblers, problem gamblers reported significant obsessions with money as an important indicator of prestige, power and means of acquiring wealth. At the same time, however, problem gamblers endorsed high levels of anxiety over money, both in regard to worrying about money and viewing money as a way to reduce anxiety. The study also provided limited support for the hypothesis that non-problem gamblers were more likely to gamble to combat perceived inadequacy in providing for their families (i.e. Tool Theory), although differences in univariate analyses were not sustained in logistic regression analyses.

Blinn-Pike L; Worthy SL; Jonkman JN. Adolescent gambling: A review of an emerging field of research. (review). Journal of Adolescent Health 47(3): 223-236, 2010. (161 refs.)

Purpose: The purpose of this review was to summarize the research on adolescent gambling with implications for research and prevention or intervention. Method: The methodology involved a comprehensive and systematic search of "adolescent or youth gambling'' in three diverse electronic databases (MedlineAdvanced, PsycINFO, and Sociological Abstracts) and three peer-reviewed journals (International Journal of Gambling Studies, International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, and Journal of Gambling Issues). Results: The search resulted in 137 articles (1985-2010) focusing on gambling among youth aged between 9 and 21 years: 103 quantitative, 8 qualitative, and 26 non-empirical. The study of adolescent gambling can be summarized as follows: (a) it is conducted by a relatively small group of researchers in Britain, Canada, and the United States; (b) it is primarily prevalence-focused, quantitative, descriptive, school-based, and atheoretical; (c) it has most often been published in the Journal of Gambling Studies; (d) it is most often examined in relation to alcohol use; (e) it has relatively few valid and reliable screening instruments that are developmentally appropriate for adolescents, and (f) it lacks racially diverse samples. Conclusion: Four recommendations are presented for both research and prevention or intervention which are as follows: (1) to provide greater attention to the development and validation of survey instruments or diagnostic criteria to assess adolescent problem gambling; (2) to begin to develop and test more gambling prevention or intervention strategies; (3) to not only examine the comorbidity of gambling and alcohol abuse, but also include other behaviors such as sexual activity; and (4) to pay greater attention to racial and ethnic differences in the study of adolescent gambling.

Brunborg GS; Johnsen BH; Pallesen S; Molde H; Mentzoni RA; Myrseth H. The relationship between aversive conditioning and risk-avoidance in gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(4): 545-559, 2010. (58 refs.)

This study investigated the relationship between aversive conditioning, heart rate variability suppression, behavioral activation system/behavioral inhibition system and risk-avoidance on the Iowa gambling task (IGT) in a nonclinical sample (29 male, 29 female, mean age = 20.7). A laboratory based Pavlovian aversive conditioning paradigm was used where a 1500 Hz tone (CS+) was followed by a burst of loud white noise (US), and a 850 Hz (CS-) tone was never followed by the US. In a subsequent extinction phase where the CS+ and CS-were presented without the US, conditioned skin conductance responses to the CS+ indicated aversive conditioning. The results showed that the participants who did not show aversive conditioning (N = 26) exhibited significantly less risk-avoidance compared to participants who did show aversive conditioning (N = 32). Regression analysis showed that among the study variables, only aversive conditioning contributed significantly to explaining variance in risk-avoidance. These results may have implications for understanding risk-taking in gambling in general, and may be a starting point understanding the role of aversive conditioning in the development and maintenance of gambling problems.

Calvano L; Andersson L. Hitting the jackpot (or not): An attempt to extract value in Philadelphia's casino controversy. Organization 17(5, special issue): 583-597, 2010. (58 refs.)

Beginning in the late 1980s, casinos became a favoured neoliberal economic development strategy for cash-strapped states and municipalities. During the same time period, the political power and profitability of the gaming industry increased, while opposition from communities grew. A recent example of this phenomenon is the controversy that ensued after Pennsylvania's legalization of slot machines and the subsequent selection of two casino sites in Philadelphia. Our study analyses the Philadelphia casino controversy using a critical case study approach and the theoretical framework of accumulation by dispossession. We argue that the situation in Philadelphia represents attempted value extraction by corporate and government elites from communities and citizens. Moreover, the nature of the value extraction goes beyond the economic, impinging on the social dimensions of community life.

Campbell-Meiklejohn D; Wakeley J; Herbert V; Cook J; Scollo P; Ray MK et al. Serotonin and dopamine play complementary roles in gambling to recover losses. Neuropsychopharmacology 36(2): 402-410, 2011. (68 refs.)

Continued gambling to recover losses-'loss chasing'-is a prominent feature of social and pathological gambling. However, little is known about the neuromodulators that influence this behavior. In three separate experiments, we investigated the role of serotonin activity, D-2/D-3 receptor activity, and beta-adrenoceptor activity on the loss chasing of age and IQ-matched healthy adults randomized to treatment or an appropriate control/placebo. In Experiment 1, participants consumed amino-acid drinks that did or did not contain the serotonin precursor, tryptophan. In Experiment 2, participants received a single 176 mu g dose of the D-2/D-3 receptor agonist, pramipexole, or placebo. In Experiment 3, participants received a single 80 mg dose of the beta-adrenoceptor blocker, propranolol, or placebo. Following treatment, participants completed a computerized loss-chasing game. Mood and heart rate were measured at baseline and following treatment. Tryptophan depletion significantly reduced the number of decisions made to chase losses, and the number of consecutive decisions to chase, in the absence of marked changes in mood. By contrast, pramipexole significantly increased the value of losses chased and diminished the value of losses surrendered. Propranolol markedly reduced heart rate, but produced no significant changes in loss-chasing behavior. Loss chasing can be thought of as an aversively motivated escape behavior controlled, in part, by the marginal value of continued gambling relative to the value of already accumulated losses. Serotonin and dopamine appear to play dissociable roles in the tendency of individuals to gamble to recover, or to seek to 'escape' from, previous losses. Serotonergic activity seems to promote the availability of loss chasing as a behavioral option, whereas D-2/D-3 receptor activity produces complex changes in the value of losses judged worth chasing. Sympathetic arousal, at least as mediated by beta-adrenoceptors, does not play a major role in laboratory-based loss-chasing choices.

Champine RB; Petry NM. Pathological gamblers respond equally well to cognitive-behavioral therapy regardless of other mental health treatment status. American Journal on Addictions 19(6): 550-556, 2010. (31 refs.)

Data consistently demonstrate comorbidity between pathological gambling and psychiatric disorders. This study compares severity of gambling and psychosocial problems and gambling treatment outcomes in treatment-seeking pathological gamblers (n = 231) based on their self-reported mental health treatment utilization. As expected, participants currently receiving mental health treatment demonstrated the most psychiatric problems, and those with no mental health treatment the least. Although preferred gambling activity differed according to mental health treatment status, severity of gambling problems, and gambling treatment outcomes did not. Individual cognitive-behavioral therapy was efficacious in reducing gambling problems irrespective of mental health treatment utilization.

Choliz M. Cognitive biases and decision making in gambling. Psychological Reports 107(1): 15-24, 2010. (24 refs.)

Heuristics and cognitive biases can occur in reasoning and decision making. Some of them are very common in gamblers (illusion of control, representativeness, availability, etc.). Structural characteristics and functioning of games of chance favor the appearance of these biases. Two experiments were conducted with nonpathological gamblers. The first experiment was a game of dice with wagers. In the second experiment, the participants played two bingo games. Specific rules of the games favored the appearance of cognitive bias (illusion of control) and heuristics (representativeness and availability) and influence on the bets. Results and implications for gambling are discussed.

Cognat E; Lagarde J; Decaix C; Hainque E; Azizi L; Gaura-Schmidt V et al. "Habit" gambling behaviour caused by ischemic lesions affecting the cognitive territories of the basal ganglia. Journal of Neurology (10): 1628-1632, 2010. (23 refs.)

We report the case of a patient suffering from sudden apathy and pathological gambling-like behaviour after bilateral ischemic lesions involving the dorsal portion of the head of the caudate nuclei and adjacent anterior limb of the internal capsules. This is the first report of the association of an apathy and abnormal gambling behaviour following a stroke affecting sub-cortical structures. Although the location of the lesions, affecting the dorsal striatum, may explain the emergence of an apathetic state, it is, however, at first sight, not easy to explain the gambling behaviour because the patient was normal in tests evaluating sensitivity to reward, and no radiological abnormality was found in the cortical-sub-cortical system of reward. It is proposed that, for this patient, the mechanism of maladaptive gambling behaviour was the development of a routine behaviour related to the patient's cognitive inertia, a mechanism different from the changes in reward sensitivity observed after damage to the orbital ventral prefrontal-ventral striatum system or in dopamine dysregulation syndrome in Parkinson's disease.

Cotti CD; Walker DM. The impact of casinos on fatal alcohol-related traffic accidents in the United States. Journal of Health Economics 29(6): 788-796, 2010. (47 refs.)

Casinos have been introduced throughout the US to spur economic development and generate tax revenues. Yet casinos may also be associated with a variety of social ills. One issue that has not been empirically tested in the literature is whether there is a link between casino expansion and alcohol-related fatal traffic accidents. We suspect a link may exist since casinos often serve alcohol to their patrons and by their dispersed nature could Impact driving distances after drinking. Using the variation in the timing and location of casino openings over a 10-year period we isolate the impact of casino introduction on alcohol-related fatal accidents Results indicate that there is a strong link between the presence of a casino in a county and the number of alcohol-related fatal traffic accidents. However this relationship is negatively related to the local-area (county) population. Results prove durable as we subject them to robustness checks.

dHopley AAB; Nicki RM. Predictive factors of excessive online poker playing. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 13(4): 379-385, 2010. (43 refs.)

Despite the widespread rise of online poker playing, there is a paucity of research examining potential predictors for excessive poker playing. The aim of this study was to build on recent research examining motives for Texas Hold'em play in students by determining whether predictors of other kinds of excessive gambling apply to Texas Hold'em. Impulsivity, negative mood states, dissociation, and boredom proneness have been linked to general problem gambling and may play a role in online poker. Participants of this study were self-selected online poker players (N = 179) who completed an online survey. Results revealed that participants played an average of 20 hours of online poker a week and approximately 9% of the sample was classified as a problem Gambler according to the Canadian Problem Gambling Index. Problem gambling, in this sample, was uniquely predicted by time played, dissociation, boredom proneness, impulsivity, and negative affective states, namely depression, anxiety, and stress.

Dixon MJ; Harrigan KA; Sandhu R; Collins K; Fugelsang JA. Losses disguised as wins in modern multi-line video slot machines. Addiction 105(10): 1819-1824, 2010. (15 refs.)

Aims: Players can wager on multiple lines of modern slot machines. When they spin and fail to gain any credits, the machine goes into a state of relative quiet. By contrast, when they spin and win, these spins are accompanied by reinforcing sights and sounds. Such reinforcement also occurs when the amount won is less than the spin wager. We sought to show that these 'losses disguised as wins', or LDWs, would be as arousing as wins, and more arousing than regular losses. Measurement and participants: We measured skin conductance response (SCR) amplitudes and heart-rate changes following wins, LDWs and losses for 40 novices playing a multi-line slot machine. Findings: SCR amplitudes were similar for wins and LDWs-both were significantly larger than for regular losses. Conclusions: For novice players, the reinforcing sights and sounds of the slot machine triggered arousal on wins, where the number of credits gained was greater than the spin wager, but also on 'losses disguised as wins' where the amount 'won' was less than the spin wager. Despite the fact that players lost money on these spins, these outcomes were more arousing than regular losses where no credits were gained. Although these findings involve novice players, the heightened arousal associated with these losses may have implications for the development of problem gambling, as arousal has been viewed as a key reinforcer in gambling behaviour.

Dixon MR; Nastally BL; Waterman A. The effect of gambling activities on happiness levels of nursing home residents. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis 43(3): 531-535, 2010. (7 refs.)

The current study evaluated the effect of participating in simulated gambling activities on happiness levels of 3 nursing home residents. A 4-component analysis was used to measure objective responses associated with happiness during baseline, varying durations of engagement in simulated gambling activities, and 2 follow-up periods. Results indicated that all residents exhibited a higher percentage of happiness levels while engaged in simulated gambling activities compared with baseline. Follow-up assessment took place 10 min and 30 min following the intervention; no lasting effects were observed.

Dowling NA; Brown M. Commonalities in the psychological factors associated with problem gambling and internet dependence. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 13(4): 437-441, 2010. (24 refs.)

The most commonly applied conceptual approach for excessive Internet use has been as a behavioral addiction, similar to pathological or problem gambling. In order to contribute to the understanding of Internet dependence as a disorder resembling problem gambling, the current study aimed to examine the relationship between problem gambling and Internet dependence and the degree to which psychological factors associated with problem gambling are relevant to the study of Internet dependence. The factors of depression, anxiety, student stressors, loneliness, and social support were examined in a sample of university students from several Australian universities. The findings revealed that there is no overlap between the populations reporting problem gambling and Internet dependence, but that individuals with these disorders report similar psychological profiles. Although requiring replication with larger community samples and longitudinal designs, these preliminary findings suggest that problem gambling and Internet dependence may be separate disorders with common underlying etiologies or consequences. The implications of the findings in relation to the conceptualization and management of these disorders are briefly discussed.

Downs C. Mecca and the birth of commercial bingo 1958-70: A case study. Business History 52(7): 1086-1106, 2010. (52 refs.)

The game of bingo has become synonymous with women of a certain age and class and has been stigmatised as a dead-end use of leisure. However, the development of commercial bingo in the wake of the Betting and Gaming Act (1961) offered the leisure industry access to a new and lucrative market. While many major players in the leisure industry of the early 1960s adopted commercial bingo as an adjunct to their offerings the Mecca dancing group adopted a strategy that made bingo so particularly their own that the brand rapidly became known as the bingo and dancing group with Eric Morley of Mecca referred to in the popular press as 'Mr Bingo'. This paper provides a case study of the Mecca group as it moved into commercial gambling, rapidly increased its size and profitability, saw off competition in commercial gambling from larger companies and finally succumbed to a lucrative takeover in 1970.

Dussault F; Brendgen M; Vitaro F; Wanner B; Tremblay RE. Longitudinal links between impulsivity, gambling problems and depressive symptoms: A transactional model from adolescence to early adulthood. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 52(2): 130-138, 2011. (47 refs.)

Background: Research shows high co-morbidity between gambling problems and depressive symptoms, but the directionality of this link is unclear. Moreover, the co-occurrence of gambling problems and depressive symptoms could be spurious and explained by common underlying risk factors such as impulsivity and socio-family risk. The goals of the present study were to examine 1) whether common antecedent factors explain the concurrent links between depressive symptoms and gambling problems, and 2) whether possible transactional links between depressive symptoms and gambling problems exist from late adolescence to early adulthood. Methods: A total of 1004 males from low SES areas participated in the study. Results: Analyses revealed a positive predictive link between impulsivity at age 14 and depressive symptoms and gambling problems at age 17. In turn, gambling problems at age 17 predicted an increase in depressive symptoms from age 17 to age 23, and depressive symptoms at age 17 predicted an increase in gambling problems from age 17 to age 23. Conclusions: Common antecedent factors may explain the initial emergence of an association between depressive symptoms and gambling problems in adolescence. However, once emerged, their escalation seems to be better explained by a mutual direct influence between the two sets of disorders.

Eitle D; Taylor J. General strain theory, BIS/BAS Levels, and gambling behavior. Deviant Behavior 32(1): 1-37, 2011. (85 refs.)

This article extends Agnew's General Strain Theory (GST) in two ways: (a) by testing the model's utility in explaining gambling behavior and (b) by considering the role of BIS/BAS sensitivities as a potential moderator of the strain-gambling association. Drawing on Agnew and colleagues' (2002) call for considering personality traits as potential conditional variables for testing GST, we evaluate these extensions using data from a representative community sample of young adult males from South Florida. Results indicate that GST is a capable explanation of gambling behaviors generally, and that BIS/BAS sensitivities appear to condition the relationship between various strains and gambling behaviors.

Engel RJ; Rosen D; Weaver A; Soska T. Raising the takes: Assessing the human service response to the advent of a casino. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(4): 611-622, 2010. (20 refs.)

This article reports the findings of one county's human service network's readiness to treat gambling related problems in anticipation of the opening of a new casino. Using a cross-sectional survey design, questionnaires were mailed to executive directors of all mental health, family counseling, drug and alcohol, and faith-based, addiction-related organizations in the county (N = 248); 137 (55.2%) agency directors responded to the questionnaire. The survey requested information about agency demographics, training, screening, treatment, and public awareness/education. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were used to summarize the findings. The analyses revealed a lack of human service response to the impending start of casino gambling. More than three-quarters of respondents had not sent staff for training in screening or treating gambling disorders, did not screen for problem gambling, did not treat problem gambling, and did not refer clients to other agencies for treatment of gambling-related problems. The most common reason offered for not engaging in prevention and treatment activities was that problem gambling is not considered an issue for the agency. There were differences between mental health and/or substance abuse focused agencies and other service providers. Based on the findings of this study, specific strategies to enhance the service delivery network's capacity to address problem gambling are suggested.

Ferentzy P; Skinner W; Antze P. Changing spousal roles and their effect on recovery in Gamblers Anonymous: GamAnon, social support, wives and husbands. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(3): 487-501, 2010. (23 refs.)

This paper examines changing spousal roles and their effects upon recovery in Gamblers Anonymous (GA). It is based upon a qualitative study designed to gage uniformity as well as variations in approaches to recovery in GA. Interviews were conducted with 39 GA members (26 men, 13 women; mean age 56.5 years). Though the study was based in the Toronto area, only 13 interviews involved participants from that region. Phone interviews were conducted with GA members from various regions of both Canada and the US. GamAnon, GA's sister fellowship, has been designed for anyone affected seriously by someone's gambling problem. In practice, GamAnon comprises mostly women-spouses of male GA members-who traditionally have taken a keen interest in the ways in which their husbands achieve and maintain abstinence from gambling. Changing spousal roles have led to fewer women joining GamAnon, as many opt instead to part with troubled spouses. As well, more women are attending GA than in the past, typically with husbands who are disinclined to join GamAnon. All of this has drastically altered how GA members pursue recovery. These changes and their implications are discussed.

Fong T; Campos M; Rosenthal R; Brecht ML; Schwartz B; Davis A et al. Problem gambling knowledge and perceived community impact among Asian-Pacific Islanders and Non Asian-Pacific Islanders. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 12(2): 173-178, 2010. (21 refs.)

Background: Emerging data suggest that problem/pathological gambling may be highly prevalent among Asian-Pacific Islanders (APIs) and that can be a major concern to their communities. Methods: This study surveyed problem/pathological gambling knowledge, attitudes, and perceived community impact of problem gambling among self-identified male and female APIs and non-APIs attending one of two API community events in Los Angeles County. Results: Unexpectedly, our results indicated no effect for ethnicity with regards to ratings of problem/pathological gambling knowledge, community impact, or consequences. However, a gender effect with women reporting less problem/pathological-gambling-related knowledge than men, regardless of ethnicity was found. Over 40% of all respondents reported that problem/pathological gambling impacted their communities 'a lot', and the ratings for the impact of problem/pathological gambling was equal to ratings for other significant public health issues like diabetes, depression, drug abuse, and alcohol abuse. Discussion: Based on these results, it is recommended that evidence-based legislation support the development of culturally-relevant prevention and intervention programs for problem/pathological gambling in Los Angeles County.

Fortune EE; Goodie AS. Comparing the utility of a modified Diagnostic Interview for Gambling Severity (DIGS) with the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) as a research screen in college students. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(4): 639-644, 2010. (8 refs.)

The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) is compared in reliability to a modified version of the Diagnostic Interview for Gambling Severity (DIGS-S) for use as a pathological gambling (PG) screen in college students. Seventy-two undergraduates (83.3% male, mean age of 18.8) from the University of Georgia completed the measures, completing a longitudinal design with 3 sessions over a 2-month time period. The DIGS-S and the SOGS demonstrated good internal consistency over the 3 sessions, with Cronbach's Alphas ranging from 0.73 to 0.89, as well as strong concurrent validity, with correlations of. 50 to .80 (Ps < .001) between the 2 measures across the 3 sessions. Both Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability were higher with the DIGS-S than the SOGS. Given this, and given that the DIGS directly measures symptoms of pathological gambling, future research could benefit from the use of the DIGS-S as a PG screening tool in a college-aged sample.

Fortune EE; Goodie AS. The relationship between pathological gambling and sensation seeking: The role of subscale scores. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(3): 331-346, 2010. (41 refs.)

Research investigating the relationship between gambling and sensation seeking has yet to establish conclusively whether pathological gamblers (PGs) are more or less sensation seeking than nonpathological gamblers (NPGs). Sensation seeking is usually measured with the Zuckerman//// (J Consult Clin Psychology 46: 139-149, 1978) SS Scale form V (SSS-V). Whereas previous studies relied on the SSS-V total score, the current study uses two samples to demonstrate the importance of the SSS-V subscales, which include Thrill and Adventure Seeking (TA), Experience Seeking (ES), Disinhibition (DS), and Boredom Susceptibility (BS). In two samples, strong intrascale correlations between DS and BS, and between TA and ES, suggest that certain subscales reflect similar underlying characteristics. In both samples PGs displayed higher scores than NPGs on the DS and BS subscales, with mean differences in Sample 2 reaching significant levels for both DS and BS. Results support the notion that the SSS-V can be divided into concepts reflecting actual behavior, based on the DS and BS subscales, and hypothetical behavior, based on the TA and ES subscales. Furthermore, PGs appear to have a preference for the more behavioral subscales while NPGs show a preference for the more hypothetical subscales. Reasons for the subscale divisions and preferences are discussed.

Fried BG; Teichman M; Rahav G. Adolescent gambling: Temperament, sense of coherence and exposure to advertising. Addiction Research & Theory 18(5): 586-598, 2010. (53 refs.)

This study examines the relationships between gambling behaviour and temperament, sense of coherence (SOC) and exposure to advertising among adolescents, and the interactions between these three independent variables in relation to problem gambling (PG). One thousand and sixty-nine Israeli adolescents (males 539, females 530), aged 16-19, were sampled from 19 high schools. The following instruments were used: a gambling behaviour scale; a PG scale; an advertising exposure scale; Buss and Plomin's emotionality, activity and sociability (EAS) questionnaire measuring temperament; and a short version of Antonovsky's SOC scale. The findings indicated a relationship between recall of exposure to advertising and gambling behaviour and PG among adolescents. No correlations were found between SOC and gambling behaviour and PG, and no correlation was found between temperament and gambling behaviour. However, the effect of temperament on PG was significant for girls only. In addition, no interaction was found between the three independent variables relating to PG. The findings of this study underline the social role of advertisements in the process of developing gambling behaviour among adolescents and its effect on problem gambling.

Frosini D; Pesaresi I; Cosottini M; Belmonte G; Rossi C; Dell'Osso L et al. Parkinson's disease and pathological gambling: Results from a functional MRI study. Movement Disorders 25(14): 2449-2453, 2010. (16 refs.)

Seven patients with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) and pathological gambling (PG) and 7 PD patients without PG were investigated by functional MRI and a block-design experiment with gambling-related visual cues alternating with neutral stimuli and rest periods. Compared with PD/non-PG, in PD/PG patients, several areas of increased cue-related blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD)-response were observed including bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, medial and superior frontal gyri, and precuneus, right inferior parietal lobule, and ventral striatum. The over activation of cingulate cortex and ventral striatum in PD/PG patients after the craving task is similar to that reported in addicted patients, whereas the activation of the parietal structures is probably related to the attentional network.

Goudriaan AE; de Ruiter MB; van den Brink W; Oosterlaan J; Veltman DJ. Brain activation patterns associated with cue reactivity and craving in abstinent problem gamblers, heavy smokers and healthy controls: an fMRI study. Addiction Biology 15(4): 491-503, 2010. (47 refs.)

Abnormal cue reactivity is a central characteristic of addiction, associated with increased activity in motivation, attention and memory related brain circuits. In this neuroimaging study, cue reactivity in problem gamblers (PRG) was compared with cue reactivity in heavy smokers (HSM) and healthy controls (HC). A functional magnetic resonance imaging event-related cue reactivity paradigm, consisting of gambling, smoking-related and neutral pictures, was employed in 17 treatment-seeking non-smoking PRG, 18 non-gambling HSM, and 17 non-gambling and non-smoking HC. Watching gambling pictures (relative to neutral pictures) was associated with higher brain activation in occipitotemporal areas, posterior cingulate cortex, parahippocampal gyrus and amygdala in PRG compared with HC and HSM. Subjective craving in PRG correlated positively with brain activation in left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and left insula. When comparing the HSM group with the two other groups, no significant differences in brain activity induced by smoking cues were found. In a stratified analysis, the HSM subgroup with higher Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence scores (FTND M = 5.4) showed higher brain activation in ventromedial prefrontal cortex, rostral anterior cingulate cortex, insula and middle/superior temporal gyrus while watching smoking-related pictures (relative to neutral pictures) than the HSM subgroup with lower FTND scores (FTND M = 2.9) and than non-smoking HC. Nicotine craving correlated with activation in left prefrontal and left amygdala when viewing smoking-related pictures in HSM. Increased regional responsiveness to gambling pictures in brain regions linked to motivation and visual processing is present in PRG, similar to neural mechanisms underlying cue reactivity in substance dependence. Increased brain activation in related fronto-limbic brain areas was present in HSM with higher FTND scores compared with HSM with lower FTND scores.

Grant JE; Potenza MN; Weinstein A; Gorelick DA. Introduction to behavioral addictions. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 36(5): 233-241, 2010. (102 refs.)

Background: Several behaviors, besides psychoactive substance ingestion, produce short-term reward that may engender persistent behavior, despite knowledge of adverse consequences, i.e., diminished control over the behavior. These disorders have historically been conceptualized in several ways. One view posits these disorders as lying along an impulsive-compulsive spectrum, with some classified as impulse control disorders. An alternate, but not mutually exclusive, conceptualization considers the disorders as non-substance or "behavioral" addictions. Objectives: Inform the discussion on the relationship between psychoactive substance and behavioral addictions. Methods: We review data illustrating similarities and differences between impulse control disorders or behavioral addictions and substance addictions. This topic is particularly relevant to the optimal classification of these disorders in the forthcoming fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMV). Results: Growing evidence suggests that behavioral addictions resemble substance addictions in many domains, including natural history, phenomenology, tolerance, comorbidity, overlapping genetic contribution, neurobiologicalmechanisms, and response to treatment, supporting the DSM-V Task Force proposed new category of Addiction and Related Disorders encompassing both substance use disorders and non-substance addictions. Current data suggest that this combined category may be appropriate for pathological gambling and a few other better studied behavioral addictions, e. g., Internet addiction. There is currently insufficient data to justify any classification of other proposed behavioral addictions. Conclusions and Scientific Significance: Proper categorization of behavioral addictions or impulse control disorders has substantial implications for the development of improved prevention and treatment strategies.

Grant JE; Schreiber L; Odlaug BL; Kim SW. Pathologic gambling and bankruptcy. Comprehensive Psychiatry 51(2): 115-120, 2010. (40 refs.)

Background: Although prior studies have examined rates of bankruptcy in pathologic gambling (PG), there are only limited data regarding the clinical correlates of those with PG who declare bankruptcy because of gambling. Method: Five hundred seventeen consecutive subjects with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, PG (54.7% females; mean age 47.6 years) were grouped into 2 categories: those who had (n = 93; 18.0%) and had not (n = 424; 82.0%) declared bankruptcy secondary to gambling. Groups were compared on clinical characteristics, gambling severity (using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale Modified for Pathological Gambling, Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale; Clinical Global Impression-severity scale, and time and money spent gambling), and psychiatric comorbidity. Results: Gamblers who had declared bankruptcy were more likely to be single (P = .004); have an earlier age of problem gambling onset (P = .032); and have more financial (P < .001), work-related (P = .006), marital (P < .001), and legal (P < .001) problems secondary to their gambling. They also reported higher rates of depressive disorders (P < .001), substance use disorders (P = .005) and were more likely to be daily users of nicotine (P = .022). Money spent gambling did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusion: These preliminary results suggest that bankruptcy in PG may be associated with specific clinical differences. Treatment strategies may want to assess bankruptcy status to develop more effective treatments that take account of these clinical differences.

Guryan J; Kearney MS. Is lottery gambling addictive? American Economic Journal. Economic Policy 2(3): 90-110, 2010. (24 refs.)

We present an empirical test for the addictiveness of lottery gambling that exploits an exogenous shock to local market consumption of lottery gambling It uses the sale of a winning jackpot ticket in a zip code as an instrument for present consumption and tests for a causal relationship between present and future consumption This test estimates the time path of persistence nonparametrically Data from the Texas State Lottery suggests that after 6 months, roughly half of the initial increase in lottery consumption is maintained After 18 months, roughly 40 percent of the initial shock persists, though estimates. become less precise (JEL D12, H27 H71)

Hammelstein P; Roth M. Testing the validity of the Need Inventory (NISS) within a clinical context: The role of pathological gambling. Journal of Research in Personality 44(5): 661-664, 2010. (36 refs.)

The paper investigates the validity of the Need Inventory for Sensation Seeking (NISS) in comparison to the Sensation Seeking Scale-Form V (SSS-V; Zuckerman, 1994) in pathological gamblers. A sample of 30 inpatients with a primary diagnosis of pathological gambling, and a sample of 30 control subjects, were tested using questionnaires which assess sensation seeking, the severity of pathological gambling, and impulsiveness. Groups differ in terms of impulsivity as well as in terms of sensation seeking, but only when using the NISS. No differences were found with respect to the scores of the SSS-V. The study demonstrates the validity of the NISS (over the SSS-V) within a clinical context.

Hing N; Breen H; Gordon A. Respecting cultural values: Conducting a gambling survey in an Australian Indigenous community. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 34(6): 547-553, 2010. (13 refs.)

Objective: This paper details how we, as 'cultural outsiders', conducted a large gambling survey in an Indigenous Australian community that adhered to Indigenous ethical protocols and values while differing from some standard survey practices. Approach: The paper summarises the ethical guidelines for conducting Indigenous public health research. It describes research processes used in the study in eight generic steps identified in Keeping Research on Track: A Guide for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples About Health Research Ethics. 1 It explains how adherence to these guidelines contributed to successful project completion. Conclusion: The research processes used to conduct this project gave explicit recognition and commitment to respecting Indigenous cultural values and principles. It engaged the Indigenous community in ways that promoted its ownership of the research issue, ensured the validity and reliability of the research data and unearthed potential solutions to problems identified. Implications: By sharing our experiences in attempting to conduct research that respected these values and principles, we have contributed to culturally appropriate and ethical research with participating Indigenous peoples and communities.

Hodgins DC; Schopflocher DP; el-Guebaly N; Casey DM; Smith GJ; Williams RJ et al. The association between childhood maltreatment and gambling problems in a community sample of adult men and women. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 24(3): 548-554, 2010. (42 refs.)

The association between childhood maltreatment and gambling problems was examined in a community sample of men and women (N = 1,372). As hypothesized, individuals with gambling problems reported greater childhood maltreatment than individuals without gambling problems. Childhood maltreatment predicted severity of gambling problems and frequency of gambling even when other individual and social factors were controlled including symptoms of alcohol and other drug use disorders, family environment, psychological distress, and symptoms of antisocial disorder. In contrast to findings in treatment-seeking samples, women with gambling problems did not report greater maltreatment than men with gambling problems. These results underscore the need for both increased prevention of childhood maltreatment and increased sensitivity towards trauma issues in gambling treatment programs for men and women.

Humphreys A. Semiotic structure and the legitimation of consumption practices: The case of casino gambling. Journal of Consumer Research 37(3): 490-510, 2010. (116 refs.)

How do changes in public discourse and regulatory structure affect the acceptance of a consumption practice? Previous research on legitimacy in consumer behavior has focused on the consumer reception of legitimizing discourse rather than on the historical process of legitimation itself. This study examines the influence of changes in the institutional environment over time on the meaning structures that influence consumer perception and practice. To study legitimation as a historical process, a discourse analysis of newspaper articles about casino gambling from 1980-2007 was conducted. Results show that the regulatory approval of gambling is accompanied by a shift in the semantic categories used to discuss casinos and that journalists play a role in shaping these categories. Further, journalists shape the meaning of a consumption practice in three ways: through selection, validation, and realization. Interpreted through the lens of institutional theory, these findings suggest that studies of legitimation should consider changes in public discourse and legal regulation in addition to consumer perceptions of legitimacy.

Iusitini L; Gao WZ; Sundborn G; Paterson J. Parenting practices among fathers of a cohort of Pacific infants in New Zealand. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology 42(1): 39-55, 2011. (63 refs.)

This study examined the nurturing and harsh disciplinary parenting practices of fathers of a cohort of Pacific children born in New Zealand. At the 12-month measurement point, 823 fathers completed a modified version of the Parent Behavior Checklist comprising 15 items, 10 forming a Nurturing subscale and 5 forming a Harsh Discipline subscale. Findings revealed that a majority of Pacific fathers never or rarely used harsh discipline with their 12-month-old child, and hitting with an object was extremely rare. Levels of nurturance were more mixed, with playing and praise being common, but provision and reading of books being relatively uncommon. Multivariate logistic regression showed that relatively low Nurturance scores were associated with cultural separation, lower formal education, and nonpartnered marital status. Relatively high Harsh Discipline scores were associated with partnered marital status, gambling, and harmful alcohol consumption. Relatively low Harsh Discipline scores were associated with Tongan ethnicity and cultural maintenance.

Jiang RT; Cheng KC; Acevedo-Bolton V; Klepeis NE; Repace JL; Ott WR; Hildemann LM. Measurement of fine particles and smoking activity in a statewide survey of 36 California Indian casinos. Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology 21(1): 31-41, 2011. (41 refs.)

Despite California's 1994 statewide smoking ban, exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) continues in California's Indian casinos. Few data are available on exposure to airborne fine particles (PM2.5) in casinos, especially on a statewide basis. We sought to measure PM2.5 concentrations in Indian casinos widely distributed across California, exploring differences due to casino size, separation of smoking and non-smoking areas, and area smoker density. A selection of 36 out of the 58 Indian casinos throughout California were each visited for 1-3 h on weekend or holiday evenings, using two or more concealed monitors to measure PM2.5 concentrations every 10 s. For each casino, the physical dimensions and the number of patrons and smokers were estimated. As a preliminary assessment of representativeness, we also measured eight casinos in Reno, NV. The average PM2.5 concentration for the smoking slot machine areas (63 mu g/m(3)) was nine times as high as outdoors (7 mu g/m(3)), whereas casino non-smoking restaurants (29 mu g/m(3)) were four times as high. Levels in non-smoking slot machine areas varied: complete physical separation reduced concentrations almost to outdoor levels, but two other separation types had mean levels that were 13 and 29 mu g/m(3), respectively, higher than outdoors. Elevated PM2.5 concentrations in casinos can be attributed primarily to SHS. Average PM2.5 concentrations during 0.5-1 h visits to smoking areas exceeded 35 mu g/m(3) for 90% of the casino visits.

Kennedy SH; Welsh BR; Fulton K; Soczynska JK; McIntyre RS; O'Donovan C et al. Frequency and correlates of gambling problems in outpatients with major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 55(9): 568-576, 2010. (24 refs.)

Objective: To investigate the frequency of gambling in people who have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) or bipolar disorder (BD). Secondary objectives were to examine: sex differences in the rates of gambling behaviour, the temporal relation between onset of mood disorders and problem gambling, psychiatric comorbidities associated with problem gambling, and the influences of problem gambling on quality of life. Method: People (aged 18 years and older) who met criteria for lifetime Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision-defined MDD or BD I or II, and were confirmed by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, were enrolled. Participants were recruited from 5 sites in Canada and 1 in the United States. Prevalence of past-year problem gambling was assessed with the Canadian Problem Gambling Index. Associated comorbidities with problem gambling are presented. Results: A total of 579 participants were enrolled (female: n = 379, male: n = 200). Prevalence of problem gambling did not differ significantly between the MDD (12.5%) and the BD (12.3%) groups. There was a significant difference in the prevalence of problem gambling between males (19.5%) and females (7.8%) in the BD group (chi(2) = 8.695, df = 1, P = 0.003). Among people meeting criteria for problem gambling, the mood disorder was the primary onset condition in 71% of cases. People with a mood disorder with comorbid current panic disorder (OR = 1.96; 95% CI 1.02 to 3.75), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OR = 1.86; 95% CI 1.01 to 3.45), specific phobia (OR = 2.36; 95% CI 1.17 to 4.76), alcohol dependence (OR = 5.73; 95% CI 3.08 to 10.65), or lifetime substance dependence (OR = 2.05; 95% CI 1.17 to 3.58), had significantly increased odds of problem gambling. Problem gambling across MDD and BD populations was also associated with lower quality of life ratings. Conclusion: These results reaffirm a higher prevalence of gambling both in BD and in MDD populations, compared with previously published community samples. Our study also identifies risk factors for gambling behaviours within these populations.

King SM; Abrams K; Wilkinson T. Personality, gender, and family history in the prediction of college gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(3): 347-359, 2010. (47 refs.)

The present study examined the degree to which gambling behaviors and gambling-relevant cognitive distortions could be predicted by personality factors, gender, and familial history of substance use and gambling problems in a large sample of college students (N = 581). Results indicate that parental gambling problems and, especially for males, a propensity to experience negative emotions predicted time spent gambling and gambling problems. Negative emotionality, along with parental substance use problems, impulsivity, and being male predicted gambling-related cognitive distortions. The differing pattern for impulsivity with respect to behaviors and beliefs might be explained by the low accessibility of gambling venues for the student population. We compare the present findings with past studies examining gambling behaviors in adult populations.

Kristiansen S; Jensen SM. Prevalence of gambling problems among adolescents in the Nordic countries: An overview of national gambling surveys 1997-2009. International Journal of Social Welfare 20(1): 75-86, 2011. (49 refs.)

The study presents an overview of prevalence studies focusing on problem and pathological gambling among adolescent populations in the Nordic countries. Past-year prevalence of problem gambling among adolescents in the Nordic countries ranges from 0.4 per cent (Denmark) to 4.2 per cent (Sweden). Past-year prevalence of pathological gambling ranges from 0.1 per cent (Denmark) to 1.76 per cent (Norway). Results: from the Nordic countries also show that boys gamble more than girls, older adolescents gamble more than younger adolescents and that, as shown in adult prevalence surveys, problem gambling is more widespread among adolescents than among adults. It is concluded that investigations of gambling problems among adolescents in the Nordic countries differ regarding age groups, sampling procedures, response rates, nomenclature and screening instruments, all of which complicates valid comparisons. More collaboration between researchers from different countries is urged in order to improve comparability between national studies.

Le AT; Miller PW; Slutske WS; Martin NG. Are attitudes towards economic risk heritable? Analyses using the Australian twin study of gambling. Twin Research and Human Genetics 13(4): 330-339, 2010. (31 refs.)

This study employs multiple regression models based on DeFries and Fulker (1985), and a large sample of twins, to assess heritability in attitudes towards economic risk, and the extent to which this heritability differs between males and females. Consistent with Cesarini//// (2009), it is found that attitudes towards risk are moderately heritable, with about 20 percent of the variation in these attitudes across individuals being linked to genetic differences. This value is less than one-half the estimates reported by Zyphur et al. (2009) and Zhong et al. (2009). While females are more risk averse than males, there is no evidence that heritability in attitudes towards risk differs between males and females. Even though heritability is shown to be important to economic risk-taking, the analyses suggest that multivariate studies of the determinants of attitudes towards risk which to not take heritability into consideration still provide reliable estimates of the partial effects of other key variables, such as gender and educational attainment.

Ledgerwood DM; Petry NM. Subtyping pathological gamblers based on impulsivity, depression, and anxiety. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 24(4): 680-688, 2010. (54 refs.)

This study examined putative subtypes of pathological gamblers (PGs) based on the Pathways model, and it also evaluated whether the subtypes would benefit differentially from treatment. Treatment-seeking PGs (N = 229) were categorized into Pathways subtypes based on scores from questionnaires assessing anxiety, depression, and impulsivity. The Addiction Severity Index-Gambling assessed severity of gambling problems at baseline, posttreatment. and 12-month follow-up. Compared with behaviorally conditioned (BC) gamblers, emotionally vulnerable (EV) gamblers had higher psychiatric and gambling severity. and were more likely to have a parent with a psychiatric history. Antisocial impulsive (AI) gamblers also had elevated gambling and psychiatric severity relative to BC gamblers. They were more likely to have antisocial personality disorder and had the highest legal and family/social severity scores. They were also most likely to have a history of substance abuse treatment, history of inpatient psychiatric treatment, and a parent with a substance use or gambling problem. AI and EV gamblers experienced greater gambling severity throughout treatment than BC gamblers. hut all three subtypes demonstrated similar patterns of treatment response. Thus, the three Pathways subtypes differ on some baseline characteristics, but subtyping did not predict treatment outcomes beyond a simple association with problem gambling severity.

Lee GP; Storr CL; Ialongo NS; Martins SS. Compounded effect of early adolescence depressive symptoms and impulsivity on late adolescence gambling: A longitudinal study. Journal of Adolescent Health 48(2): 164-169, 2011. (38 refs.)

Purpose: Depression and impulsivity have been positively correlated to problem gambling, but no study has focused on their combined effects on the onset of problem gambling. This study examined the possible synergistic effect of depressive symptoms and impulsivity in early adolescence on late adolescence gambling behaviors among a longitudinal cohort of 678 students from Baltimore, Maryland. Methods: The South Oaks Gambling Screen-Revised for Adolescents, Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation-Revised, and Baltimore How I Feel-Adolescent Version, were used to assess late adolescence gambling behaviors, early adolescence impulsivity, and depressive symptoms, respectively. Data analyses were conducted using analysis of variance and binary logistic regression models. Results: Problem gamblers (PGs) were 12% of the sample (includes at-risk and PGs), 87.5% of whom were males and 12.5% were females (p < .001). Among males, there appeared to be a slight association between early adolescence depressive symptoms and late adolescence problem gambling. Compared with nongamblers and social gamblers, depressive symptoms increased the odds of problem gambling by four-fold (PGs vs. nongamblers: OR = 4.1, 95% CI = .73-22.47, p = .11; PGs vs. social gamblers: OR = 3.9, 95% CI = .78-19.31, p = .10). Among those with high depressive symptoms, increases in impulsivity decreased the odds of problem gambling while among those with high impulsivity, increases in depressive symptoms decreased the odds of problem gambling. Conclusions: Early adolescence depressive symptoms appear to be more positively associated with late adolescence problem gambling than early adolescence impulsivity, there seems to be a divisive interaction between depressive symptoms and impulsivity on problem gambling.

Linnet J; Moller A; Peterson E; Gjedde A; Doudet D. Dopamine release in ventral striatum during Iowa Gambling Task performance is associated with increased excitement levels in pathological gambling. Addiction 106(2): 383-390, 2011. (51 refs.)

Aims: Gambling excitement is believed to be associated with biological measures of pathological gambling. Here, we tested the hypothesis that dopamine release would be associated with increased excitement levels in Pathological Gamblers compared with Healthy Controls. Design: Pathological Gamblers and Healthy Controls were experimentally compared in a non-gambling (baseline) and gambling condition. Measurements: We used Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with the tracer raclopride to measure dopamine D 2/3 receptor availability in the ventral striatum during a non-gambling and gambling condition of the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). After each condition participants rated their excitement level. Setting: Laboratory experiment. Participants: 18 Pathological Gamblers and 16 Healthy Controls. Findings: Pathological Gamblers with dopamine release in the ventral striatum had significantly higher excitement levels than Healthy Controls despite lower IGT performance. No differences in excitement levels and IGT performance were found between Pathological Gamblers and Healthy Controls without dopamine release. Pathological Gamblers showed a significant correlation between dopamine release and excitement level, while no such interaction was found in Healthy Controls. Conclusions: In pathological gamblers dopamine release in the ventral striatum appears to be associated with increased excitement levels despite lower IGT performance. The results might suggest a 'double deficit' function of dopamine in pathological gambling, where dopamine release reinforces maladaptive gambling through increasing excitement levels, reducing inhibition of risky decisions, or a combination of both. These findings may have implications for the understanding of dopamine in pathological gambling and other forms of addiction.

Linnet J; Moller A; Peterson E; Gjedde A; Doudet D. Inverse association between dopaminergic neurotransmission and Iowa Gambling Task performance in pathological gamblers and healthy controls. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 52(1): 28-34, 2011. (47 refs.)

The dopamine system is believed to affect gambling behavior in pathological gambling. Particularly, dopamine release in the ventral striatum appears to affect decision-making in the disorder. This study investigated dopamine release in the ventral striatum in relation to gambling performance on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) in 16 Pathological Gamblers (PG) and 14 Healthy Controls (HC). We used Positron Emission Tomography (PET) to measure the binding potential of [11C] raclopride to dopamine D2/3 receptors during a baseline and gambling condition. We hypothesized that decreased raclopride binding potentials in the ventral striatum during gambling (indicating dopamine release) would be associated with higher IGT performance in Healthy Controls, but lower IGT performance in Pathological Gamblers. The results showed that Pathological Gamblers with dopamine release in the ventral striatum had significantly lower IGT performance than Healthy Controls. Furthermore, dopamine release was associated with significantly higher IGT performance in Healthy Controls and significantly lower IGT performance in Pathological Gamblers. The results suggest that dopamine release is involved both in adaptive and maladaptive decision-making. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of dopaminergic dysfunctions in pathological gambling and substance related addictions.

Linnet J; Peterson E; Doudet DJ; Gjedde A; Moller A. Dopamine release in ventral striatum of pathological gamblers losing money. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 122(4): 326-333, 2010. (57 refs.)

Objective: To investigate dopaminergic neurotransmission in relation to monetary reward and punishment in pathological gambling. Pathological gamblers (PG) often continue gambling despite losses, known as 'chasing one's losses'. We therefore hypothesized that losing money would be associated with increased dopamine release in the ventral striatum of PG compared with healthy controls (HC). Method: We used Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with [11C]raclopride to measure dopamine release in the ventral striatum of 16 PG and 15 HC playing the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). Results: PG who lost money had significantly increased dopamine release in the left ventral striatum compared with HC. PG and HC who won money did not differ in dopamine release. Conclusion: Our findings suggest a dopaminergic basis of monetary losses in pathological gambling, which might explain loss-chasing behavior. The findings may have implications for the understanding of dopamine dysfunctions and impaired decision-making in pathological gambling and substance-related addictions.

Livingstone C. Commentary on Dixon et al. (2010): Unscrambling the egg. (editorial). Addiction 105(10): 1825-1826, 2010. (11 refs.)

Livingstone C; Adams PJ. Harm promotion: Observations on the symbiosis between government and private industries in Australasia for the development of highly accessible gambling markets. Addiction 106(1): 3-8, 2011. (41 refs.)

Aim: To illustrate ways in which industry control over the gambling market and its regulatory system have enabled rapid proliferation in gambling consumption and harm. Method: To discuss the relationship between government regulation and the accessibility, marketing and technologies of electronic gambling machines in Australia and New Zealand. Findings: The regulatory framework for gambling in both countries has encouraged highly accessible, regressively distributed and heavily marketed high-impact electronic gambling machines. This framework has developed in large part through the conjunction of government revenue needs and the adaptation of a folk model of gambling appropriated by gambling businesses and engineered to incorporate a discourse that legitimates their gambling businesses. Conclusion: Governments should be encouraged to invest in 'upstream' public health strategies that contain the economic and social drivers for intensifying gambling consumption. One key aspect involves questioning the most suitable scale, location and marketing of gambling operations, and the reliance of government on gambling revenues (whether directly or as substitution for other government expenditure). Technological solutions to disrupt the development of obsessive gambling habits are also available and are likely to reduce gambling-related harm.

Livingstone C; Adams P. Observations on the symbiosis between government and private industries for the development of highly accessible gambling markets. Addiction 106(1): 13-14, 2011. (5 refs.)

Lloyd J; Doll H; Hawton K; Dutton WH; Geddes JR; Goodwin GM et al. How psychological symptoms relate to different motivations for gambling: An online study of internet gamblers. Biological Psychiatry 68(8): 733-740, 2010. (69 refs.)

Background: Gambling can be motivated by both its hedonic value and by attempts to cope with dysphoric or stressful states. Thus, motivations constitute important mechanisms linking mood fluctuations and gambling. However, little is known about how different kinds of affective disturbance, such as mood elevation and dysphoria, motivate gambling behavior. Methods: To estimate relationships between different mood experiences and gambling motivations, we recruited 4125 Internet gamblers via hyperlinks placed on gambling Web sites. Mean (SD) age of respondents was 35.5 (11.8) years, with 79.1% (3263) being male and 68.8% (2838) UK residents. We collected ratings for 11 gambling motivations. We used principal components analysis, followed by hierarchical linear regression, to model the relationships between motivation factor scores and gambling behavior, depressive symptoms, hypomanic experiences, deliberate self-harm, and alcohol and substance misuse. Results: Gambling to regulate mood, gambling for monetary goals, and gambling for enjoyment were enhanced in individuals at heightened risk of problematic gambling, with mood regulation and enjoyment factors being enhanced in female compared with male problem gamblers. Lowered mood reduced the enjoyment motivation, whereas previous mood elevation enhanced it. Gambling problems alongside previous hypomanic experiences or current dysphoria enhanced gambling to regulate emotional states. Conclusions: Recent theorizing argues that mood disorders and pathologic gambling may share aspects of pathophysiology. Different forms of emotional disturbance, such as mood elevation and dysphoric states, which confer heightened risk for bipolar disorder and depression, are associated with divergent motivations that might represent distinct pathways into gambling behavior.

Lloyd J; Doll H; Hawton K; Dutton WH; Geddes JR; Goodwin GM et al. Internet gamblers: A latent class analysis of their behaviours and health experiences. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(3): 387-399, 2010. (42 refs.)

In order to learn about the behaviours and health experiences of people who gamble on the Internet, we conducted an international online survey with respondents recruited via gambling and gambling-related websites. The mean (SD) age of the 4,125 respondents completing the survey was 35.5 (11.8) years, with 79.1% being male and 68.8% UK residents. Respondents provided demographic details and completed validated psychometric screening instruments for problem gambling, mood disturbances, as well as alcohol and substance misuse, and history of deliberate self harm. We applied latent class analysis to respondents' patterns of regular online gambling activities, and identified subgroups of individuals who used the Internet to gamble in different ways (L-2 = 44.27, bootstrap P = 0.07). We termed the characteristic profiles as 'non-to-minimal gamblers'; 'sports bettors'; 'casino & sports gamblers'; 'lottery players'; and 'multi-activity gamblers'. Furthermore, these subgroups of respondents differed on other demographic and psychological dimensions, with significant inter-cluster differences in proportion of individuals scoring above threshold for problem gambling, mood disorders and substance misuse, and history of deliberate self harm (all X(2)s > 23.4, all P-values <0.001). The 'casino & sports' and 'multi-activity-gamblers' clusters had the highest prevalence of mental disorder. Internet gamblers appear to be heterogeneous but composed of several subgroups, differing markedly on both demographic and clinical characteristics.

Lorains FK; Cowlishaw S; Thomas SA. Prevalence of comorbid disorders in problem and pathological gambling: Systematic review and meta-analysis of population surveys. (review). Addiction 106(3): 490-498, 2011. (60 refs.)

Aims: This paper reviews evidence pertaining to the prevalence of common comorbid disorders, including alcohol use disorder, depression, substance use disorders, nicotine dependence, anxiety disorders and antisocial personality disorder, in population-representative samples of problem and pathological gamblers. Methods: A systematic search was conducted for peer-reviewed and unpublished articles reported between 1 January 1998 and 20 September 2010. Only studies which examined the prevalence of comorbid conditions in problem and/or pathological gamblers from a general population sample using randomized sampling methods and standardized measurement tools were included. Meta-analysis techniques were then performed to synthesize the included studies and estimate the weighted mean effect size and heterogeneity across studies. Results: Eleven eligible studies were identified from the literature. Results from across the studies indicated that problem and pathological gamblers had high rates of other comorbid disorders. The highest mean prevalence was for nicotine dependence (60.1%), followed by a substance use disorder (57.5%), any type of mood disorder (37.9%) and any type of anxiety disorder (37.4%). However, there was evidence of moderate heterogeneity across studies, suggesting that rate estimates do not necessarily converge around a single population figure, and that weighted means should be interpreted with caution. Conclusions: Problem and pathological gamblers experience high levels of other comorbid mental health disorders and screening for comorbid disorders upon entering treatment for gambling problems is recommended. Further research is required to explore the underlying causes of variability observed in the prevalence estimates.

Lyk-Jensen SV. New evidence from the grey area: Danish results for at-risk gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(3): 455-467, 2010. (26 refs.)

This study investigates the differences between at-risk gamblers and no-risk gamblers to provide a closer inspection of the characteristics and gambling behavior of at-risk gamblers. The data stem from the first Danish large-scale nationwide study, in 2005, followed by a second wave interview in 2006. The first wave sample consists of 4,932 current gamblers with no current gambling problems or pathology, and the second wave re-interviewed 379 of them. The analysis involves both a logistic regression and cross-tabulations. The results show that at-risk gamblers and no-risk gamblers have significantly different socio-demographic profiles and gambling behaviors. At-risk gambling is more prevalent for men, young-to-middle-aged people, and immigrants, and at-risk gamblers are more likely to have low income, low education, and no children living at home. This study shows that playing high-risk games substantially increases the odds for at-risk gambling. This finding is important for all professionals involved in preventive work.

MacLaren VV; Best LA; Dixon MJ; Harrigan KA. Problem gambling and the five factor model in university students. Personality and Individual Differences 50(3): 335-338, 2011. (33 refs.)

The personality traits of treatment-seeking problem gamblers have been compared to healthy control groups in several studies and, although there is consistent evidence for high Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness in problem gamblers, past results may have been affected by selection bias. The current study replicated these findings in a correlational design. The participants were nontreatment-seeking undergraduate students who were screened for excessive and potentially addictive self-defeating behaviors. The Shorter Promis Questionnaire and the NEO PI-R were completed by undergraduate students at two Canadian universities (N = 369). Scores on the gambling subscale showed modest but statistically significant correlations with high Neuroticism, low Agreeableness, and low Conscientiousness. Regression of the gambling subscale onto the facet scores found significant effects of high Impulsiveness and Self-discipline, and low Straightforwardness and Dutifulness. These results suggest that negative affect and disinhibited traits may be risk factors for the development of problem gambling. The results obtained in this and other studies cannot be accounted for by the populations sampled, by selection bias, or by the instrument used to quantify symptoms of problem gambling.

McComb JL; Sabiston CM. Family influences on adolescent gambling behavior: A review of the Literature. (review). Journal of Gambling Studies 26(4): 503-520, 2010. (57 refs.)

Gambling, and gambling related problems, are recognized as an emerging health issue among adolescents. Adolescent gambling is associated with numerous individual, social, and family characteristics. This paper provides a review of 21 empirical studies published between 1997 and 2008 that examine family influences on adolescent gambling behavior. Family influences on gambling behavior are conceptualized in the following five domains: (1) family sociodemographic factors, (2) general family climate, (3) family members' attitudes and behaviors, (4) parenting practices, and (5) family relationship characteristics. Based on the review of extant literature, there is empirical evidence that family characteristics are associated with adolescent gambling and further examination of family system influences on gambling behavior is needed. Gaps in the current literature and recommendations for future research are discussed to help inform the study of family influences on adolescent gambling behavior.

Milosevic A; Ledgerwood DM. The subtyping of pathological gambling: A comprehensive review. (review). Clinical Psychology Review 30(8): 988-998, 2010. (51 refs.)

Pathological gamblers (PGs) present with various forms of psychopathology, maladaptive personality traits, and gambling motivations. Some suggest that this variability supports classification of PGs into distinct subtypes. Subtyping models are thought to have implications for understanding pathological gambling (PG) etiology and treatment outcomes. This review evaluates the existing literature on the subtyping of PGs based on psychopathology, personality, and/or motivation for gambling. We conclude that three PG subtypes consistently emerge from the empirical literature, and should be the focus of future study. These subtypes closely parallel the three types of gamblers presented in Blaszczynski and Nower's (2002) conceptual pathways model. We suggest that future investigations on PG subtypes build upon the theoretical framework of the pathways model, but also address the limitations of prior studies.

Mishra S; Lalumiere ML; Williams RJ. Gambling as a form of risk-taking: Individual differences in personality, risk-accepting attitudes, and behavioral preferences for risk. Personality and Individual Differences 49(6): 616-621, 2010. (35 refs.)

Substantial evidence suggests that various forms of risk-taking co-occur within individuals. We examined whether indicators of risk-propensity, including self-reported personality traits, laboratory-based behavioral measures of risk, and self-reported attitudes toward risk in various domains were associated with general gambling involvement and problem gambling behavior in a sample of university students, using an extreme-groups design. Personality traits and attitudes toward risk were correlated with both problem gambling and general gambling involvement. Behavioral measures were positively correlated with general gambling involvement. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that both problem gambling and general gambling involvement loaded on single factors with other measures of risk, suggesting that gambling represents one expression of a general propensity for risk-taking. Future study of the causes of gambling behavior may benefit from integration within a more general framework of risk-taking.

Mishra S; Morgan M; Lalumiere ML; Williams RJ. Journal of Gambling Studies. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(3): 373-386, 2010. (35 refs.)

Little is known about the situational factors associated with gambling behavior. We induced 180 male participants (mean age: 21.6) into a positive, negative, or neutral mood prior to gambling on a video lottery terminal (VLT). While gambling, participants were observed by either a male peer, female peer, or no one. Induced mood had no effect on gambling behavior. Participants induced into a negative mood prior to gambling, however, reported more positive moods after gambling, whereas those with positive and neutral moods reported more negative moods after gambling. Participants observed by either a male or female peer spent less time gambling on the VLT compared to those not observed. Participants observed by a female peer lost less money relative to the other observer conditions. Degree of problem gambling in the last year had little influence on these effects. Some practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Munoz Y; Chebat JC; Suissa JA. Using fear appeals in warning labels to promote responsible gambling among VLT players: The key role of depth of information processing. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(4): 593-609, 2010. (53 refs.)

Video lottery terminals (VLT) are a highly lucrative gambling format, but at the same time they are among the most hazardous. Previous research has shown that threatening warnings may be an appropriate approach for promoting protective behavior. The present study explores the potential benefits of threatening warnings in the fight against compulsive gambling. A 4 x 2 factorial design experiment was used to test our model based on both Elaboration Likelihood Model and Protection Motivation Theory. 258 VLT adult players (58% males, 42% females) with various degrees of problem gambling were exposed to three threat levels (plus a control condition) from two different sources (i.e., either a medical source or a source related to the provider of VLT's). Our results show that both higher threat warnings and the medical source of warnings enhance Depth of Information Processing. It was also found that Depth of Information Processing affects positively attitude change and compliance intentions. The theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

Myrseth H; Brunborg GS; Eidem M. Differences in cognitive distortions between pathological and non-pathological gamblers with preferences for chance or skill games. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(4): 561-569, 2010. (29 refs.)

Cognitive distortions have been thought to play an important role in the development and maintenance of pathological gambling. The present study investigated whether severity of gambling problems and gamblers' preference for chance or skill games were related to two sub-factors of cognitive distortions as measured by the Gamblers Belief Questionnaire: Luck/Perseverance, which reflects an individual's perception that chance is favorable to him/her, and Illusion of Control, which reflects an individual's perception that his/her behavior influences chance occurrences. Participants (N = 166) were recruited from a race track (n = 79), off-course betting facilities (n = 50) and from an online treatment program for problem gamblers (n = 49). Gambling severity was measured by the South Oaks Gambling Screen, and 73 were classified as pathological gamblers whereas 93 were classified as non-pathological gamblers. The present study supports previous proposals that cognitive distortions are core processes related to gambling behavior as pathological gamblers reported more cognitive distortions than did non-pathological gamblers. A preference for skill games was also associated with greater Illusion of Control compared to a preference for chance games. For gamblers preferring skill games there were no differences in Luck/Perseverance or Illusion of Control between pathological and non-pathological gamblers.

Najavits LM. Treatment utilization of pathological gamblers with and without PTSD. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(4): 583-592, 2010. (26 refs.)

This paper represents the first study of treatment utilization among pathological gamblers with and without PTSD. Comorbidity of PG and PTSD is increasingly recognized as an important association, both in its rate and clinical severity. The sample comprised 106 adults from the community (35 with current PG; 36 with current PTSD, and 35 with BOTH). Four areas were addressed: current treatment utilization, lifetime treatment utilization, specific treatments utilized, and satisfaction with treatments. Results indicated that the presence of PTSD was associated with higher treatment utilization (for current utilization, PTSD was higher than PG; and for lifetime, PTSD and PTSD/PG were both higher than PG). Indeed, only a minority of the PG group had ever attended current or lifetime treatment, whereas the majority of PTSD and PTSD/PG had. Yet notably, those with PG who utilized current treatment had no less satisfaction, number of treatment types, nor number of days in treatment than the other two groups. For all three groups, the most common current treatments were individual therapy and psychiatric medications. Study strengths include a rigorously diagnosed sample; an extensive interview-based assessment of treatment utilization, and identification of both current and lifetime utilization. Limitations include the inability to explore change over time or test-retest reliability of responses.

Nalpas B; Yguel J; Fleury B; Martin S; Jarraud D; Craplet M. Pathological gambling in treatment-seeking alcoholics: A national survey in France. Alcohol and Alcoholism 46(2): 156-160, 2011. (28 refs.)

Aims: To estimate the prevalence of pathological gambling (pG) in people addicted to alcohol and drugs, particularly those with alcohol use disorders (AUDs), including new forms of gambling such as video and on-line games; and to update the socio-demographic profile of people suffering from both AUD and pG. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 1 week of 2009 in 55 French addiction treatment centres, including all consecutive patients attending that centre, using an anonymous questionnaire which included a tool specific for pG screening, the DEBA-jeu questionnaire (Detection et Besoin d'Aide en regard du Jeu Excessif). Results: A total of 2790 patients entered the study. The most frequent reason for attending the Addiction Centres was AUD (77%). According to the DEBA test, 6.5% of the patients were pathological gamblers and 12% were subsyndromal gamblers. pG affected all age groups and did not decrease with abstinence from alcohol. pG was significantly associated with male sex [relative risk (RR) = 2.4; P < 0.001)] and, at a lower level of significance, with homelessness (RR = 1.52; P = 0.03) and unemployment (RR = 1.47; P = 0.04). Conclusions: pG appears to be a common feature of the French people with alcohol and drug disorders. Apart from male sex, no parameter had discriminatory power sufficient to target pG screening on a specific subgroup. Therefore, any patient attending a centre for drug or AUD should be asked about his gambling. Moreover, clinical teams should be trained to treat this addiction.

Nower L; Blaszczynski A. Gambling motivations, money-limiting strategies, and precommitment preferences of problem versus non-problem gamblers. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(3): 361-372, 2010. (24 refs.)

Studies attempting to identify the specific 'addictive' features of electronic gaming machines (EGMs) have yielded largely inconclusive results, suggesting that it is the interaction between a gambler's cognitions and the machine, rather than the machine itself, which fuels excessive play. Research has reported that machine players with gambling problems adopt a number of erroneous cognitive perceptions regarding the probability of winning and the nature of randomness. What is unknown, however, is whether motivations for gambling and attitudes toward pre-session monetary limit-setting vary across levels of gambling severity, and whether proposed precommitment strategies would be useful in minimizing excessive gambling expenditures. The current study explored these concepts in a sample of 127 adults, ages 18 to 81, attending one of four gambling venues in Queensland, Australia. The study found that problem gamblers were more likely than other gamblers to play machines to earn income or escape their problems rather than for fun and enjoyment. Similarly, they were less likely to endorse any type of monetary limit-setting prior to play. They were also reticent to adopt the use of a 'smart card' or other strategy to limit access to money during a session, though they indicated they lost track of money while gambling and were rarely aware of whether they were winning or losing during play. Implications for precommitment policies and further research are discussed.

Pagani LS; Derevensky JL; Japel C. Does early emotional distress predict later child involvement in gambling? Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 55(8): 507-513, 2010. (44 refs.)

Objective: Younger people are engaging in gambling, with some showing excessive involvement. Although a consequence of gambling could be anxiety and depression, emotional distress could be a precursor to gambling involvement. This could reflect developmental proneness toward problem behaviour. We assessed whether early emotional distress directly influences later gambling or if it operates through an indirect pathway. Methods: Using a prospective longitudinal design, an intentional subsample of children from the 1999 kindergarten cohort of the Montreal Longitudinal Preschool Study (Quebec) from intact families were retraced in 2005 for follow-up in Grade 6. Consenting parents and children were separately interviewed. Key child variables and sources included kindergarten teacher ratings of emotional distress and impulsivity and self-reported parent and child gambling. Results: Higher levels of teacher-rated emotional distress in kindergarten significantly predicted a higher propensity toward later gambling behaviour. Impulsivity, a factor often comorbidly present with emotional distress, completely explained this predictive relation above and beyond potential child- and family-related confounds, including parental gambling. Conclusions: Children with higher levels of emotional distress at kindergarten were more inclined toward child gambling behaviour in Grade 6. The influence of early emotional distress completely vanished when behaviours reflecting impulsivity were considered when predicting later child gambling behaviour. The relation between emotional distress and child gambling involvement in children was thus explained by its comorbidity with early impulsivity. This study does not rule out the possibility that emotional distress could become a correlate or consequence of excessive involvement in gambling activities at a later developmental period.

Pallanti S; Bernardi S; Allen A; Hollander E. Serotonin function in pathological gambling: Blunted growth hormone response to sumatriptan. Journal of Psychopharmacology 24(12): 1802-1809, 2010. (51 refs.)

Pathological gambling is a disruptive behaviour and an important public health concern that is classified as an impulse control disorder, and is also conceptualized as a prototype of 'behavioural addiction'. Its phenomenology cannot be reduced to a single neurobiological dysfunction; instead, it has been conceived as a complex chain of events in which the serotonergic system (5-HT) has often been suggested as one of the most prominent involved. Acute administration of Sumatriptan, a selective 5-HT1B/1D agonist, has been used to investigate the functional responsivity of 5-HT1B/1D receptors in alcoholics, resulting in a blunted growth hormone response. These findings have been interpreted as being due to the down-regulation of these receptors. However, previous studies could not rule out the possibility that the changes in receptor function were induced by chronic substance exposure. Twenty-two pathological gamblers and 19 healthy control subjects were evaluated in response to double-blind administration of both a single dose of oral Sumatriptan (100mg) and of placebo in a crossover design. All participants were screened to ensure that they were negative for lifetime alcohol and drug addiction, and had been free of substance abuse for at least 6 months. Outcome measures included growth hormone, prolactin, gambling severity, mood, craving and 'high' change scales. A blunted growth hormone response was observed in pathological gamblers compared with healthy controls after Sumatriptan administration. No statistically significant differences were found for prolactin or behavioural measures, except for an increase in anxiety over time in pathological gamblers. These results, together with those obtained in our previous serotoninergic challenge study, document the presence of a serotonergic dysfunction in pathological gamblers similar to that reported in alcoholics.

Pedrelli P; Bitran S; Shyu I; Baer L; Guidi J; Tucker DD et al. Compulsive alcohol use and other high-risk behaviors among college students. American Journal on Addictions 20(1): 14-20, 2011. (34 refs.)

The association between heavy alcohol consumption and risky behaviors has been amply investigated among college students. However, less is known with regard to types of drinking behaviors associated with high-risk activities. The present study extends this area of research by examining the relationship between compulsive drinking and hazardous behaviors in this population. Nine hundred and four college students completed measures on compulsive drinking and other risky behaviors in the context of mental health screenings at three campuses. Results showed that in males, compulsive drinking increased the risk for compulsive street drugs use, compulsive prescription drugs use, compulsive sexual activities, and gambling. Among females, compulsive drinking increased the risk for compulsive street drugs use, and compulsive sexual activities. These findings suggest that inquiring about compulsive drinking among college students may have great utility in identifying those at greater risk for other risky behaviors. The high co-occurrence of compulsive drinking, illicit substances, compulsive sexual activities, and gambling in college students suggests the need for comprehensive programs addressing high-risk behaviors together.

Peterson E; Moller A; Doudet DJ; Bailey CJ; Hansen KV; Rodell A et al. Pathological gambling: Relation of skin conductance response to dopaminergic neurotransmission and sensation-seeking. European Neuropsychopharmacology 20(11): 766-775, 2010. (58 refs.)

Absent Skin Conductance Response (SCR) in pathological gambling (PG) may relate to dopaminergic mechanisms. We recruited equal numbers of PG subjects and healthy control (HC) subjects, and then tested the claim that SCR is less conditioned by dopaminergic activity in PG subjects. During active gambling, SCR differed in PG and HC subjects (P<0.05), but positron emission tomography revealed the same dopamine receptor availability. However, highly sensation-seeking (HS) PG subjects had lower dopamine receptor availability (P<0.0001) in the baseline, compared to normal sensation-seeking (NS) PG subjects. We find that HS versus NS controls had the same observation of significant increase of binding potential (BPND) in high compared to normal sensation seekers. In both groups, PG and HC, highly sensation-seeking subjects had significant increase of receptor availability in striatum, compared to normally sensation-seeking subjects, separately (P<0.05 and P = 0.02, respectively) and together (P<0.0005). We conclude that SCR is less conditioned by dopaminergic activity in highly sensation-seeking subjects, regardless of PG status.

Petry NM. Commentary on Van Rooij, et al. (2011): 'Gaming addiction' - a psychiatric disorder or not? (editorial). Addiction 106(1): 213-214, 2011. (19 refs.)

Petry NM; Alessi SM. Prize-based contingency management is efficacious in cocaine-abusing patients with and without recent gambling participation. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 39(3): 282-288, 2010. (45 refs.)

Prize-based contingency management (CM) is efficacious in treating cocaine abuse, and the chance-based Procedures of prize CM may be appealing to those who gamble. Using data from three randomized trials, we evaluated whether cocaine-abusing patients who had wagered in the month before treatment (n = 62) responded more favorably to prize CM than those who had not (n = 278). Participants were randomized to standard care (SC) or SC plus prize CM. Although prize CM was related to better outcomes overall, recent gambling was not associated with outcomes across or within treatment conditions. Gambling participation before treatment entry was associated with reductions in gambling over time, and this effect was more pronounced among those assigned to CM. These data suggest that prize CM is equally efficacious for substance-abusing patients who do and do not gamble, and they extend prior studies indicating that prize CM does not increase gambling.

Potenza MN; Wareham JD; Steinberg MA; Rugle L; Cavallo DA; Krishnan-Sarin S et al. Correlates of at-risk/problem internet gambling in adolescents. Journal of The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 50(2): 150-159, 2011. (41 refs.)

Objective: The Internet represents a new and widely available forum for gambling. However, relatively few studies have examined Internet gambling in adolescents. This study sought to investigate the correlates of at-risk or problem gambling in adolescents acknowledging or denying gambling on the Internet. Method: Survey data from 2,006 Connecticut high school student gamblers were analyzed using chi(2) and logistic regression analyses. Results: At-risk/problem gambling was found more frequently in adolescent Internet gamblers than in non-Internet gamblers. Compared with at-risk/problem gambling in the non-Internet gambling group, at-risk/problem gambling in the Internet gambling group was more strongly associated with poor academic performance and substance use (particularly current heavy alcohol use; odds ratio 2.99; p = .03) and less strongly associated with gambling with friends.(odds ratio 0.32; p = .0003). At-risk/problem gambling in the Internet and non-Internet gambling groups, respectively, was associated at p < .05, each with multiple adverse measurements including dysphoria/depression (odds ratios 1.76 and 1.96), getting into serious fights (odds ratios 2.50 and 1.93), carrying weapons (odds ratios 2.11 and 1.90), and use of tobacco (odds ratios 2.05 and 1.88 for regular use), marijuana (odds ratios 2.02 and 1.39), and other drugs (odds ratios 3.24 and 1.67). Conclusions: Clinically, it is important to assess for teenagers' involvement in Internet gambling, particularly because adolescent at-risk/problem Internet gambling appears specifically associated with nonpeer involvement, heavy alcohol use, and poor academic functioning.

Reith G. Regulating harm: Gambling technology and the challenges for Great Britain. Addiction 106(1): 9-10, 2011. (14 refs.)

Rockloff MJ; Greer N. Never smile at a crocodile: Betting on electronic gaming machines is intensified by reptile-induced arousal. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(4): 571-581, 2010. (20 refs.)

Tourists at the Koorana Saltwater Crocodile Farm in Coowonga, Queensland, Australia, including 62 males and 41 females, aged 18-66 (M = 34.2, SD = 13.3), were randomly assigned to play a laptop-simulated Electronic Gaming Machine (EGM) either: (1) prior to entry, or (2) after having held a 1-m saltwater-crocodile. Gambling behavior; including bet-size, speed of betting, final payouts and trials played on the EGM; was investigated with respect to participants' assigned arousal condition, problem-gambling status, and affective state. At-risk gamblers with few self-reported negative emotions placed higher average bets at the EGM after having held the crocodile when compared to the control. In contrast, at-risk gamblers with many self-reported negative emotions placed lower average bets at the EGM after having held the crocodile. The results suggest that high arousal can intensify gambling in at-risk players, but only if this feeling state is not perceived as a negative emotion.

Rose LX; Penny WYK. An examination of factors that discourage slot play in Macau casinos. International Journal of Hospitality Management 30(1): 167-177, 2011. (54 refs.)

This research investigates the factors that discourage slot play by Chinese gamblers in Macau the main source of customers for the region s casinos The results of focus group discussions indicate that the servicescape (or service environment including floor layout cleanliness lighting etc) of the slot areas has little impact on whether Chinese gamblers play slot machines Customer survey findings reveal that gambling motivation betting preferences the culture of Chinese gamblers game characteristics (especially the si 7 e of the jackpot) and service provision are more important factors Several managerial implications are extracted from a study of players responses to possible improvements to slot machines.

Seguin M; Boyer R; Lesage A; McGirr A; Suissa A; Tousignant M et al. Suicide and gambling: Psychopathology and treatment-seeking. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 24(3): 541-547, 2010. (46 refs.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate suicides with a history of problem gambling (PG) and others with no such history (NPG) and to compare the two on mental health problems and service utilization. Data on a sample of 49 PG suicides and 73 NPG suicides were obtained front informants and hospital records. Psychopathology was prevalent in both groups, but problem gamblers were twice as likely to have a personality disorder. Moreover, PG suicides were less in contact with mental health services in their last month, their last year, and their lifetime. NPG suicides consulted specialized services from 3 (last month and last year) to 13 times (lifetime) as often as their PG counterparts. Lower service utilization associated with PG suicides argues in favor of stepping up detection, engagement in care and treatment with respect to problem gambling, especially when comorbidity is present.

Shorey LJ; Holtzman AR. Survey of significant developments in internet gambling. (editorial). Business Lawyer 66(1): 249-254, 2010. (48 legal refs.)

During the past year, activities related to the regulation of Internet gambling in the US have progressed. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) continued to generate uncertainty; Kentucky's attempt to seize domain names used by certain Internet gambling companies continued to generate news; Minnesota and the Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association Inc (iMEGA) resolved their differences concerning access to alleged gambling Web sites; and iMEGA's challenge to UIGEA failed in the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. In September 2008, the Commonwealth of Kentucky sought to seize 141 domain names for alleged Internet gambling Web sites on grounds that the names were used to facilitate gambling activities that violated Kentucky law. The 2009 survey mentioned iMEGA's challenge to the constitutionality of UIGEA, noting that the challenge was unsuccessful in the US District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Siler K. Social and psychological challenges of poker. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(3): 401-420, 2010. (49 refs.)

Poker is a competitive, social game of skill and luck, which presents players with numerous challenging strategic and interpersonal decisions. The adaptation of poker into a game played over the internet provides the unprecedented opportunity to quantitatively analyze extremely large numbers of hands and players. This paper analyzes roughly twenty-seven million hands played online in small-stakes, medium-stakes and high-stakes games. Using PokerTracker software, statistics are generated to (a) gauge the types of strategies utilized by players (i.e. the 'strategic demography') at each level and (b) examine the various payoffs associated with different strategies at varying levels of play. The results show that competitive edges attenuate as one moves up levels, and tight-aggressive strategies-which tend to be the most remunerative-become more prevalent. Further, payoffs for different combinations of cards, varies between levels, showing how strategic payoffs are derived from competitive interactions. Smaller-stakes players also have more difficulty appropriately weighting incentive structures with frequent small gains and occasional large losses. Consequently, the relationship between winning a large proportion of hands and profitability is negative, and is strongest in small-stakes games. These variations reveal a meta-game of rationality and psychology which underlies the card game. Adopting risk-neutrality to maximize expected value, aggression and appropriate mental accounting, are cognitive burdens on players, and underpin the rationality work-reconfiguring of personal preferences and goals-players engage into be competitive, and maximize their winning and profit chances.

Slutske WS; Piasecki TM; Blaszczynski A; Martin NG. Pathological gambling recovery in the absence of abstinence. Addiction 105(12): 2169-2175, 2010. (29 refs.)

Aims: To examine the role of abstinence from gambling versus controlled gambling in recovery from pathological gambling (PG) in a community-based survey. Design Individuals with a life-time history of PG identified in a community-based survey were divided into three groups based on their current levels of PG symptoms. These three groups were compared to each other on their past-year gambling involvement. Setting: National general population twin survey conducted in Australia. Participants: Overall, there were 4764 participants in the community-based survey (mean age 37.7 years, 57.2% women). Among these were 104 participants with a life-time history of PG; of the 104 with a life-time diagnosis of PG, 28 had a past-year diagnosis of PG, 32 had past-year problem gambling and 44 had no symptoms of PG in the past year ('recovery'). Measurements: The measure of PG was based on the NODS (NORC DSM-IV Screen for Gambling Problems). Past-year participation in 11 different gambling activities was assessed, as well as the following composite indicators: any gambling, gambling versatility, the number of days and hours spent gambling and the proportion of household income spent on gambling. Findings: Ninety per cent of those in the recovery group participated in some form of gambling in the past year. Conclusions: In this general population survey, nearly all the PG recoveries were achieved in the absence of abstinence. Controlled gambling appears to be a popular road to recovery in the community.

Slutske WS; Piasecki TM; Ellingson JM; Martin NG. The family history method in disordered gambling research: A comparison of reports obtained from discordant twin pairs. Twin Research and Human Genetics 13(4): 340-346, 2010. (29 refs.)

The purpose of this study was to examine potential biases in family history reports of problem gambling and gambling frequency. Same-sex twin pairs discordant for a history of problem (n = 230 pairs) and pathological gambling (n = 48 pairs) and for three indexes of gambling frequency (ever gambling, monthly gambling, and weekly gambling; n = 44-517 pairs) were identified from a large Australian national twin study. The problem gambling affected twin was significantly more likely to endorse paternal problem gambling than the problem gambling unaffected cotwin (OR = 5.5), and similar findings were obtained for family history reports of gambling frequency (OR = 2.0-2.8). These results could not be explained by differences between the discordant pairs in whether they had spent time gambling with the parents; there was no association between a history of problem, monthly or weekly gambling and having gambled with the parents among discordant twin pairs. The results of this study suggest that relying solely on family history assessments of disordered gambling and gambling involvement can lead to incorrect estimates of the strength of the family history effect.

Smith D; Harvey P; Battersby M; Pols R; Oakes J; Baigent M. Treatment outcomes and predictors of drop out for problem gamblers in South Australia: a cohort study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 44(10): 911-920, 2010. (49 refs.)

Objectives: Recent prevalence studies in Australia, the USA and Canada have estimated 1-2% of the adult population meet the diagnostic criteria for problem or pathological gambling. The Statewide Gambling Therapy Service (SGTS) provides treatment for problem gamblers in key metropolitan and rural regions in South Australia. The aims of this study were two-fold: to analyse the short and mid-term outcomes following treatment provided by SGTS and to identify factors associated with treatment drop-out. Method: A cohort of treatment seeking problem gamblers was recruited through SGTS in 2008. Repeated outcome measures included problem gambling screening, gambling related cognitions and urge. Treatment drop-out was defined as participants attending three or less treatment sessions, whilst potential predictors of drop-out included perceived social support, anxiety and sensation-seeking traits. Results: Of 127 problem gamblers who participated in the study, 69 (54%) were males with a mean age of 43.09 years (SD = 12.65 years) and with 65 (52%) reporting a duration of problem gambling greater than 5 years. Follow up time for 50% of participants was greater than 8.9 months and, overall, 41 (32%) participants were classified as treatment drop-outs. Results indicated significant improvement over time on all outcome measures except alcohol use for both treatment completers and drop-outs, although to a lesser extent for the treatment drop-out group. A significant predictor of treatment drop-out was sensation-seeking traits. Conclusion: These results will inform future treatment planning and service delivery, and guide research into problem gambling including aspects of treatment drop-out.

Stanton SJ; Liening SH; Schultheiss OC. Testosterone is positively associated with risk taking in the Iowa Gambling Task. Hormones and Behavior 59(2): 252-256, 2011. (29 refs.)

The association between testosterone and economic risk is not well-understood and is understudied. The present study aimed to further characterize what if any relationship testosterone has with risky economic decisions. To do so, 154 participants (78 men) completed the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) (Bechara////, 1994) and also provided saliva samples, which were assayed for endogenous testosterone levels using radioimmunoassay. High-levels of endogenous testosterone were associated with choosing less frequently from advantageous IGT decks of cards, indicating greater risk taking. The data showed that the effects of testosterone on IGT performance were similar for men and women. High-testosterone women and high-testosterone men made riskier choices than their low-testosterone counterparts of the same sex, and this effect was pronounced in women. Thus, high levels of testosterone are associated with willingness to incur greater risk in both sexes.

Stevens M; Young M. Independent correlates of reported gambling problems amongst indigenous Australians. Social Indicators Research 98(1): 147-166, 2010. (73 refs.)

To identify independent correlates of reported gambling problems amongst the Indigenous population of Australia. A cross-sectional design was applied to a nationally representative sample of the Indigenous population. Estimates of reported gambling problems are presented by remoteness and jurisdiction. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent correlates of reported gambling problems amongst individuals and their social and family networks. The analysis was stratified by remoteness. Indigenous people living in remote locations reported significantly more gambling problems than those living in non-remote locations. In non-remote areas, being female, having high personal income, being more socially connected (i.e. involved in an Indigenous organisation or living in a household where all members were Indigenous) and reporting community problems were associated with higher levels of reported gambling problems. In remote areas, multifamily households, participation in sports and cultural events, and reporting of community problems were associated with higher reported gambling problems, while having a relative removed from their natural family was associated with lower reported problems. Problematic gambling is clearly related to the social and environmental contexts in which it occurs. Harm minimisation policies that focus on a reduction in crowding (especially in remote locations), increased public awareness of the negative consequences of gambling, improving access to support services, and lifting the socioeconomic status of Indigenous people may reduce gambling related harm in the medium to long term.

Tang CSK; Wu AMS. Direct and indirect influences of fate control belief, gambling expectancy bias, and self-efficacy on problem gambling and negative mood among chinese college students: A multiple mediation analysis. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(4): 533-543, 2010. (42 refs.)

A multiple mediation model was proposed to integrate core concepts of the social axioms framework and the social cognitive theory in order to understand gambling behavior. It was hypothesized that the influence of general fate control belief on problem gambling and negative mood would be mediated by gambling-specific beliefs. Data from 773 Chinese college recreational gamblers were collected. The bootstrapping procedure was used to test the multiple mediation hypotheses. Significant indirect effects of fate control belief on problem gambling and negative mood through two gambling-specific mediators were found. Gambling expectancy bias was a more salient mediator than gambling self-efficacy. Fate control belief was also found to have a significant direct effect on negative mood. In general, a high level of general fate control belief was related to greater gambling expectancy bias and lower self-efficacy in resisting gambling, which were in turn related to problem gambling and negative mood. Limitations and implications of the study were discussed.

Tavares H; Carneiro E; Sanches M; Pinsky I; Caetano R; Zaleski M et al. Gambling in Brazil: Lifetime prevalences and socio-demographic correlates. Psychiatry Research 180(1): 35-41, 2010. (45 refs.)

Gambling has experienced world-wide growth The current study is the first national survey into household gambling conducted in a developing country The sample was a three-stage probabilistic one designed to cover individuals 14 years old or older of both genders and from all regions of the national territory 325 census sectors were visited including rural areas DSM-IV-based instruments were used to assess problem and pathological gambling individuals were asked to estimate their monthly gambling expenditure The lifetime prevalences were pathological gambling 1 0% and problem gambling 1 3% Maximum gambling expenditure corresponded to 5 4% of the household income for social gamblers 16 9% for problem gamblers and 20 0% for pathological gamblers The male female ratio among adults for pathological gambling was 3 2 1 The data suggest the existence of two subgroups of pathological gamblers one younger (33 9 +/- 4 19) and severe (7 or more DSM-IV criteria) another older (47 8 +/- 6 01) and less severe (5-6 criteria) In a multinomial logistic regression problematic gambling was associated with gender age education employment region of origin and living in metropolitan areas The data suggest that feeling active and socially inserted protects against problematic gambling Individuals who are young male unemployed or not currently pursuing further education may be at special risk for severe pathological gambling.

Tolchard B; Battersby MW. The Victorian gambling screen: reliability and validation in a clinical population. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(4): 623-638, 2010. (50 refs.)

There is a need to establish reliability and the various forms of validity in all measures in order to feel confident in the use of such tools across a wide diversity of settings. The aim of this study is to describe the reliability and validity of the Victorian Gambling Screen (VGS) and in particular one of the sub-scales (Harm to Self-HS) in a specialist problem gambling treatment service in Adelaide, Australia. Sixty-seven consecutive gamblers were assessed using a previously validated clinical interview and the VGS (Ben-Tovim////, The Victorian Gambling Screen: project report. Victorian Research Panel, Melbourne, 2001). The internal consistency of the combined VGS scales had a Cronbach's alpha of .85 with the HS scale .89. There was satisfactory evidence of convergent validity which included moderate correlations with another measure of gambling-the South Oaks Gambling Screen. There were also moderate correlations with other measures of psychopathology. Finally, how the VGS may best be used in clinical settings is discussed.

Tschibelu E; Elman I. Gender differences in psychosocial stress and in its relationship to gambling urges in individuals with pathological gambling. Journal of Addictive Diseases 30(1): 81-87, 2011. (41 refs.)

Gender differences in the impact of psychosocial stress and in negative affective states were assessed in a group of pathological gamblers matched by demographic characteristics and by severity of gambling. Women displayed higher impact scores on the Daily Stress Inventory. Other stress measures, obtained with the Profile of Mood States (POMS), were also significantly elevated in the women group. Furthermore, women's gambling urges correlated with both stress and the POMS measure, whereas men's gambling urges correlated with the stress ratings only. These data suggest distinctive determinants of gambling urges in women with pathological gambling vis-a-vis those of men.

Tse S; Yu ACH; Rossen F; Wang CW. Examination of Chinese gambling problems through a socio-historical-cultural perspective. (review). TheScientificWorldJOURNAL 10: 1694-1704, 2010. (54 refs.)

The aim of this review is to highlight emerging trends about Chinese people and gambling addiction over the last 15 years, and to provide a discourse on the potential link between gambling and Chinese culture and history. The authors reported on the phenomenon of gambling among Chinese people using relevant research studies and reports and traditional Chinese literature. Chinese people have elevated levels of gambling addiction compared to their Western counterparts. These elevated rates are coupled with the rapid expansion of gambling venues within the Pan-Pacific region. While there is an accumulated body of research on Chinese and gambling, a systematic cultural analysis of Chinese gambling is still under development. We undertook a brief comparison between two ancient civilizations, China and Rome, in order to gain better understanding about gambling among Chinese people. To effectively deal with gambling addictions among Chinese people, it is imperative to develop culturally responsive interventions.

Turner NE. Lottery ticket preferences as indicated by the variation in the number of winners. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(3): 421-439, 2010. (37 refs.)

Many gamblers believe that it is possible to find a strategy to beat the lottery including selecting numbers that are due to come up or looking for a bias in past numbers. In this paper, we examine sales figures and variations in the number of winners for the various prize levels of a popular Canadian lottery to detect lottery ticket preferences. It was determined that the lottery outcomes conformed well to a random outcome. No evidence of either a bias myth or due to come up myth was found. However ticket popularity indicated a marked preference for the number 7 and low numbers, and the avoidance of high numbers and adjacent numbers. In addition we found a linear and a quadratic relationship between past frequency of the numbers and ticket popularity indicating a belief in both the due to come up and the bias myths. The findings suggest strong non-random preferences in the selection of lottery numbers.

van Leeuwen AP; Creemers HE; Verhulst FC; Ormel J; Huizink AC. Are adolescents gambling with cannabis use? A longitudinal study of impulsivity measures and adolescent substance use: The TRAILS Study. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs 72(1): 70-78, 2011. (57 refs.)

Objective: This study examined (a) the predictive value of observed versus reported measures of impulsivity on the onset of cannabis use and determined if lifetime tobacco and cannabis users can be differentiated by their level of impulsivity and (b) the predictive value of observed versus reported measures of impulsivity on repeated cannabis use and determined if repeated tobacco and cannabis users can be differentiated by their level of impulsivity. Method: The present study involves 667 (50.5% female) adolescents assessed at two time points of the TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS). Adolescents in our study participated in the Bangor Gambling Task (BGT), as well as completed self-report questionnaires assessing cannabis use behavior (M-age = 16.11 years) and the Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS)/Behavioral Activation System (BAS) questionnaire (M-age = 13.56 years). Results: Higher levels of BAS functioning increased the likelihood that adolescents would ever use substances such as tobacco or cannabis during their lifetime. In contrast, low BIS functioning increased the likelihood of repeated cannabis use. Repeated tobacco users did not significantly differ from lifetime users by their BIS functioning. The BGT measures were not significant in relation to lifetime or repeated use of cannabis or tobacco. Conclusions: High BAS seems to be more important for experimental substance use, whereas low BIS seems to be more important for progression into regular cannabis use specifically. In contrast to the BIS/BAS, our laboratory test of impulsivity, the BGT, is not correlated with early-onset tobacco/cannabis use. Furthermore, the BGT is not correlated with the BIS/BAS measures.

Walker DM; Jackson JD. The effect of legalized gambling on state government revenue. Contemporary Economic Policy 29(1): 101-114, 2011. (35 refs.)

Legalized gambling is an attractive option to state governments facing tightening fiscal constraints. Yet, the empirical evidence on the effect of gambling on state revenues is limited. Most studies examine a single industry in a single state, and for a relatively short period of time. This study provides a more general analysis of gambling industries and their effects on state revenues. We use data on gambling volume and state government revenues net of federal government transfers for all 50 states from 1985 to 2000. We find that lotteries and horse racing tend to increase state revenues, while casinos and greyhound racing tend to decrease state revenues.

Wareham JD; Potenza MN. Pathological gambling and substance use disorders. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 36(5): 242-247, 2010. (60 refs.)

Background: Pathological gambling (CPG) has been considered as a behavioral addiction having similarities with substance use disorders (SUDs). Objectives and Methods: Current conceptualizations of addiction, as well as experimental studies of PG and SUDs, are reviewed in order to provide a perspective on tbe areas of convergence between addictive behaviors in PG and SUDs. Results: Shared features exist in diagnostic, clinical, physiological, and behavioral domains. Conclusions and Scientific Significance: Similarities between PG and SUDs have important implications for categorizing, assessing, preventing and treating both PO and SUDs.

Weiss S. Cross-addiction on campus: More problems for student-athletes. Substance Use & Misuse 45(10): 1525-1541, 2010. (61 refs.)

Data on 503 students from rural and urban areas were collected from January 2009 to October 2009 to test for cross-addiction of alcohol dependency with disordered gambling among college athletes and nonathletes. To test for alcohol dependency, the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) was employed, while the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) was utilized to assess gambling behaviors. Athletes had higher frequencies of cross-addiction. For athletes there was a correlation between scores on the MAST and SOGS. Limitations related to data collection are discussed. Recommendations for further research directed toward the development of programs geared to assist students are given.

Williams RJ; Wood RT; Currie SR. Stacked deck: An effective, school-based program for the prevention of problem gambling. Journal of Primary Prevention 31(3): 109-125, 2010. (78 refs.)

School-based prevention programs are an important component of problem gambling prevention, but empirically effective programs are lacking. Stacked Deck is a set of 5-6 interactive lessons that teach about the history of gambling; the true odds and "house edge''; gambling fallacies; signs, risk factors, and causes of problem gambling; and skills for good decision making and problem solving. An overriding theme of the program is to approach life as a "smart gambler'' by determining the odds and weighing the pros versus cons of your actions. A total of 949 grade 9-12 students in 10 schools throughout southern Alberta received the program and completed baseline and follow-up measures. These students were compared to 291 students in 4 control schools. Four months after receiving the program, students in the intervention group had significantly more negative attitudes toward gambling, improved knowledge about gambling and problem gambling, improved resistance to gambling fallacies, improved decision making and problem solving, decreased gambling frequency, and decreased rates of problem gambling. There was no change in involvement in high risk activities or money lost gambling. These results indicate that Stacked Deck is a promising curriculum for the prevention of problem gambling.

Wohl MJA; Christie KL; Matheson K; Anisman H. Animation-based education as a gambling prevention tool: correcting erroneous cognitions and reducing the frequency of exceeding limits among slots players. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(3): 469-486, 2010. (40 refs.)

In light of the financial harm that often accompanies problem gambling, and the difficulty in resolving it, there is a pressing need for prevention resources. In the present study, we examined the preventive effects of an animation-based video that educated participants on how slot machines function, the prudence of setting financial limits, and strategies to avoid problems. Non-problem gamblers (N = 242) at a slots venue were randomly assigned to watch either an animation or a control video. Compared to participants who watched the control video, those who watched the animation endorsed strategies to gamble within financial limits, reported greater behavioral intentions to use the strategies, and exceeded their pre-set limits less frequently during their subsequent gambling session. Some effects waned over a 30-day period suggesting booster sessions may be required for long term sustainability. The effectiveness of animation-based education as a prevention tool and the need for adjunctive measures is discussed.

Zheng WY; Walker M; Blaszczynski A. Mahjong gambling in the Chinese-Australian community in Sydney: A prevalence study. Journal of Gambling Studies 26(3): 441-454, 2010. (40 refs.)

Mahjong is a popular gambling game played in Chinese communities all over the world (Papineau, China Perspect 28:29-42, 2000) and is sometimes referred to as '(sic)' (guodu, the Chinese national gambling game) or '(sic)' (xiu changcheng, repairing the Great Wall). Exploratory studies using snowball sampling conducted by Zheng//// (J Psychology Chin Soc 9(2):241-262, 2008) indicated that Mahjong is not only a popular pastime within the Sydney Chinese community but also problematic for around 3% of players. The current study aimed to extend earlier studies by estimating the prevalence of Mahjong problem gambling in a random sample of Sydney Chinese community members. In addition, due to first-hand gambling experience of the first author with superstitious Mahjong players, the study also investigated the role of superstitious beliefs in Mahjong gambling. The current study involved a series of self-report questionnaires administered to 469 randomly selected Chinese Australians in Sydney. The problem gambling rate, assessed by the Canadian Problem Gambling Index (CPGI), was 3.8%, with Chinese males and older Chinese prominent. Superstitious beliefs were found to play a part in the maintenance of Mahjong gambling behaviour. Information stemming from the current study has helped gain insight into culturally specific forms of gambling, and to identify correlates of problem gamblers. Funding bodies and counselling services should be aware of the existence of this form of gambling, and should devise appropriate treatment plans for Mahjong problem gamblers.