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February 2013 ISSUE 2/13
In this issue: Comment: Tech Industry Sets Its Sights on Gambling 1
Queensland problem gambling rate unchanged since 2001 - Household Gambling Survey 3 Study explores relationships between life stress, gambling motives, and gambling behaviour 5 Mental health risk increased in problem gamblers: US study 6 UK Gambling Commission publishes latest participation, perceptions data 6 Urgent action needed to curb problem gambling among young: Australian Medical Association 9 Abstracts of recent articles in leading gambling periodicals 13
Forthcoming conferences 15
Briefer Briefings 16
COMMENT
TECH INDUSTRY SETS ITS SIGHTS ON GAMBLING
By David Streitfeld
New York Times, 17 February 2013
Silicon Valley is betting that online gambling is its next billion-dollar business, with developers across the industry turning casual games into occasions for adults to wager.
At the moment these games are aimed overseas, where attitudes toward gambling are more relaxed and online betting is generally legal, and extremely lucrative. But game companies, from small teams to Facebook and Zynga, have their eye on the ultimate prize: the rich American market, where most types of real-money online wagers have been cleared by the Justice Department.
Two states, Nevada and Delaware, are already laying the groundwork for virtual gambling. Within months they will most likely be joined by New Jersey.
Bills have also been introduced in Mississippi, Iowa, California and other states, driven by the realization that online gambling could bring in streams of tax revenue. In Iowa alone, online gambling proponents estimated that 150,000 residents were playing poker illegally.
Legislative progress, though, is slow. Opponents include an influential casino industry wary of competition and the traditional antigambling factions, who oppose it on moral grounds.
Silicon Valley is hardly discouraged. Companies here believe that online gambling will soon become as simple as buying an e-book or streaming a movie, and that the convenience of being able to bet from your couch, surrounded by virtual friends, will offset the lack of glittering ambience found in a real-world casino. Think you can get a field of corn in FarmVille, the popular Facebook game, to grow faster than your brother-in-law’s? Five bucks says you cannot.
“Gambling in the U.S. is controlled by a few land-based casinos and some powerful Indian casinos,” said Chris Griffin, chief executive of Betable, a London gambling start-up that handles the gaming licenses and betting mechanics of the business for developers. “What potentially becomes an interesting counterweight is all of a sudden thousands of developers in Silicon Valley making money overseas and wanting to turn their efforts inward and make money in the U.S.”
Betable has set up shop in San Francisco, where 15 studios are now using its back-end platform. “This is the next evolution in games, and kind of ground zero for the developer community,” Mr. Griffin said.
Overseas, online betting is generating an estimated $32 billion in annual revenue — nearly the size of the United States casino market. Juniper Research estimates that betting on mobile devices alone will be a $100 billion worldwide industry by 2017.
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“Everyone is really anticipating this becoming a huge business,” said Chris DeWolfe, a co-founder of the pioneering social site Myspace, who is throwing his energies into a gaming studio with a gambling component backed by, among others, the personal investment funds of Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder, and Eric E. Schmidt, Google’s executive chairman.
As companies eagerly wait for the American market to open up, they are introducing betting games in Britain, where Apple has tweaked the iPhone software to accommodate them. Facebook began allowing online gambling for British users last summer with Jackpotjoy, a bingo site; deals with other developers followed in December and this month.
Zynga, the company that developed FarmVille, Mafia Wars, Words With Friends and many other popular casual games, is advertising the imminent release of its first betting games in Britain. “All your favorite Zynga game characters will be there, except this time they’ll have real money prizes to offer you,” an ad says. “Play online casino games for pennies and live the dream!”
Mr. DeWolfe’s studio, SGN, is also on the verge of starting its first real-money games in Britain. “Those companies that have a critical mass of users that are interested in playing real-money games are going to be incredibly valuable,” he said.
Mark Pincus, the chief executive of Zynga, said the company was just following the market. “There is no question there is great interest from all kinds of people in games of chance, whether it is for real money or virtual rewards,” he said. Zynga, which has missed revenue expectations in the last year, is making gambling a centerpiece of its new strategy. It has just applied to Nevada for a gambling license.
Casual gaming first blossomed on Facebook’s Web site, where players could readily corral friends into their games. It is now being rethought for mobile devices, so people can play in brief snippets as they wait for a bus or a sandwich.
Some games mimic the slots and poker found in casinos; others emphasize considerably more creativity. The vast majority of casual game players play at no charge. A small number buy virtual objects in the game to speed their play or increase their status.
Tech executives expect an equally small number to play for real money but believe they will bet heavily, making them much more valuable to the gaming companies. By Betable’s estimate, the lifetime value of a casual player is $2 versus $1,800 for a real-money player.
Big Fish Studios, a Seattle developer, introduced Big Fish Casino, an iPhone app, in Britain last fall. “We started with a one-pence slot machine,” little more than a penny, said Paul Thelen, Big Fish’s founder and chief executive. “Now it is up to a maximum of about $50 a bet.” Average revenue per player is exceeding $20 a day, whereas in virtual currency it was 30 or 40 cents.
“Like in Vegas, some people get lucky and some don’t,” he added.
The powerful Las Vegas and Indian casinos have mixed attitudes toward online gambling. Caesars Entertainment in 2011 acquired the Israeli start-up Playtika, developer of the popular Facebook game Slotomania, for about $180 million, offering it a springboard into the digital world. But Sheldon Adelson, the Las Vegas magnate and major Republican Party donor, is opposed to online betting because he thinks children will end up gambling.
In New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie has had different qualms. He has vetoed two online gambling bills, the second earlier this month. One concern: the state’s take, a proposed 10 percent tax, was not large enough. The measure, which is likely to be refined and successfully resubmitted in the next few months, followed the state Constitution, which mandates that Atlantic City is the only spot in the state where gambling can take place. And so only the casinos were allowed to offer online games, although they could partner with tech companies; the actual computers allowing the gambling would have to be housed in the casinos. And of course players had to be over 21 and physically located in New Jersey.
Meeting those last two requirements seems a tall order to Doug Creutz, an analyst at Cowen & Company who follows online gambling closely. “The Internet isn’t bound geographically,” he said. “There are other problems too, like preventing money laundering. Online gambling is going to be a complex issue that will take a while to sort out.”
In the meantime, though, he notes that games themselves are sometimes changing to incorporate elements akin to gambling. Diablo III, the latest version of the popular role-playing series from Blizzard, was released last year with an in-game auction house where players could buy and sell loot that they had found. If they chose, they could literally take the profits out of the game.
Since the loot was randomly generated, like the numbers on a slot machine, Blizzard had to remove the auction house game from the South Korean version of the game to satisfy the country’s strict antigambling provisions.
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Cesar and Edgar Miranda are two young developers who have won hackathons, where the goal is to build a game in a weekend. The brothers, who rent rooms from their parents in San Jose, have spent the last few weeks refining their game, Claw Crane.
It is a simple variation of the grabbing game found in amusement arcades for decades: successfully secure a toy from a pile and you win. If Apple approves, the game, offering cash prizes, will be available in Britain later this month. A virtual money version will be available in the United States.
“We saw the opportunity here,” said Cesar Miranda, 24. “Anyone can jump in and try and grab a piece of this market while it is still fresh. There’s a low entry to failure.”
Neither he nor his brother, born in Mexico and raised in California, have even been near Britain. “I think the closest I’ve gotten is Las Vegas,” Cesar Miranda said.
QUEENSLAND PROBLEM GAMBLING RATE UNCHANGED SINCE 2001 -
HOUSEHOLD GAMBLING SURVEY
There has been no significant change in problem gambling prevalence in Queensland since 2001, reports the 2011/12 Household Gambling Survey, the results of which were published this month.
The survey collected information on gambling activity and related issues in the Queensland adult population, particularly the prevalence of problematic or potentially problematic gambling behavior. The survey was conducted in two waves, each consisting of 7 500 computer-assisted telephone interviews for a total sample of 15 000 people. The first wave of the 2011–12 survey was conducted in October and November 2011. The second wave was conducted from the end of January to mid-March 2012.
The questionnaire covered a wide range of gambling activities and behaviours. The problem gambling screening tool used in the survey was the Canadian Problem Gambling Index, which categorises respondents into non-gambling, recreational, low-risk, moderate-risk or problem gambling. All low-risk, moderate-risk and problem gamblers completed the full questionnaire. Random samples of non-gamblers and recreational gamblers completed a shortened version of the questionnaire.
Gambling participation
All survey respondents were asked whether they had participated in each of 12 gambling activities during the previous 12 months.
Lottery products (including lotto, instant scratch tickets and other lotteries) were clearly the most popular, with about 59% of the Queensland adult population having purchased such products in the previous 12 months.
Gaming machines rated second in terms of participation, with about 30% of Queensland adults having played gaming machines in the previous 12 months.
About 21% of Queensland adults had purchased art union tickets, 19% had bet on horse, harness or greyhound races and 16% had played keno in the previous 12 months.
In terms of their participation in gambling activities, there were some clear differences between men and women, and between those in different age groups.
Gambling group prevalence statistics
Prevalence figures from the 2011–12 survey are compared with findings from previous surveys in the table below. When comparing the results of the 2011–12 survey with previous years, it must be noted that the sampling methodology used in the 2011–12 survey was more representative than in previous years. Comparisons with previous surveys should therefore be made with caution. For example, any variation in results may be influenced by the improved reach of the new sampling methodology and may not be the result of actual variation in the population.
Data from the 2011–12 survey indicate that 0.48% of Queensland adults were in the problem gambling group. The prevalence of problem gambling has not changed significantly over time. In particular, the small change from 2008–09 to 2011–12 was not statistically significant. Also, while there may appear to have been a slight decline from 2001 to 2008–09, this change was not statistically significant.
The results of the 2006–07, 2008–09 and 2011–12 surveys were very similar. There were no statistically significant differences between the 2011–12 survey and the gambling group estimates from the previous two surveys.
Time series of gambling group estimates (Queensland adult population)
Percentage estimates
2001 2003–04 2006–07 2008–09 2011–12
Non-gambling 15.1% 19.7% 24.7% 25.3% 26.2%
Recreational gambling 73.2% 72.4% 67.3% 68.0% 66.3%
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Moderate-risk gambling 2.7% 2.0% 1.8% 1.6% 1.9%
Problem gambling 0.83% 0.55% 0.47% 0.37% 0.48%
Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Gambling behaviours
Most gamblers reported that they infrequently played gaming machines, played keno, bet on sporting events or bet on horse, harness or greyhound races. For each of these gambling activities, over 60% of participants had played/bet less than seven times in the previous year.
Less than 10% of those recreational gamblers who had played gaming machines had done so more than 24 times during the previous year. However, among those who had played gaming machines, about 40% of moderate risk gamblers and about half of problem gamblers had done so more than 24 times during the previous year.
In this survey, an internet gambler was defined as a person who had used the internet to gamble on one or more of the following activities: online casino games or poker; lotteries; horse, harness or greyhound races; or sporting events. Overall about 7.5% of adult Queenslanders had gambled using the internet.
Correlates of problem gambling
About 20% of low risk gamblers, 32% of moderate risk gamblers and 47% of problem gamblers had felt seriously depressed in the last 12 months.
All survey respondents were asked whether they had experienced problems because of someone else’s gambling. Overall, 9% of Queensland adults had experienced emotional problems because of someone else’s gambling, 8% had experienced financial problems and 7% had experienced relationship problems. The results indicated that about a quarter of problem gamblers had experienced each of these kinds of problems because of someone else’s gambling.
Help-seeking
Approximately 1% of low-risk gamblers, 6% of moderate-risk gamblers and 40% of problem gamblers had wanted help for problem gambling.
Approximately 1% of low-risk gamblers, 3% of moderate-risk gamblers and 17% of problem gamblers had tried to get help for problems related to their gambling.
Demographic profile of low-risk, moderate-risk and problem gamblers
Young men aged 18 to 34 years were over-represented in the low-risk, moderate-risk and problem gambling groups. While 16% of the Queensland adult population were 18 to 34 year-old males, this group made up: 27 per cent of the low risk gambling group
30 per cent of the moderate risk gambling group 44 per cent of the problem gambling group. Opinions about gambling-related issues
In relation to sports and gambling:
51% of adult Queenslanders agreed that “there should be a national ban on advertising gambling at sports grounds”
44% of adult Queenslanders agreed that “there should be a national ban on sporting team sponsorship by gambling companies (e.g. betting agencies)”.
In relation to interventions in gambling venues (hotels, clubs and casinos):
69% of adult Queenslanders agreed that “if a person is concerned that a close family member is having problems with gambling, they should be able to have that family member banned from a gambling venue”
83% of adult Queenslanders agreed that “if a patron in a gambling venue is showing signs of gambling problems, it is appropriate for a staff member to approach them and offer help”.
Awareness of help services
The results indicated the following levels of awareness of help services:
72% of Queensland adults had seen or heard advertising encouraging people to gamble responsibly 71% were aware of the gambling helpline telephone number
22%were aware of face-to-face counselling services for gamblers in their area 34% were aware of gambling help online
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In general, levels of awareness of these services were higher for gamblers than for non-gamblers. The full report may be downloaded at -
http://www.olgr.qld.gov.au/resources/responsibleGamblingDocuments/Queensland_Household_Gambling_Su rvey_Report_2011-12.pdf
STUDY EXPLORES RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN LIFE STRESS,
GAMBLING MOTIVES, AND GAMBLING BEHAVIOUR
Research suggests that some people might develop addictive behaviour through their attempts to escape or avoid experiences associated with stressful life events1. Other contributing factors to developing addictive behaviour include proximity to and accessibility of potential objects of addiction2. The latest issue of the WAGER reviews a study that examined how these factors intersect and relate to gambling motivation, frequency and gambling-related problems3.
The study involved 347 (229 females) current gamblers who use electronic gambling machines and were recruited through flyers in various public message boards. Participants completed a survey regarding their demographic information and frequency of EGM gambling and also reported whether they experienced stress (defined as a major life change or loss) since commencing EGM and whether they ever escaped from their problems by using behaviour such as drinking alcohol, using drugs or eating (0: never to 4: a lot of time) (i.e., general avoidance coping).
Next, participants completed the following measures:
The EGM motivation scale4, which consists of three subscales assessing avoidance (e.g., Gambling provides a break from worrying), accessibility (e.g., Venues are close) and social (e.g., I can meet new people) motivation. Response options ranged from 0 (Doesn't apply to me) to 5 (Applies to me almost always).
The Canadian Problem Gambling Index - e.g., Have you bet more than you could really afford to lose? Response options ranged from 0 (Never) to 3 (Almost always).
Results
The figure below depicts significant correlations among measured variables. Specifically, Self-reported stress correlated with all three types of gambling motivation.
Self-reported stress related to general avoidance coping, which in turn related to avoidance-motivated gambling.
Those who reported stronger avoidance and accessibility motives for gambling reported having more gambling-related problems and playing electronic gambling machines more frequently.
The relationships among stress, avoidance coping, gambling motivations, frequency and problems
Limitations
This is a correlational study; therefore, it cannot be concluded whether avoidance motivation leads to gambling frequency and problems or vice versa, or if a third variable is related to both factors. Further, measures have the usual limitations of self-report and therefore may not accurately reflect an individual’s situational stressors, motivations and actual gambling behaviour.
The results revealed that experiencing a stressful life event was positively related to avoidance, accessibility,
1 Blaszczynski, A., & Nower, L. (2002). A pathways model of problem and pathological gambling. Addiction, 97(5) 2 Shaffer, H. J., LaPlante, D. A., LaBrie, R. A., Kidman, R. C., Donato, A. N., & Stanton, M. V. (2004). Toward a syndrome model of addiction: Multiple expressions, common etiology. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 12
3 Thomas, A. C., Allen, F. L., Phillips, J., & Karantzas, G. (2011). Gaming machine addiction: The role of avoidance, accessibility and social support. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 25(4)
4 Thomas, A. C., Allen, F. C., & Phillips, J. (2009). Electronic gaming machine gambling: Measuring motivation. Journal of Gambling Studies, 25(3)
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and social motives for gambling. However, only avoidance and accessibility motives for gambling were related to frequency of gambling and gambling-related problems; social motivation did not relate to gambling related problems. This implies that to predict how stressful life events relate to potential future gambling-related problems, it is important to understand typical gambling motivations. The results also demonstrated that the tendency to escape from problems using drugs and alcohol is related to avoidance-motivated gambling, which is in turn related to gambling frequency and problems. This supports the view of problem gambling as a phenomenon that shares common antecedents with other expressions of addiction (Shaffer, et al., 2004). Future research designs that include experimental manipulations (e.g., of stress or gambling motivation) might shed light on causal mechanisms.
The WAGER, Vol. 18(2) 6 February, 2013
MENTAL HEALTH RISK INCREASED IN PROBLEM GAMBLERS: US
STUDY
Individuals with a gambling problem are at increased risk for developing Axis I psychiatric disorders, results from a US study show. Published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, the researchers found that older problem gamblers were significantly more likely than their peers without a gambling problem to develop generalized anxiety disorder and/or any substance use disorder over an average follow-up period of three years.
The purpose of this study was to examine the longitudinal relationship between past-year problem-gambling severity and incident Axis I psychopathology among older adults aged 55 to 90. The analysis was based on data from the National Epidemiologic Study of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), a nationally-representative population-based survey of 10 231 individuals who participated in two waves: Wave 1 (2001-2002) and Wave 2 (2004-2005).
At Wave 1, 67.3% of participants were classified as past-year low-frequency gamblers or non-gamblers, 29.9% as low-risk gamblers, and 2.8% as at-risk/problem/pathologic gamblers, based on DSM-IV criteria. After accounting for baseline factors such as demographic characteristics, psychiatric comorbidity, health behaviours, physical health and stressful life events, the team found that individuals who met criteria for problem gambling were 2.51 times more likely to develop generalised anxiety disorder between Waves 1 and 2 than those classified as low-frequency gamblers/non-gamblers.
In addition, problem gamblers were 2.61 times more likely to develop any substance use disorder between Waves 1 and 2 than low-frequency gamblers/non-gamblers.
The researchers also found that low-risk gambling was negatively
associated with the incidence of hypomania relative to low-frequency gambling/non-gambling (odds ratio=0.33).
Lead author Marc Potenza of the Yale University School of Medicine said: "Older-adult gamblers, as well as their clinicians, friends, and family, should be aware of potential risks associated with gambling, adopt strategies to prevent the onset of secondary disorders, and monitor themselves and others for signs of problems.
"While gambling may represent a positive activity for some older adults, data suggest that risky/problematic gambling behavior may be associated with the development of psychiatric problems in this population."
UK GAMBLING COMMISSION PUBLISHES LATEST PARTICIPATION,
PERCEPTIONS DATA
The UK Gambling Commission has published the findings of its most recent quarterly survey of gambling participation and public perceptions of gambling.
Gambling participation: activities and mode of access
The following findings are based on a set of questions that asked respondents about their gambling participation in the past four weeks. The data in this report are from the four quarterly surveys conducted in the year to December 2012.
Gambling participation in the past four weeks
The table below shows that during the year to December 2012 an average of 57% of respondents said they had participated in at least one form of gambling in the previous four weeks. A larger proportion of male than female respondents had participated: 60% of males and 55% of females. Those participating in gambling were more likely to be aged between 35-44, 45-54, 55-64 or 65+ (60% of respondents in each age range). Respondents aged 18-24 were least likely to have participated (44%).
Older-adult gamblers, as well as their clinicians, friends, and family, should be aware of potential risks associated with gambling, adopt strategies to prevent the onset of secondary disorders, and monitor themselves and others for signs of problems.
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Proportion of respondents participating in at least one form of gambling by gender and age Gambling participation by gender and age 2012
% All respondents 57 male respondents 60 female respondents 55 18 – 24 year olds 44 25 – 34 year olds 55 35 – 44 year olds 60 45 – 54 year olds 60 55 – 64 year olds 60 65+ year olds 60
The table below shows that during the year to December 2012 an average of 14% of respondents said they had participated in at least one form of online gambling in the previous four weeks. A larger proportion of male than female respondents had participated: 16% of males and 12% of females.
Those participating in online gambling were more likely to be aged between 35-44, 25-34 or 45-54 (20%, 19% and 16% respectively of respondents in the age range). Respondents aged 65+ remain least likely to have participated (7%).
Proportion of respondents participating in at least one form of online gambling by gender and age Online gambling participation by gender and age 2012
% All respondents 14 male respondents 16 female respondents 12 18 – 24 year olds 14 25 – 34 year olds 19 35 – 44 year olds 20 45 – 54 year olds 16 55 – 64 year olds 12 65+ year olds 7
Of those participating in at least one form of online gambling in the year to December 2012, 44% had gambled only on National Lottery products. As a result, if those only playing National Lottery products online are excluded, the proportion of respondents who had participated in at least one form of online gambling in the previous four weeks falls from 14% to 8%.
Participation in each activity
The next table shows the types of gambling activity that respondents had undertaken in the previous four weeks. Over the year to December 2012 the most popular gambling activity was National Lottery tickets (46% of respondents), followed by other lotteries (12%) and scratch cards (11%). No other individual gambling activity was participated in by more than 4% of respondents.
Proportion of respondents gambling by type of gambling activity
Gambling activity 2012
%
National Lottery draws 46
Scratch cards 11
Another lottery 12
Fruit or slot machines 2
Virtual gaming machines in a bookmakers 1
Bingo 3
Football pools 3
Horse races 4
Dog races 0.5
Sports betting 3
Betting on other events 1
Virtual dog or horse races 0.2
Spread betting 0.3
Online slot machine-style games/instant wins 0.3
Casino games 1
Poker at a pub/club 0.4
Private betting 3
Any other activity 1
Any online betting 4
Any online gambling 14
Any gambling activity 57
How people gamble
Overall, 75% of past four week gamblers had gambled “in person only”. A further 13% of past four week gamblers had done so both “online” and “in person”, and only 11% had gambled “online only”. These estimates include participation in activities that could only be undertaken in one mode (such as virtual
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gaming machines in a bookmakers). For participation in all individual activities, respondents were more likely to report that they did these activities online only than they were to report that they did the activity both online and in person. Participating “online only” was the most popular method of gambling for sports betting, betting on other events, spread betting and casino games.
Mode of participation in each activity in the past four weeks
Type of gambling activity In person only Whether online or in person Online only Both in person and Bases (weighted) online
National Lottery draws 78 15 6 1 850
Another lottery 88 10 3 485 Bingo 75 18 7 127 Football pools 72 19 9 117 Horse races 67 23 10 158 Dog races [83] [9] [8] 20 Sports betting 44 46 9 135
Betting on other events [36] [54] [10] 29
Virtual dog or horse races [87] [13] - 7
Spread betting [33] [67] - 13
Casino games 43 49 7 39
Any gambling activity 75 11 13 2 298
Gambling involvement
For each activity undertaken in the past four weeks, respondents are asked how often they spent money on that activity. The table below shows the frequency of participation for each activity. The most common frequency of participation for past four week gamblers (excluding bettors) was “once a week” with this being the most common level of participation for ten activities. For a further seven activities, respondents who had participated in the past four weeks were most likely to say that they gambled this way “less than once a month”.
Frequency of gambling in the past four weeks by activity type
Type of gambling activity and mode Frequency of participation Bases
(weighted) 2+ days a
week Once a week month, less Once a than once a
week
Less than once a month
National Lottery draws In person 23 57 12 8 1 564
Online 7 61 9 7 405
Another lottery In person 5 33 13 49 438
Online 7 61 2 30 60
Bingo In person 20 49 17 15 105
Online 16 43 26 15 32
Football pools In person 6 73 10 12 95
Online 17 58 20 5 33
Virtual dog or horse races In person [8] [35] - [57] 6
Online - - - [100] 1
Spread betting In person - [79] [21] - 4
Online [53] [33] - [14] 9
Casino games In person [2] [6] [28] [64] 13
Online [63] [32] - [5] 14
Any other activity In person [5] [43] [11] [41] 7
Online [38] [26] - [36] 6
Scratch cards 20 39 21 19 455
Fruit or slot machines 31 20 17 32 76
Virtual gaming machines in a bookmakers 15 14 26 45 41
Online slot machine-style games/instant wins [75] [4] [14] [7] 11
Poker at a pub/club 19 18 8 55 39
Private betting 5 18 19 58 123
Survey data on public perceptions of gambling
This paper provides information on public perceptions of gambling. It sets out the findings from questions asked through omnibus surveys conducted by ICM Research. These results were first published in January 2010 and will continue to be published on an annual basis.
Questions monitoring public perceptions of gambling were initially piloted in the surveys from June 2006. These questions were subsequently revised to provide more detail (by distinguishing between gamblers and non-gamblers, and identifying which crimes respondents associated with gambling), to improve respondent understanding and to increase the accuracy of responses. The questions have remained substantially the same since March 2008.
Each survey is conducted once a quarter with a nationally representative sample (in terms of age, gender, social classification and region) of 1 000 adults (over 18-year-olds). The survey takes place at weekends, and respondents are interviewed by telephone.
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Respondents are asked introductory questions to establish whether they have gambled in the last 12 months. They are then asked to what extent they agree or disagree with the following statements:
In this country, gambling is conducted fairly and can be trusted. Gambling in this country is associated with criminal activity.
The tables below show the percentage of respondents who agreed (either strongly or slightly) with the above statements. Participation in gambling was associated with a more positive perception of gambling, with past-year gamblers more likely to agree that gambling is conducted fairly and can be trusted, and less likely to associate gambling with criminal activity.
In this country, gambling is conducted fairly and can be trusted
Agree with statement 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
All respondents 48.8% 49.6% 48.4% 49.3% 48.5%
Gambled in past 12 months 60.7% 60.3% 59.4% 58.6% 57.3%
Have not gambled in past 12 months 35.9% 30.2% 30.9% 31.2% 31.2%
Gambling in this country is associated with criminal activity
Agree with statement 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
All respondents 42.0% 41.3% 36.9% 36.5% 39.6%
Gambled in past 12 months 40.3% 38.2% 35.8% 34.4% 36.5%
Have not gambled in past 12 months 44.6% 46.7% 39.3% 40.5% 45.3% Responses to the question “what crimes do you yourself associate with gambling?” have been analysed for those respondents who agreed with the statement “Gambling in this country is associated with criminal activity”. Respondents were free to provide any answers they liked for this question, with responses then collated into broad categories. The following table shows the categories of crime that these respondents considered were associated with gambling. The figures, however, are expressed as percentages of all respondents, including those who did not agree there is any association between gambling and criminal activity.
What crimes do you, yourself, associate with gambling?
Category of crime 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Thefts committed by gambling addicts to support their addiction 12.6% 14.0% 11.8% 11.5% 14.7%
Money laundering 8.8% 7.9% 7.1% 6.8% 7.0%
Violent crime 7.8% 7.4% 6.4% 4.7% 4.8%
Other serious/organized crime 5.9% 7.0% 4.7% 1.6% 1.2%
Other financial crime (excluding money laundering) 4.3% 5.0% 4.5% 3.9% 3.4% Criminal organizations illegally influencing sporting events 3.3% 2.4% 3.5% 3.5% 2.9% People who run gambling businesses acting illegally 2.5% 2.8% 2.3% 2.1% 2.2% Criminal organizations buying and/or operating gambling businesses 2.2% 1.9% 1.3% 1.2% 1.2%
Other 2.4% 3.5% 3.4% 6.4% 5.5%
Crime not specified 10.2% 8.9% 8.9% 8.1% 8.6%
URGENT ACTION NEEDED TO CURB PROBLEM GAMBLING AMONG
YOUNG PEOPLE: AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
The Australian Medical Association has released a position statement in which it warns that problem gambling has become a significant public health issue, and could exact an increasingly heavy toll on health, family relationships, community safety and productivity unless urgent action is taken to regulate existing gaming activities and curb the growth of online and interactive gaming.
In the position statement, the AMA calls for the Federal Government to work closely with its State and Territory counterparts to establish an independent national gambling regulator to oversee the industry and ensure consumers are adequately protected. It also wants the Commonwealth to provide incentives to encourage the states and territories to reduce their reliance on gambling revenue.
There has been a rapid rise in problem gambling among young men driven by dramatic growth in online sports betting, adding to the urgency for the Federal Government to take a national leadership role in protecting consumers and weaning the states and territories off gaming revenue, according to the Australian Medical Association.
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AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
HEALTH EFFECTS OF PROBLEM GAMBLING Preamble
Australians are among the most prolific gamblers in the world and, for many, gambling is a manageable and socially acceptable activity. However, for some people, gambling develops into a serious problem with negative effects on health.
Problem gambling is defined as “difficulties in limiting money and/or time spent on gambling which leads to adverse consequences for the gambler, others, or for the community.” By this definition, problem gambling is a significant public health issue in Australia that not only affects people with a gambling problem, but also their families, medical practitioners, the community and governments.
The number of Australians affected by problem gambling underscores the significance of this issue. An estimated 2.5 per cent of Australians experience moderate to severe problems caused by gambling. For every person with a gambling problem, it is estimated that an additional 5 to 10 people are adversely affected by their gambling. This means that up to 5 million Australians feel the health, social and financial impacts of problem gambling, including friends, families and employers of people with a gambling problem.
The AMA acknowledges that the social, physical and mental health of people with problem gambling - and that of their families - is often at risk as a result of reduced household income and social disruption. Problem gamblers experience high levels of comorbid mental health disorders and substance abuse, and they or their families may experience stress-related physical and psychological ill health as a consequence of their gambling activities. Other adverse effects include family breakdown, domestic violence, criminal activity, disruption to or loss of employment, and social isolation. Additionally, problem gambling may compromise the capacity to afford necessities such as adequate nutrition, heating, shelter, transport, medications and health services.
The prevalence of problem gambling is shaped by the availability, distribution and marketing of gambling activities. The visibility and accessibility of gambling has been heightened by an expansion in gambling options and venues, including a steep increase in the number of Electronic Gaming Machines (EGMs), and the proliferation of interactive gambling. EGM gambling is associated with the greatest level of harm, and accounts for between 70 and 80 per cent of problem gambling. The prevalence and degree of harm arising from gambling have been compounded by the shift toward high-intensity machines with rapid play and high loss rates. Further, as gambling activities have expanded and diversified, particularly with the introduction of interactive gambling, so too have the ways in which gambling is marketed to different sections of the community. Young people and other vulnerable populations are increasingly exposed to messages from a broad range of media that endorse, promote and normalise gambling.
The expansion in gambling activities has not only increased the prevalence of problem gambling, but has also entrenched governments’ dependence upon gambling taxation. For state and territory governments, their dual role as regulator and beneficiary poses a structural conflict and obstacle to achieving gambling policies and regulations that prioritise public health and consumer protection objectives. If the expansion of gambling and its associated harm is to be reduced, it is imperative that governments’ reliance upon revenue from gambling is overcome.
Medical practitioners see first-hand the devastating consequences of gambling, which impacts not only on the physical and mental health of individual gamblers, but also on the well being of their families. Problem gamblers have a higher than average number of visits to a GP, and experience an increased incidence of physical illnesses such as hypertension, insomnia, migraine and other stress-related problems. Patients with problem gambling often present symptoms that appear unrelated to gambling, such as depression, anxiety, stomach upsets, headaches, and other stress-related symptoms of physical and psychological ill health.
The adverse consequences of problem gambling are not distributed evenly across the population. The prevalence and impacts of problem gambling are most pronounced among socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and communities, including Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders, those with poor literacy, people with pre-existing mental health problems, certain cultural and linguistic communities, and people living in regions or metropolitan suburbs with high levels of unemployment and economic hardship.
Interactive gambling
Interactive gambling is the fastest growing form of gambling, and its rapid proliferation poses significant risks. Interactive gambling refers to the range of gambling activities that occur through digital communication mediums, including the Internet, mobile phone devices, and digital television. Those who engage in these forms of gambling are more likely to be problem gamblers and, as the variety and accessibility of interactive gambling continue to grow, researchers predict a further increase in serious gambling-related problems, particularly among young people. The growth in interactive gambling has been fuelled by technological innovation, aggressive marketing, and a dramatic rise in online and mobile gambling activities associated with sport. The convergence of online
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gambling advertising with social media and social networking websites offers new access points to interactive gambling, particular to young people.
Young people
The proliferation of gambling activities and associated marketing has significant implications for children and young people. Young people are at a heightened risk of developing problems with gambling and, the earlier the onset of gambling behaviour, the more likely problem gambling will result and continue into adulthood. Gambling during childhood or adolescence is typically associated with risk-taking behaviours, reduced educational performance, and mental health problems, including depression.
In addition to the growing diversity and accessibility of gambling activities, advertising and marketing have contributed to the normalisation of gambling. Young people are particularly susceptible to interactive gambling, and the integration of sports-betting advertising in television broadcasts and the prominent display of Internet signs on playing grounds have accelerated the growth of gambling problems among younger age cohorts. The convergence of gambling and social networking has also led to the development of gambling-themed games on social media websites that target children and adolescents. These games typically feature advertising and links to gambling websites, and serve to familiarise children and adolescents with the principles and mechanics of gambling.
Underlying principles
A public health approach to gambling takes into consideration the health, social and economic dimensions of gambling. From this perspective, a comprehensive approach is required that includes prevention, harm minimisation, and treatment. In addition to supporting medical interventions and treatment, preventative measures are required that address structural factors, with investment in “upstream” public health strategies that contain the economic, political and social drivers that intensify gambling consumption. This includes regulating and restricting the availability and distribution of gambling products, de-normalising gambling and regulating its marketing and promotion, and reducing governments’ reliance on gambling revenue. In addition to preventative and upstream measures, interventions that minimise the harm associated with gambling activities are required. This includes regulating the nature of gambling products, and addressing the design features that encourage high intensity gambling. Because problem gamblers often present with multiple and complex social and psychological issues, cross-sectoral responses are required to treat problem gamblers. This includes an integrated service system that includes primary health, family services, drug and alcohol services, and mental health services. National leadership is required to drive and coordinate this multifaceted approach, which in turn needs to be underpinned by ongoing research into effective interventions and emerging forms of gambling.
The AMA’s Position
Commonwealth government
1. The Commonwealth Government should work in partnership with state and territory governments to develop an integrated National Strategy on Problem Gambling that recognises, reduces and prevents problem gambling. The National Strategy should include:
the establishment of an independent gambling regulator, tasked with providing national regulatory oversight, including the regulation of product safety standards to ensure that gaming machines and other gambling products comply with consumer protection and incorporate harm minimisation measures to reduce the risk of problem gambling;
focus on the specific forms of gambling and gambling products most related to harm;
research to identify the underlying risk and protective factors associated with problem gambling, including behavioural, social and cultural influences, in addition to policy and environmental factors;
research focused on high-risk groups;
research to expand our understanding of effective interventions, including the efficacy of pharmacological interventions;
independent monitoring of policy interventions and strategies;
community awareness programs and educational strategies to highlight the impact of problem gambling, and to encourage problem gamblers to seek help;
research or trials of interventions that address youth gambling, with a focus on primary prevention and denormalising gambling; and,
educational programs for school-aged children about the risks of gambling.
2. The Commonwealth Government should take a lead role in providing incentives that support state and territory governments to reduce their dependence on revenue from gambling. This could be achieved by modifying the funding formula used by the Commonwealth Grants Commission, with the allocation of funding linked into specific measures or key performance indicators relating to reduction in gambling revenue.
3. The Commonwealth Government should implement policies that limit access to interactive gambling, and that support measures to address the harm associated with this form of gambling. This should include:
maintaining a ban on interactive gambling;
working with other jurisdictions and developing international or cross-border alliances to stem the growth in online gambling;
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mechanisms to monitor and enforce compliance with interactive gambling legislation and regulations;
funding research into the risk and protective factors associated with interactive gambling, particularly among children and adolescents; and,
prohibiting the targeted marketing of gambling and gambling products to children and adolescents, including the use of social media, sports betting, and simulated gambling activities.
4. Regulations should be in place to govern marketing associated with gambling, including the prohibition of advertising during televised sporting events, prohibition of sports sponsorship by the gambling industry, and banning promotions and inducements targeting children, young people and at-risk groups.
State and territory governments
1. State and territory governments should develop and implement a strategy to reduce their dependence on revenue from gambling. This strategy should be supported by incentives from the Commonwealth Government, and linked into an action plan that includes key measures and milestones.
2. State and territory governments should regulate and restrict the extent and distribution of, and access to, legalised gambling activities within the community. This includes preventing under-aged persons and at-risk groups from accessing gambling activities, venues and promotions.
3. State and territory governments should implement and regulate compliance of gambling venues with national consumer protection standards and harm minimisation strategies.
4. In each state and territory, there should be an independent statutory authority to monitor, investigate, and report annually on all gambling activity.
5. Adequate and recurrent funding should be provided by state and territory governments to support research, prevention, detection, early intervention and treatment and rehabilitation programs for people with problem gambling.
6. State and territory governments should support systematic linkages and referral pathways between health, welfare, and problem gambling services.
7. State and territory governments should ensure the provision of recurrent resources for specialised training for community and health care workers.
8. State and territory governments should invest in targeted early intervention and treatment services for at-risk groups and communities, including for people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, young people, people from non-English speaking backgrounds, and populations with low literacy and low income levels.
Medical practitioners
1. Medical practitioners should be aware of the potential adverse impacts of problem gambling on the physical and mental health of individuals and their families. Patients with problem gambling may present with symptoms that appear unrelated to gambling. Other patients may present with health-related concerns arising from a family member's gambling problem.
2. Medical practitioners should consider including gambling as part of their systematic lifestyle risk assessment when taking a medical history.
3. Where a gambling problem is suspected, a psychosocial assessment should be undertaken.
4. Where relevant, a shared-care approach to the case management of people with gambling problems and their families may be developed. The general practitioner can be assisted by community agencies such as gambling intervention and counselling services, community mental health, relationship counselling, alcohol and drug services, financial advisory services and legal services.
5. Information kits which include screening and assessment questionnaires should be available to all medical practitioners, especially general practitioners, to help identify, manage and refer patients affected by problem gambling.
6. Undergraduate and postgraduate medical education courses should include the recognition of problem gambling as a health issue. Medical practitioners are encouraged to participate in continuing education related to the detection and management of the adverse health effects of problem gambling.
The gambling industry
1. All gambling venues should ensure that they comply with consumer protection and harm minimisation regulations and requirements, and that they:
prominently display codes of conduct and industry guidelines for responsible gambling;
inform gamblers of the rules of the games, the payout rates and probabilities of winning and losing, and how gaming machines operate;
prominently display signage in multiple languages indicating the availability of support services for those affected by problem gambling;
provide information to customers regarding the disinhibiting effects of alcohol on gamblers' efforts to control their gambling. Signage should warn patrons to minimise their alcohol consumption while gambling. Free alcoholic drinks and the use of 'happy hours' should be banned;
refuse access to gaming to patrons who appear intoxicated;
provide alternative non-gambling activities and other entertainment; provide clearly visible clocks and easy access to natural light; provide venues that are smoke free; and,
do not allow EFTPOS machines and ATMs on the gambling floor.
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2. The gambling industry should ensure that venue operators, managers and relevant staff are educated about the indicators and risks of problem gambling, and trained to support responsible gambling practices.
3. All gambling operators should comply with legislation and regulations relating to interactive gambling and marketing via online and mobile devices.
ABSTRACTS OF RECENT ARTICLES IN LEADING GAMBLING
PERIODICALS
Journal of Gambling Studies
After the Ban of Slot Machines in Norway: A New Group of Treatment-Seeking Pathological Gamblers? (Eli Torild Hellandsjø Bu and Arvid Skutle)
This paper investigates changes in the demographic and clinical features of treatment-seeking pathological gamblers, and their gambling preferences, before and after the ban of slot machines in Norway from 1 July 2007. Is there an emergence of a new group of gamblers seeking treatment after the ban? The participants were 99 patients, 16 women and 83 men, with a mean age of 35 years. All were referred to the Bergen Clinics Foundation for treatment of gambling addiction in the period October 2006 to October 2009. A comprehensive assessment package was applied, focusing on demographic characteristics, the severity of pathological gambling, mental health and substance use disorder. After the ban, the mean age was significantly lower, and significantly more were highly educated, in regular employment, and married. Internet gambling and a sport betting game called Odds were the most common options, and gambling problems had become more severe with greater depth due to gambling, bad conscious, heavy alcohol consumption, and more suicidal thoughts and attempts. After the ban of slot machines, the characteristics of treatment-seeking gamblers have been changed, and with great implications for treatment strategies.
Adolescent Online Gambling: The Impact of Parental Practices and Correlates with Online Activities (Georgios D. Floros, Konstantinos Siomos, Virginia Fisoun and Dimitrios Geroukalis)
This study presents results from a cross-sectional study of the entire adolescent student population aged 12– 19 of the island of Kos and their parents, on the relationship between their Internet gambling and respective parental practices, including aspects of psychological bonding and online security measures. The sample consisted of 2 017 students (51.8% boys, 48.2% girls). The results indicate that gender, parenting practices as perceived by the adolescents and distinct patterns of adolescent Internet activities are among the best predictor variables for Internet gambling. Security practices exercised by the parents failed to make an impact on the extent of Internet gambling, demonstrating the need for specific measures to tackle this phenomenon since the provision of simple education on the dangers of the Internet is not sufficient to this regard.
Testing NLCLiP: Validation of Estimates of Rates of Non-problematic and Problematic Gambling in a Sample of British Schoolchildren (John Lepper and Ben Haden)
This paper reports on the results of applying a short screen for problem gambling, called NLCLiP, to a national sample of 8 958 British schoolchildren under the age of 16. It shows that, in its current form, NLCLiP can, with reasonable accuracy, be employed to estimate the rate of prevalence of problematic and non-problematic (i.e. gambling which does not lead to significant endorsement of DSM-IV-MR-J criteria) in a general population of children. However, NLCLiP does not reliably discriminate between problem and at-risk gamblers. Moreover, it does not provide a reliable basis to identify cases of problem gambling. The main conclusion reached is that NLCLiP is a potentially useful tool for regulators to assess changes in the prevalence of problematic and non-problematic gambling among children over time.
Gambling-Related Harms Among Adolescents: A Population-Based Study (Susanna Raisamo, Jukka Halme, Antti Murto and Tomi Lintonen)
Internationally, and also in Europe, adolescent gambling is increasingly recognized as an important public health issue. Most research on adolescent gambling, however, is prevalence-focused and population-based studies are scarce. Few studies have examined gambling-related harms among adolescents. In a national sample, this study examined self-experienced harms related to gambling and the relationship between reported harms and gambling behaviour among Finnish adolescents. A national survey of 12–18-year-olds was conducted in Finland in 2011 (N = 4 566). Main measures were frequency of gambling and gambling-related harms reported during the past six months. The relationship between reported harms and gambling behaviour was assessed using logistic regression analysis. Overall, 44% had gambled during the past six months. Of the sample, 12% were frequent gamblers (at least weekly) and 32% were occasional gamblers (monthly or less often). Compared to occasional gamblers, frequent gamblers were more likely to experience harms. The most commonly reported harms among frequent gamblers were “felt guilty or shameful due to gambling” (17%) followed by “problems with relationships” (13%) and “disruptions of daily rhythm” (10%). In age and gender-adjusted analysis, daily gamblers were significantly more likely to report all different types of harms when compared to other groups. These findings suggest that when planning and targeting youth gambling prevention and harm reduction strategies the nature and extent to which gambling may contribute to the different types of harms are important to consider.
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Internet Poker Websites and Pathological Gambling Prevention Policy (Yasser Khazaal et al)
Despite the widespread increase in online poker playing and the risk related to excessive poker playing, research on online poker websites is still lacking with regard to pathological gambling prevention strategies offered by the websites. The aim of the present study was to assess the pathological gambling-related prevention strategies of online poker websites. Two keywords (“poker” and “poker help”) were entered into two popular World Wide Web search engines. The first 20 links related to French and English online poker websites were assessed. Seventy-four websites were assessed with a standardized tool designed to rate sites on the basis of accountability, interactivity, prevention strategies, marketing, and messages related to poker strategies. Prevention strategies appeared to be lacking. Whereas a substantial proportion of the websites offered incitation to gambling such as betting “tips,” few sites offered strategies to prevent or address problem gambling. Furthermore, strategies related to poker, such as probability estimation, were mostly reported without acknowledging their limitations. Results of this study suggest that more adequate prevention strategies for risky gambling should be developed for online poker.
International Gambling Studies
Markers of unsustainable gambling for early detection of at-risk online gamblers (Nicola Adami, Sergio Benini, Alberto Boschetti, Luca Canini, Florinda Maione and Matteo Temporin)
This paper proposes novel markers for identifying at-risk gamblers based on the concept of sustainability. The first hypothesis here verified is that problematic gamblers oscillate between intervals of increasing wager size followed by rapid drops, probably because they exceed their economic sustainability limits. Due to the non-periodic nature of these fluctuations, the proposed marker detects a certain occurring feature, such as a rapid drop in wager size, over a wide range of fluctuation periods, drop sizes and shapes. The second marker, counting the number of games the gambler is involved in, aims at predicting possible consequences of an exceeding amount of time dedicated to gambling, that ultimately causes social and relational breakdowns. In the experimental phase we demonstrate how the adoption of these markers allows for identifying larger segments of high- and medium-risk gamblers with respect to previous research on actual betting behaviours.
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction
A Latent Class Analysis of Adolescent Gambling: Application of Resilience Theory (Abby L. Goldstein, Breanne Faulkner, Rebecca M. Cunningham, Marc A. Zimmerman, Stephen Chermack, Maureen A. Walton) This study examined the application of resilience theory to adolescent gambling using Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to establish sub-types of adolescent gamblers and to explore risk and promotive factors associated with gambling group membership. Participants were a diverse sample of 249 adolescents ages 14 to 18 (30.1% female, 59.4% African American) presenting to an inner-city emergency department (ED) who reported having gambled at least once in the previous year. Two classes of gamblers were identified and distinguished based on the probability of endorsing gambling consequences: high-consequence gamblers (class 1) and low-consequence gamblers (class 2). Despite similar profiles on gambling frequency and largest amount gambled, high-consequence gamblers (accounting for 37.8% of current gamblers) were more likely than low-consequence gamblers to gamble more than planned, feel bad about their gambling, have arguments with friends and family about gambling and to borrow to pay back money lost while gambling. Compared to the low-consequence group, high-consequence gamblers were more likely to use marijuana, consume alcohol, engage in peer and dating violence and delinquency, and to report negative peer influences. Low-consequence gamblers had higher levels of parental monitoring. Individuals in the high-consequence group had higher scores on the risk, and lower scores on the promotive, factor index and Risk × Promotive Factor Index scores predicted gambling group membership. These findings support a risk-protective model of resilience and indicate that promotive factors buffer against high-consequence gambling in the context of risk.
Problem Gambling Prevention: Before, During, and After Measures (Vanchai Ariyabuddhiphongs) This paper reviewed the literature on problem gambling prevention measures, and found two problem gambling prevention models: harm reduction and responsible gambling. Problem gambling prevention measures could be classified according to the temporal sequence of before, during and after gambling. Before measures involved attempts to change misconceptions and attitudes toward gambling; they tended to have limited effect on gambling behaviors. During measures required structural changes to gambling machines, and insertion of warning messages; they tended to have mixed results in terms of gambling behaviours. After measures included relapse prevention and self-exclusion; some self-excluded gamblers returned to gambling. Future research should focus on theory, longitudinal studies, internet gambling, and cross-national research. No prevention measure seemed to be more effective than the gamblers’ motivation to control their own gambling behaviours.
Adolescent Gambling: A Narrative Review of Behavior and Its Predictors (Vanchai Ariyabuddhiphongs)
This narrative review summarizes current knowledge on adolescent gambling for the period 1990–2010, assesses adolescent gambling behavior and person and environment predictors, and suggests directions for
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future research. The review includes 99 studies that identified their subjects as adolescents, children, youth, and students, and discusses adolescent gambling behavior, male and female adolescent gambling, and person and environment variables relating to adolescent gambling. Results reveal that most past research was conducted in Australia, North America, and Europe under the hypothesis of behavior as a function of person and environment variables. Future research should examine the mediated effects of person and environment variables, gambling cessation, gambling in other countries, and internet gambling. Intervention and prevention of adolescent gambling need parental involvement with parents not gambling themselves.
FORTHCOMING CONFERENCES
4 – 6 April 2013, Alberta, Canada.
Alberta Gambling Research Institute 12th Annual Conference
Co-sponsored by the University of Calgary, the 2013 conference theme is "Research to Practice in Gambling Disorders". Speakers at the conference will include Dr. Nerilee Hing (Southern Cross University), Dr. Robert Williams (University of Lethbridge), Dr. Rachel Volberg (Gemini Research) and Dr. Henrietta Bowden-Jones (National Problem Gambling Clinic, London).
http://www.abgamblinginstitute.ualberta.ca/en/Events.aspx
14 – 16 April 2013, Toronto
Responsible Gambling Council Discovery Conference 2013
The conference will be followed by a workshop on 17 April, which will focus on current methodological and ethical issues in internet gambling. Workshop speakers will include Robert Williams (University of Lethbridge), Mark Griffiths (Nottingham Trent University), Jeffrey Derevensky (McGill University) and Jonathan Parke (Responsible Gambling Trust).
http://www.responsiblegambling.org/rg-news-research/discovery-2013
23 May 2013, London Social Gaming 2013
This conference will explore the booming online gaming industry. The industry is without doubt one of the fastest growing sectors of the decade - a Morgan Stanley report into social gaming estimates that if left unregulated, by 2015 the industry could be worth $7 billion. Yet despite its profitability, the industry is subject to much scrutiny involving issues such as virtual currencies, privacy, marketing and advertising, and the protection of users and user data. As debates surrounding regulation continue, this conference will draw upon experts in the gaming, gambling and legal sphere who will offer insight into the future of this rapidly expanding industry.
http://www.cecileparkconferences.com/social-gaming-2013?page=0
27 - 29 May 2013, Hamar, Norway
The 9th Nordic conference: Changing landscape of gambling - treatment and prevention
http://www.snsus.org/
27 - 31 May 2013, Las Vegas
15th International Conference on Gambling and Risk-Taking
Sponsored by the Institute for the Study of Gambling and Commercial Gaming at the University of Nevada, Reno, in partnership with the International Gaming Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the primary objectives of the conference are to contribute to the base of scientific knowledge about gambling in all its dimensions, to stimulate further research, and to facilitate discussion and dialogue about gambling and commercial gaming as it has developed and continues to evolve throughout the world.
http://igi.unlv.edu/conference/
19 - 20 July 2013, Seattle, Washington
27th National Conference on Problem Gambling
This is the annual conference of the National Council on Problem Gambling.
http://www.ncpgambling.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=4520
22 - 24 September 2013, Las Vegas
14th annual NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction
http://www.ncrg.org/public-education-and-outreach/conference
9 - 12 September 2014, venue to be announced
