Pathological gambling
sponsored by FrDerSer (www.federserd.it)
- What is Pathological Gambling?
- Is the gambler a compulsive individual?
- Is pathological gambling connected with other mental disorders?
- Can pathological gamblers be helped?
- What kind of games can cause the most severe problems?
- Is there a connection between pathological gambling and criminality?
- What is a gambling problem?
- Is it only an economic problem?
- Is it possible to say that pathological gamblers are always unreliable people with a low will strength?
- What kind of people risk to become pathological gamblers?
- What kind of gambling causes the most severe problems?
- Can a person have a gambling problem even though they do not gamble every day?
- How much money has to be lost before assuming that there is a problem connected with gambling?
- How is it possible to have an addiction to something that is not a substance?
- Generally speaking, are gambling problems parts of other addictions?
- How popular is gambling in Italy?
- Are kids and adolescents in jeopardy?
- Who can help in case of need?
- What is FeDerSerD?
1. What is Pathological Gambling?
Pathological Gambling was officially recognized as a pathology in 1980 by the American Psychiatric Association and classified in the DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) as “impulses control disorder”.
Pathological Gambling is persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behaviour that disrupts personal, family, or vocational pursuits. Pathological Gambling can be defined as “dependence without substances” that in some cases is associated with drugs or alcohol abuse, mood disorders or attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders.
Pathological gamblers were found to exhibit certain physiological traits associated with stress, such as high energy levels, ulcer and migraine. If the pathological gambling is expressed by 5 or more of the following, the patient:
1. May be preoccupied with gambling (e.g., reliving past gambling experiences, planning the next gambling venture, or thinking of ways to get money with which to gamble).
2. Needs to put increasing amounts of money into play to get the desired excitement.
3. Has repeatedly tried (and failed) to control or stop gambling.
4. Feels restless or irritable when trying to control gambling.
5. Uses gambling to escape from problems.
6. Often tries to recoup loses.
7. Lies to cover up the extent of gambling.
8. Has stolen to finance gambling.
9. Has jeopardized a job or important relationship.
10. Has had to rely on others for money to relieve the consequences of gambling.
2. Is the gambler a compulsive individual?
To the minors that live with their families, both legally and illegally residents, we have to add the foreign minors that arrive on their own, “unaccompanied”. Up to September 30th 2009 there were 6,587 registrations to the Foreign Minor Commission. 77% (5,091) have not been identified, that is without an identification document.
The minors registered come form 77 different countries, mainly African.
The most numerous national groups are from Morocco (15% of the total), Egypt (14%), Albania (11%), Afghanistan (11%), Palestine (7%), Somalia (4%), Eritrea (4%), Nigeria (4%) Serbian Republic (4%).
The males are 90% of the total. More than the half of the minors are 17 years old. Also the percentage of 16 year olds is relevant, 24%.
Smaller is the number of 15 year olds (822, 12%) and of those of different ages (691 are between 7 and 14 year old, 49 between 0 and 6 year old).
The overall number of minors between 15 and 17 year old is 5,847. 74% of the minors registered are accommodated at welcome centres, whereas 16% are accommodated at relatives’, brothers and sisters’, compatriots’, or foster children. Finally, 70 minors are in Child Prisons.
If we compare the data referred to last year (end of September 2008-2009), it results that the Egyptian and Afghan minors have grown, whereas Moroccan, Albanian and Palestinian minors have decreased: the former have increased from 906 to 962, Afghan form 614 to 743.
Regarding the access of those children and adolescents, during 2008, 2,749 foreign minors landed on the coasts of the southern regions, 95% in Sicily, in the province of Agrigento, and specifically in Lampedusa. According to the report made by the Borders and Foreigners Police, in 2008 about 210 foreign minors arrived in Italy from the costs of Ancona and Venice.
There are no data referred to the arrivals from land borders. Generally speaking, other significant border accesses seem to be Fiumicino (Rome), Gorizia, Brindisi, Ancona and Malpensa (Milan). In all these cases, the most part is made of unaccompanied minors.
3. Is the pathological gambling connected with other mental disorders?
It is actually in most of cases.
Various studies of pathological gamblers in treatment reveal histories of alcohol or drug abuse, depression, anti-social personality disorders and mood disorders.
Clinicians estimate persistent gambling behaviour results in self-reported problems such as truancy or conflict with family and friends.
4.Can pathological gamblers be helped?
Of course. Treatment options include individual and group psychotherapy, and self-help support groups such as Gamblers Anonymous.
There is not a programme suitable for everyone: if a treatment has failed in a patient, it could succeed in another one.
5. What kind of games can cause the most severe problems?
Most individuals with Pathological Gambling say that they are seeking an aroused, euphoric state that gambling gives them which appears more exhilarating than the money.
Increasingly larger bets, or greater risks, may be needed to continue to produce the desired level of excitement.
Many, or even the most, use a variety of gambling. However, specific studies revealed that the favourite games are slot-machine, card games and sports bets.
6. Is there a connection between pathological gambling and criminality?
Definitely there is, although there is limited scientific evidence about the nature of such link.
Some pathological gamblers perform illegal deeds, such as theft or drafting bad cheques to contain the economic consequence of their losses.
An Australian research revealed that 36% of gamblers in treatment committed crimes connected with their problem gambling.
A more recent German study reveals that the criminal behaviour precedes the addiction to gambling, and highlights that at least in some occasions the factors that lead to illegality and addiction are similar.
The association between pathological gambling and substance abuse, and substance abuse and criminal behaviour complicate this relation.
7. What is gambling problem?
Persistent gambling behaviour which results in self-reported problems such as truancy or conflict with family and friends.
Pathological Gambling is persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behaviour that disrupts personal, family, or vocational pursuits.
The individual may be preoccupied with gambling thinking of ways to get money with which to gamble, needs to put increasing amounts of money into play to get the desired excitement, feels restless or irritable when trying to control gambling, often tries to recoup loses.
In extreme cases, problems deriving from gambling lead to financial disaster, legal problems, family or job disrupts, and even suicide.
8. Is it only an economic problem?
No, it is not. Compulsive gambling is an emotional and behavioural problem with economic consequences.
Even though all the debts were paid off, the problem would not be solved, because it is connected with an uncontrollable compulsion towards gambling.
9. Is it possible to say that pathological gamblers are always unreliable people with a low will power?
No, it is not. A lot of people with problem gambling, before getting addicts, were regarded as reliable and mature persons by their families and friends.
Certain events in life (such as inactivity after retirement or a stressful circumstance) can cause a change in the behaviour of the most unsuspected individuals.
10. What kind of people risk to become pathological gamblers?
Any social gambler is potentially in jeopardy, especially if they do not gamble in a sensible and responsible way.
When gambling interferes with the financial stability and with the social and professional relationships of the individual, there is already a severe problem.
11. What kind of gambling causes the most severe problems?
Behind compulsive problem behaviour there is the inability of the individual to control their impulses. As a result, any typology of gambling can become problematic, like an alcohol-addict that can abuse several types of drinks.
Certain types of gambling have characteristics that can enhance the problems of compulsive gamblers.
Although researches are still in progress, it has been revealed that speed is a relevant factor in gambling. In another words, the faster is the sequence of the bet, the more problematic the relationship with gambling will be.
12. Can a person have a gambling problem even though they do not gamble every day?
The frequency of gambling is not determining to assume whether there is a problem gambling or not.
Although a problem occurs only periodically, the psychological and economic consequences may as well be so heavy that they will impact the gambler and their family’s life negatively.
13. How much money has to be lost before assuming that there is a problem gambling?
A certain amount of money, whether lost or won, is not indicative by itself of an arising problem gambling.
Gambling becomes a problem when it impacts the individual’s life negatively.
14. How is it possible to have an addiction to something that is not a substance?
Although no substances are taken, the compulsive gambler will seek an aroused, euphoric state that is similar to that derived from a tranquilizer or an alcoholic drink.
Gambling alters the balance of the person, that repeats the gamble to feel more exhilarated. Nevertheless, as for alcohol or drug abuse, the gambler will have to feel more and more exhilarated. This will develop a growing compulsion and the gambler will find even more difficult to resist the temptation to gamble.
15. Generally speaking, are gambling problems parts of other addictions?
It is generally believed that the individuals that have an addiction are in jeopardy to develop another one (e.g. alcohol and drug abuse).
Nevertheless, there is not necessarily a connection. A lot of compulsive gamblers do not have other addictions, since there are no substances and activities that can give them equal sensations.
Data reveal also the importance of family background: very often one or even both the parents of a pathological gambler have been themselves addicted to alcohol, drugs or gambling.
16. How popular is gambling in Italy?
In Italy for 80 thousand people the relationship with prize games are severely in jeopardy, 700 thousand are moderately in jeopardy, 2 million are least affected, whereas 80% of people between 15 and 64 years are not in jeopardy at all.
The level of gambling involvement is measured by the Canadian Problem Gambling Index. From the data, 14.5% of population is non-gambling, 4.7% is problem-gambling and 0.6% is gambling-related disorders (pathological gambling) – Ipsad data 2008.
At present in Italy, according to Federserd data, 5 thousand people are in treatment for gambling, in almost 200 territorial active areas. As a matter of fact, the Health Organization establishes that the pathological gambling treatment is provided by the Regional Administrations and the local Health Units through the Departments of Dependences, that is 550 Sert and more than thousands of residential structures, day-hospitals and rehabilitation centres.
17. Are kids and adolescents in jeopardy?
Researches from abroad (Nevada Council on Problem Gambling and British Columbia Partnership for Responsible Gambling) reveal that a lot of young people have had their first gambling experience before the age of 18 and that they risk to develop dependence on gambling more easily than adults.
A great number of gamblers that enter a treatment admits that they started gambling during their adolescence.
The matter is still on debate. It seems sure that the parents’ behaviour towards gambling is relevant in determining the children’s approach to gambling.
18. Who can help in case of need?
It is possible to contact:
- Il servizio Gioca Responsabile (Gamble responsibly): www.giocaresponsabile.it, green number 800 921 121 (direct and free-of-charge line from 10.00 to 22.00).
- The territorial services in every region of Italy:
www.giocaresponsabile.it/?fuseaction=ServiziTerritoriali
19. What is FeDerSerD?
La Federazione Italiana degli Operatori dei Dipartimenti e dei Servizi delle Dipendenze (www.federserd.it) ( The Italian Federation of Operators of Dependence Departments and Services) was born in 2001 as the development and renewal of associations active in this sector for years.
It comprises professionals of Dependence Departments and Services of all the Italian regions. Its objective is to improve the quality of the interventions of the pathological dependence sector, acting as scientific and organizational point of reference for the professionals who have contributed to this sector in Italy.
It is composed by doctors, psychologists, social assistances, nurses, educators that work with the patients and their families every day.
FeDerSerD is an accredited scientific society and part of FISM - Federazione Italiana delle società medico scientifiche (www.fism.it) (Italian Medical and Scientific Societies Federation).