Rolling the Big Dice

1. Rolling the Big Dice UK Policy on Gambling and Gaming P. R. Yates, Senior Research Fellow, Scottish Addiction Studies, Department of Applied Social Science, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland. e-mail: p.r.yates@stir.ac.uk url: http://www.dass.stir.ac.uk/sections/scot-ad/

2. Content • Features of problem gambling • The relationship to other addictions • Developing a theory of problem gambling • Current UK developments

3. Gambling – Features (APA) “persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behaviour” characterized by an inability to control gambling, leading to significant deleterious psychosocial consequences: personal, familial, financial, professional and legal. (APA 1994).

4. Gambling – Features (DSMIV) • needs to gamble with increasing amounts of money to achieve the desired excitement • gambles to escape problems or relieve dysphoric mood • after losing money, often returns another day to get even (‘chasing’) • lies to conceal the extent of involvement with gambling • repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop gambling • relies on others’ money to relieve a desperate financial situation • is restless or irritable when cutting down or stopping gambling • jeopardized or lost relationship, job, or career opportunity • has committed illegal acts to finance gambling

5. Gambling – Features (Biology) Studies show: • Elevated levels of beta-endorphin which peaks during gambling activity • Hypoactive serotonin system – low levels of serotonin are consistent with high levels of impulsivity

6. Gambling – An addiction? • Some similarities indicated by co-morbidity • 70% also have alcohol problems • 36% have problems with illicit drugs • Gamblers report increased tension or excitement immediately prior to the event • Gamblers report a release of tension after the event • But persistent differences remain

7. Gambling - Theories • addictions (Jacobs 1986; Blume 1987), • psychodynamic (Bergler 1958; Rosenthal 1992; Wildman 1997), • psychobiological (Blaszczynski et al. 1986; Carlton & Goldstein 1987; Lesieur & Rosenthal 1991; Rugle 1993; Comings et al. 1996), • behavioural (Anderson & Brown 1984; McConaghy et al. 1983), • cognitive (Sharpe & Tarrier 1993; Ladouceur & Walker 1996) • sociological (Rosecrance 1985; Ocean & Smith 1993)

8. Theory – Model - Diagnosis • Consensus around “drug, set and setting” • Diagnosis by symptom (DSMIV) • Diagnosis by harm - subjective • Diagnosis affected by socio-economic factors, gender, age, class, culture etc.

9. UK Gaming policy – legal framework • Gaming laws are complex and recent (1958) • Most gaming subjected to licence • Restrictions on licencees eased in the past decade • Significant levels of illicit gambling • Low-level wagering subject to by-laws by amount • Affected by internet gambling in the past decade

10. UK Gaming policy – recent proposals • Proposal for a “super-casino” • Accompanying proposal for large regional casinos • Subjected to a bid, process allocated to an independent tribunal • Independent tribunal recommended the “super-casino” to be sited in Manchester • Large regional casinos to be sited in: Great Yarmouth, Hull, Leeds, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Newham, Solihull, Southampton • A series of smaller casinos to be sited in: Bath and North East Somerset, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lindsey, Luton, Scarborough, Swansea, Torbay, Wolverhampton

11. UK Gaming policy – political outcome • Two legislative houses of parliament – Commons and Lords • Legislation narrowly approved in the House of Commons • Rejected in the House of Lords – on the “super-casino” issue • Government insists “no Plan B” • To be resolve by “a son of the manse”