The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The WAGER, Vol. 1(13) - Symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder in Pathological Gamblers

Clinicians speculate that pathological gamblers may have an inability to “hold back” or inhibit a range of behaviors. Similarly, the failure to maintain attention and the inability to disregard distractions may reflect an attention deficit disorder (ADD). Both of these imply a regulatory deficit. A recent study compared pathological gamblers (n = 12), alcoholics (n = 12) and a control group (n = 15) for signs of ADD during childhood. The study found significant differences among these three groups. Specifically, for ADD-associated items, control scores were significantly lower than those of both alcoholics and gamblers, though alcoholics and gamblers did... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 1(12) - Suicidal Behavior Among Members of Gamblers Anonymous

A recent report highlighted the possibility that gambling losses can lead to suicide1. Although little research is available to confirm this adverse potential consequence of problematic gambling, some evidence exists. In one study, a sample of 500 participants in Gamblers Anonymous (GA) were surveyed to gather data on suicidal history2. Of the 162 (32.4%) who returned the survey, 21.0% reported they had never considered suicide, 47.5% had thought about suicide, and 13.0% had attempted suicide. This 13.0% rate can be compared with an estimated 1.1% lifetime incidence of attempted suicide in the general population and an estimated rate of 9.9%... Read more →

The WAGER 1(11) - Middle School Students’ Perception of

Data from the 1995 Science Education Drug Abuse Partnership (SEDAP) needs assessment project reveal that 36.3% of a sample of 5th through 8th grade Massachusetts students consider playing the lottery to be “not at all dangerous” and 32.6% of this sample consider other gambling to be “not at all dangerous.” These students perceived both forms of gambling to be less dangerous than using each of six substances, including alcohol and tobacco. “Dangerousness” can be interpreted in many ways by middle school students. However, these data imply that a sizable proportion of students are unaware of potentially adverse consequences (e.g., psychological,... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 1(10) - Growth in U.S. Gambling Industry

Since 1982, gambling has increased in each of the eight segments of the gaming industry depicted in the figure below. The first modern state lottery began in New Hampshire in 1963; however, of the 38 U.S. lotteries currently operating, over 75% were started after 1980. Legalized casino gambling existed only in Nevada and New Jersey until 1988, the year Congress passed the Indian Gaming Regula­tory Act (IGRA). The IGRA established a statutory framework for the regulation and control of gaming on Indian lands. Currently, there are 139 approved compacts in 24 states involving 123 tribes. Non-tribal casino gambling also expanded... Read more →