The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The WAGER, Vol.2(4) - Gambling & Depression

Several studies have found that pathological gamblers have higher rates of depression than non-pathological gamblers. However, among the general population (from non-gamblers to pathological gamblers), do more frequent gamblers experience depression at a higher rate than non-gamblers? A recent study addressed this question by exploring whether there was a relationship between depression and gambling among a random sample of 400 adult residents of Omaha, Nebraska. Thorson et al.* measured depression with the CES-Depression scale, a valid and reliable instrument which contains 20 items assessing major elements of depression. Following the methods of previous studies using the CES-Depression scale, these researchers... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol.2(3) - Sports Betting & The Superbowl

In 1992 Congress passed the Amateur and Professional Sports Protection Act (also known as the Bradley Bill), which bans the establishment of sports betting facilities that didn’t exist prior to the passage of the Act. The Bradley Bill has effectively kept sports betting illegal in all but a few states. No legislation, however, seems effective in stopping illegal betting. Many speculate that the Superbowl is the single most bet-upon event of the year. Estimating the precise amount bet illegally on the Superbowl or other sports events is difficult. The Boston Globe reported that “some officials” estimated that in Massachusetts alone... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol.2(2) - Technology’s Impact on Problem Gambling

New technology allows industries, including the gambling industry, to attract additional customers and retain old customers in innovative ways. Casino operators are providing more opportunities for ATM and credit card advances. They are installing more point of sale debit terminals on the casino floor, and building cashless money systems directly into slot machines1. Currently, one cashless money system involves a player card with which gamblers can wager by swiping it through a magnetic card reader on the gambling machine. A similar concept is a multifacility private label casino card. With this card, a player can open an account at a... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol.2(1) - Ranking Potential Social Problems

During 1995, using random-digit dialing, researchers conducted a telephone survey of 1,030 adults in Ontario, Canada. Respondents were questioned about gambling-related problems and opinions. On one question respondents rated the severity of several behavior patterns as social problems, including smoking, heavy drinking, drug addiction, and heavy gambling. Nearly half (47%) of the respondents rated heavy gambling as a very serious social problem. However, when asked to choose the “most serious social problem”, drug addiction ranked first for 65% of the respondents, followed by heavy drinking (22%), smoking (9%), and heavy gambling (3%). An individual’s perception of a social problem is... Read more →