The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The WAGER, Vol 4(21) - In-Service Training: An evaluation

In February, the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba released the results of a three-month evaluation of a problem gambling awareness project. The Manitoba Problem Gambling Assistance Program, based on a similar endeavor in Saskatchewan, was designed as in-service training for owners and employees of establishments offering video lottery terminals (VLTs). The aims of the program included helping employees to a) Understand the development of pathological gambling; b) Identify the key signs of pathological gambling; c) Identify on-site behaviors that indicate gamblers who may be experiencing problems related to their gambling; d) Become familiar with regulations, guidelines, and practices which support appropriate... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol 4(20) - Online Casinos: A Closer Look

Gold Club Casino is one of several online casinos popping up on the Internet, and provides an example of how such enterprises operate. The mechanism is simple: 1) Download the free casino software 2) Install it on your computer 3) Register and make an initial deposit 4) Begin gambling. Even the most novice of computer users can set up his or her own casino account in well under 30 minutes. The software offers both a “demo” mode and a “real” mode. The former allows players to practice gambling using the cyber-equivalent of play money. The real mode logs the user... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol 4(19) - Spectrum Disorder: A Down-Under Study

Over the years, veteran readers of the WAGER may have discerned recurrent themes in pathological gambling research. One of the more prominent of these themes is the conception of disordered gambling as part of an obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorder. Broadly defined, an obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorder is an umbrella category that includes diagnoses such as substance abuse disorders, certain personality disorders, OCD, trichotillomania, Tourette’s syndrome, and eating disorders. The spectrum is defined on one end by impulsivity and on the other by compulsivity. Proponents of this theory maintain that pathological gambling should be included on this spectrum, citing common symptomatology, comorbidity, and... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol 4(18) - Testing a Test: Sensitivity Training

In issue 28 of volume 2, the WAGER examined the work of Johnson, Hamer, Nora, Tan, Eisenstein, & Engelhart (1997), who tested the validity of a 2-question screen for pathological gambling.1 The two items were taken from DSM-IV criteria and chosen by process of logistic regression: 1) Have you ever had to lie to people important to you about how much you gambled? 2) Have you ever felt the need to bet more and more money? The initial study reported a high degree of validity for the test, as represented by standard epidemiological parame­ters. However, the study included only males.... Read more →