The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The WAGER Vol. 10(6) - Consumer spending, tax revenue and jobs: some economic impacts of casino entertainment

Since Nevada first introduced commercial casino gaming in 1931, the U.S. commercial casino industry has experienced strong growth. In 1978 New Jersey opened its first casino in Atlantic City. During subsequent years, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri and South Dakota permitted commercial casino gaming in their states. According to the 2005 survey report by the American Gaming Association (AGA), primarily a casino industry funded organization, there are 445 commercial casinos in 11 states (American Gaming Association 2005). In 2004, the gross gaming revenue for these states approached $29 billion. The gross revenue for Nevada alone exceeded $10... Read more →

Op-Ed/Editorials - Pathological gambling should not be an excuse for law-breaking

The views expressed in the Op-Ed/Editorials page are solely the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BASIS, its sponsors, or affiliated organizations. Crime and Addiction Series Part 4 Pathological gambling should not be an excuse for law-breaking Gilbert Geis, Ph.D. Department of Criminology, Law and Society University of California, Irvine It has been claimed that the insurance business is a gamble, that actuaries determine the size of your bet after they calculate the odds that your house will burn down during the period that your policy prevails. More generally, it has been said... Read more →

Addiction and the Humanities, Volume 1(9) - Born to lose: A gambler’s lifelong struggle with addiction

Born to Lose (2005) by Bill Lee details the author’s life-long struggle with gambling problems. Lee describes how he secluded himself from his family and proceeded to gamble away savings and even his son’s college funds. This book provides a case study of the chain of events involved in the development of an addiction, as Shaffer et al.(2004) described in a recent article. The syndrome model Shaffer et al. propose suggests that a complex, multidimensional process underlies the development and maintenance of harmful, excessive behavior patterns. The syndrome model suggests that specific predisposing factors (e.g., neurobiological, psychological and social) lay... Read more →

Op-Ed/Editorials - Breaking the cycle of criminal activity related to gambling addiction

The views expressed in the Op-Ed/Editorials page are solely the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BASIS, its sponsors, or affiliated organizations. Crime and Addiction Series Part 3 Breaking the cycle of criminal activity related to gambling addiction Sue McNabb Assistant Attorney General Office of the Attorney General State of Louisiana Gaming revenue has become an important component of the budget of every jurisdiction where gaming is legal. Louisiana is no exception. Since the legalization of gaming in 1991, gaming revenue has become the fifth largest source of revenue for the state, accounting... Read more →

ASHES Vol. 1(5) - You can teach an old dog new tricks: Quitting smoking and age

In many developed countries worldwide, the average age of the population is increasing; this means that gradually more elderly people will be seeking medical care for a variety of ailments and concerns. Smokers are at risk for a range of health problems, including lung and esophageal cancers; smoking also relates to cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, bladder, stomach, cervix, kidney, and pancreas, as well as acute myeloid leukemia (Center for Disease Control, 2004). Increased exposure raises a person’s risk for developing such illnesses, which suggests that such health concerns are especially relevant for aging smokers. For these reasons... Read more →

Op-Ed/Editorials - Sex Offenders on Prison Gambling: Harmful Addiction or Opportunity for Leisure?

The views expressed in the Op-Ed/Editorials page are solely the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BASIS, its sponsors, or affiliated organizations. Crime and Addiction Series Part 2 Sex Offenders on Prison Gambling: Harmful Addiction or Opportunity for Leisure? D J Williams, LCSW, Ph.D. University of Alberta Edmonton, Canada Research has shown that offender populations have a higher rate of compulsive gambling than the general population (i.e., Anderson, 1999; Templar et al., 1993). However, although many offenders may have had compulsive gambling problems prior to their incarceration, research is scant on the phenomenon... Read more →

Op-Ed/Editorials - Pandora’s Black Box: Crime, Addiction, Behaviorism, and Agency

The views expressed in the Op-Ed/Editorials page are solely the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BASIS, its sponsors, or affiliated organizations. Welcome to the BASIS special series on Crime & Addiction. Over the next four weeks we will publish editorials that probe various linkages and phenomena associated with crime and addiction. This week Dr. Sarah Nelson discusses the science of crime and addiction. Join us during the next four weeks as we explore whether pathological gambling should excuse criminal behavior, gambling in prison, and problem gambling court diversion programs. We hope you... Read more →

The Dram, Volume 1(5) - Sober on the Issue of the Cardiovascular Benefits of Moderate Drinking

Scientists have argued that moderate involvement with what some might perceive to be “sinful” behaviors, such as eating chocolate, might provide individuals some health benefits. Similarly, some have argued that drinking alcohol moderately provides protection against cardiovascular disease (CVD). After an original period of skeptism, many people and the media have accepted such possibilities with enthusiasm. However, a recent study (Naimi, Brown et al. 2005) suggests that the improved cardiovascular health of moderate drinkers compared to non-drinkers might be the result of better social, behavioral and health conditions rather than moderate alcohol consumption. In this issue of the DRAM, we... Read more →