Treatment provision for Britain's problem gamblers: present gaps and future opportunities

Gambling in South Africa, which the National Gambling Act sanctions, continues to be a flourishing economic activity. The policy approach to gambling has always been to keep gambling venues a distance away from communities because of the negative consequences of gambling, also referred to as problem gambling and the negative moral stigma associated with gambling. The goal of this policy, which is also referred to as the “destination approach” is to circumvent impulse gambling, which may lead to problem gambling. The destination approach can be credited with the development and flourishing of casino gambling resorts throughout South Africa and at present, such resorts serve as artificial tourist attractions.However, the rationale for maintaining the destination approach in gambling policy and the law is no longer sustainable for a number of reasons. Firstly, the increasing incidence of gambling problems, secondly, there is little or no research that indicates the efficacy of the destination approach in curbing problem gambling and thirdly, the emergence of new gambling platforms such as interactive/online gambling means that gambling is conveniently available at the click of a mouse. Furthermore, there is growing evidence of casino operators relocating to areas with a high frequency of customers, such as shopping malls, which undermines the destination approach.Nevertheless, both the National Gambling Policy of 2016 and the National Gambling Amendment Bill of 2016 persist in maintaining the destination approach as a means of limiting accessibility to gambling opportunities and ultimately minimising problem gambling. This is despite the existence of strategies for the prevention of problem gambling. It is the author’s submission that maintaining and applying the destination approach in gambling policy and law, not only hinders competition in the gambling industry but also poses a threat to the enjoyment of gambling as a recreational economic activity, as listed in Schedule 4 of the Constitution. Destination gambling has little or no effect on problem gambling.

Download Full-text

An overview of gambling in Nigeria

BJPsych International ◽

10.1192/bji.2020.28 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-3 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Chinyere Mirian Aguocha ◽

Sanju George

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Online Gambling ◽

Public Health Strategy ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Gambling Industry ◽

Health Strategy ◽

The Government ◽

Industry Policy ◽

Related Harm

Gambling, legal and illegal, is popular in Nigeria. Lack of stringent regulation and enforcement, coupled with the rise in online gambling opportunities, has resulted in increased gambling-related harm. There needs to be a multipronged public health strategy to address the harms of gambling and for this the government, gambling industry, policy makers and academic experts need to engage in a meaningful debate.

Download Full-text

Factors Related to the High Prevalence of Diabetic Kidney Disease in Ecuador-Update for Health Policy Makers

Diabetes ◽

10.2337/db18-526-p ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 67 (Supplement 1) ◽

pp. 526-P

Author(s):

MARIANA E. GUADALUPE ◽

GRACIELA B. ALVAREZ CONDO ◽

FANNY E. VERA LORENTI ◽

BETTY J. PAZMIÑO GOMEZ ◽

EDGAR I. RODAS NEIRA ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Policy ◽

Kidney Disease ◽

Diabetic Kidney Disease ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Diabetic Kidney ◽

High Prevalence

Download Full-text

Only problem gamblers spend less money when loot boxes are removed from a game: A before and after study of Heroes of the Storm

10.31234/osf.io/a3kp2 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

David Zendle

Keyword(s):

Video Games ◽

Problem Gambling ◽

Video Game ◽

Real World ◽

Complex Pattern ◽

Problem Gamblers ◽

Before And After ◽

Gambling Severity ◽

Reliable Correlation ◽

Before And After Study

Loot boxes are items in video games that may be paid for with real-world money, but which contain randomised contents. There is a reliable correlation between loot box spending and problem gambling severity: The more money gamers spend on loot boxes, the more severe their problem gambling tends to be. However, it is unclear whether this link represents a case in which loot box spending causes problem gambling; a case in which the gambling-like nature of loot boxes cause problem gamblers to spend more money; or whether it simply represents a case in which there is a general dysregulation in in-game spending amongst problem gamblers, nonspecific to loot boxes.The multiplayer video game Heroes of the Storm recently removed loot boxes. In order to better understand links between loot boxes and problem gambling, we conducted an analysis of players of Heroes of the Storm (n=112) both before and after the removal of loot boxes.There were a complex pattern of results. In general, when loot boxes were removed from Heroes of the Storm, problem gamblers appeared to spend significantly less money in-game in contrast to other groups. These results suggest that the presence of loot boxes in a game may lead to problem gamblers spending more money in-game. It therefore seems possible that links between loot box spending and problem gambling are not due to a general dysregulation in in-game spending amongst problem gamblers, but rather are to do with specific features of loot boxes themselves.

Download Full-text

Gambling and Problem Gambling in Canada in 2018: Prevalence and Changes Since 2002: Le Jeu et le Jeu Problématique au Canada en 2018 : Prévalence et Changements Depuis 2002

The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/0706743720980080 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 070674372098008

Author(s):

Robert J. Williams ◽

Carrie A. Leonard ◽

Yale D. Belanger ◽

Darren R. Christensen ◽

Nady el-Guebaly ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Problem Gambling ◽

Community Health ◽

Health Survey ◽

Canadian Community Health Survey ◽

Problem Gamblers ◽

Type Of Gambling ◽

Community Health Survey ◽

Electronic Gambling ◽

Time Periods ◽

Electronic Gambling Machine

Objective: The purpose of this study was to provide an updated profile of gambling and problem gambling in Canada and to examine how the rates and pattern of participation compare to 2002. Method: An assessment of gambling and problem gambling was included in the 2018 Canadian Community Health Survey and administered to 24,982 individuals aged 15 and older. The present analyses selected for adults (18+). Results: A total of 66.2% of people reported engaging in some type of gambling in 2018, primarily lottery and/or raffle tickets, the only type in which the majority of Canadians participate. There are some significant interprovincial differences, with perhaps the most important one being the higher rate of electronic gambling machine (EGM) participation in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The overall pattern of gambling in 2018 is very similar to 2002, although participation is generally much lower in 2018, particularly for EGMs and bingo. Only 0.6% of the population were identified as problem gamblers in 2018, with an additional 2.7% being at-risk gamblers. There is no significant interprovincial variation in problem gambling rates. The interprovincial pattern of problem gambling in 2018 is also very similar to what was found in 2002 with the main difference being a 45% decrease in the overall prevalence of problem gambling. Conclusions: Gambling and problem gambling have both decreased in Canada from 2002 to 2018 although the provincial patterns are quite similar between the 2 time periods. Several mechanisms have likely collectively contributed to these declines. Decreases have also been reported in several other Western countries in recent years and have occurred despite the expansion of legal gambling opportunities, suggesting a degree of inoculation or adaptation in the population.

Download Full-text

Being a Gambler during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study with Italian Patients and the Effects of Reduced Exposition

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18020424 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 424

Author(s):

Maria Anna Donati ◽

Silvia Cabrini ◽

Daniela Capitanucci ◽

Caterina Primi ◽

Roberta Smaniotto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Structural Characteristics ◽

Gambling Behavior ◽

Online Gambling ◽

Problem Gamblers ◽

Electronic Gambling Machines ◽

Electronic Gambling ◽

Gambling Market ◽

The Impact ◽

Gambling Activities

The COVID-19 pandemic, with the consequent lockdown of about 3 months, can be viewed as an experimental model to observe the impact of the depletion of environmental factors that stimulate gambling, particularly electronic gambling machines (EGMs) that were set to zero. The effects of some structural characteristics of gambling activities that increase gambling behavior were studied among disordered gamblers in treatment in this unique scenario. In fact, studies investigating the effects of the lockdown on problem gamblers (PGs) under treatment are missing. The aims of this study were to analyze patients’ gambling behavior and craving during the lockdown and to conduct a comparison between gambling disorder (GD) symptoms at the beginning of the treatment and during lockdown. The study was conducted in Italy, the European country with the largest gambling market and the first to be affected by the virus. Data were collected through a semi-structured telephone interview conducted by healthcare professionals. Participants were 135 PGs under treatment (109 males, mean age = 50.07). Results showed that most PGs achieved a significant improvement in their quality of life, with less gambling behavior, GD symptoms, and lower craving. No shift toward online gambling and very limited shift towards other potential addictive and excessive behaviors occurred. The longer the treatment, the more monitoring is present and the better the results in terms of symptoms reduction. Individual and environmental characteristics during the lockdown favored the reduction in symptoms. Consideration for prevention and treatment are discussed.

Download Full-text

Gambling Problems Are Associated with Alcohol Misuse and Insomnia: Results from a Representative National Telephone Survey

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18136683 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (13) ◽

pp. 6683

Author(s):

Hannah Briony Thorne ◽

Matthew Justus Rockloff ◽

Sally Anne Ferguson ◽

Grace Elizabeth Vincent ◽

Matthew Browne

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Problem Gambling ◽

Alcohol Misuse ◽

Sleep Problems ◽

Online Gambling ◽

Poor Sleep ◽

Gambling Problems ◽

Poor Sleep Quality

Gambling has significant costs to the community, with a health burden similar in scale to major depression. To reduce its impact, it is necessary to understand factors that may exacerbate harm from gambling. The gambling environment of late-night licensed venues and 24/7 online gambling has the potential to negatively impact sleep and increase alcohol consumption. This study explored gambling, alcohol, and sleep problems to understand whether there is a relationship between these three factors. Telephone interviews were conducted with a representative sample of Australian adults (n = 3760) combined across three waves of the National Social Survey. Participants completed screening measures for at-risk gambling, at-risk alcohol consumption, insomnia (2015 wave only), and sleep quality. There were small but significant positive correlations between problem gambling and alcohol misuse, problem gambling and insomnia, and problem gambling and poor sleep quality. A regression model showed that gambling problems and alcohol misuse were significant independent predictors of insomnia. A separate regression showed gambling problems (and not alcohol misuse) were a significant predictor of poor sleep quality, but only in one survey wave. Findings suggest that gambling, alcohol, and sleep problems are related within persons. Further research should examine the mechanisms through which this relationship exists.

Download Full-text

Impact of regulatory announcements on systemic risk in the Indian telecom sector

International Journal of Emerging Markets ◽

10.1108/ijoem-08-2017-0307 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 1395-1416 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sushma Priyadarsini Yalla ◽

Som Sekhar Bhattacharyya ◽

Karuna Jain

Keyword(s):

Risk Premium ◽

Systemic Risk ◽

Service Providers ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Content Type ◽

Risk Premiums ◽

Buffering Hypothesis ◽

Research Findings ◽

Telecom Sector ◽

The Impact

Purpose Post 1991, given the advent of liberalization and economic reforms, the Indian telecom sector witnessed a remarkable growth in terms of subscriber base and reduced competitive tariff among the service providers. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the impact of regulatory announcements on systemic risk among the Indian telecom firms. Design/methodology/approach This study employed a two-step methodology to measure the impact of regulatory announcements on systemic risk. In the first step, CAPM along with the Kalman filter was used to estimate the daily β (systemic risk). In the second step, event study methodology was used to assess the impact of regulatory announcements on daily β derived from the first step. Findings The results of this study indicate that regulatory announcements did impact systemic risk among telecom firms. The study also found that regulatory announcements either increased or decreased systemic risk, depending upon the type of regulatory announcements. Further, this study estimated the market-perceived regulatory risk premiums for individual telecom firms. Research limitations/implications The regulatory risk premium was either positive or negative, depending upon the different types of regulatory announcements for the telecom sector firms. Thus, this study contributes to the theory of literature by testing the buffering hypothesis in the context of Indian telecom firms. Practical implications The study findings will be useful for investors and policy-makers to estimate the regulatory risk premium as and when there is an anticipated regulatory announcement in the Indian telecom sector. Originality/value This is one of the first research studies in exploring regulatory risk among the Indian telecom firms. The research findings indicate that regulatory risk does exist in the telecom firms of India.

Download Full-text

From an emic perspective: Exploring consent in forced marriage law

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology ◽

10.1177/0004865817701982 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 51 (2) ◽

pp. 258-274 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Helen Sowey

Keyword(s):

Service Providers ◽

Social Contexts ◽

Criminal Prosecution ◽

Primary Research ◽

Marriage Law ◽

Forced Marriage ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Definition Of ◽

Emic Perspective ◽

The Uk

Forced marriage was criminalised in Australia in March 2013, putting the issue on the agenda of policy-makers and social service providers. Increasingly, however, it is being recognised that criminal laws alone cannot address the practice; protective and preventative strategies are also needed. This paper argues that strategies to address forced marriage will be most effective if they are informed by contextualised and emic understandings of the phenomenon, that is, by the perspectives of individuals, families and communities who are directly affected by forced marriage. Primary research is required to obtain such perspectives. Research into forced marriage in Australia is still in its infancy, and primary research is almost non-existent. This paper, then, looks to primary research from the UK and other comparable Western multicultural nations, offering a critique of this body of literature before drawing out what is revealed about why marriages are forced, how marriages are forced, and what people in forced marriage situations want. The implications of criminal prosecution are then considered in light of this emic understanding. The legal definition of forced marriage hinges on the concept of consent: it is consent that distinguishes an arranged marriage from a forced one. In the UK, the notion of consent has been robustly problematised. However this is not the case in Australia at present, and this paper critiques the value of the concept of consent given the social contexts of forced marriage described above. The implications of this critique for the application of Australia’s forced marriage law are then considered. Finally, from a place of contextualised and emic understanding of forced marriage, this paper considers how protective and preventative strategies might be enhanced.

Download Full-text

Clinical signs of trachoma are prevalent among Solomon Islanders who have no persistent markers of prior infection with Chlamydia trachomatis

Wellcome Open Research ◽

10.12688/wellcomeopenres.13423.1 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

pp. 14

Author(s):

Robert Butcher ◽

Oliver Sokana ◽

Kelvin Jack ◽

Leslie Sui ◽

Charles Russell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chlamydia Trachomatis ◽

Sexual Debut ◽

Solomon Islands ◽

Clinical Signs ◽

World Health ◽

Direct Result ◽

Policy Makers ◽

The Public ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Health Organization

Background: The low population-prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis and high prevalence of trachomatous inflammation–follicular (TF) provide contradictory estimates of the magnitude of the public health threat from trachoma in the Solomon Islands. Improved characterisation of the biology of trachoma in the region may support policy makers as they decide what interventions are required. Here, age-specific profiles of anti-Pgp3 antibodies and conjunctival scarring were examined to determine whether there is evidence of ongoing transmission and pathology from ocular Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) infection. Methods: A total of 1511 individuals aged ≥1 year were enrolled from randomly selected households in 13 villages in which >10% of children aged 1–9 years had TF prior to a single round of azithromycin mass drug administration undertaken six months previously. Blood was collected to be screened for antibodies to the Ct antigen Pgp3. Tarsal conjunctival photographs were collected for analysis of scarring severity. Results: Anti-Pgp3 seropositivity was 18% in 1–9 year olds, sharply increasing around the age of sexual debut to reach 69% in those over 25 years. Anti-Pgp3 seropositivity did not increase significantly between the ages of 1–9 years and was not associated with TF (p=0.581) or scarring in children (p=0.472). Conjunctival scars were visible in 13.1% of photographs. Mild (p<0.0001) but not severe (p=0.149) scars increased in prevalence with age. Conclusions: Neither conjunctival scars nor lymphoid follicles were associated with antibodies to Ct, suggesting that they are unlikely to be a direct result of ocular Ct infection. Clinical signs of trachoma were prevalent in this population but were not indicative of the underlying rates of Ct infection. The current World Health Organization guidelines for trachoma elimination indicated that this population should receive intervention with mass distribution of antibiotics, but the data presented here suggest that this may not have been appropriate.

Download Full-text