Problem Gambling
Problem gambling (ludomania) is an urge to gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. The term is preferred to compulsive gambling among many professionals, as few people described by the term experience true compulsions in the clinical sense of the word. Problem gambling often is defined by whether harm is experienced by the gambler or others, rather than by the gambler's behavior. Severe problem gambling may be diagnosed as clinical pathological gambling if the gambler meets certain criteria. Although the term gambling addiction is common in the recovery movement[1] pathological gambling is considered to be an impulse control disorder and is therefore not considered by the American Psychological Association to be an addiction.[2]
Definition
Debate exists over how problem gambling should be defined.[3] Research by governments in Australia led to a universal definition for that country which appears to be the only research based definition not to use diagnostic criteria.
- Problem gambling is characterized by many difficulties in limiting money and/or time spent on gambling which leads to adverse consequences for the gambler, others, or for the community.[4]
Most other definitions of problem gambling can usually be simplified to any gambling that causes harm to the gambler or someone else in any way. However, these definitions are usually coupled with descriptions of the type of harm or the use of diagnostic criteria such as the South Oaks Gambling Screen,[5] Canadian Problem Gambling Index [6] or the Victorian Gambling Screen [7].
References
- ^ Gambling Addiction: The Problem, the Pain, and the Path to Recovery
- ^ Should the scope of addictive behaviors be broadened to include pathological gambling?
- ^ UK Gambling Commission 2006.
- ^ Gambling Research Australia (2005) Problem Gambling and Harm: Towards a National Definition
- ^ Lesieur, H. R., & Blume, S. B. (1987). The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS): A new instrument for the identification of pathological gamblers. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 144(9), 1184-1181.
- ^ Ferris, J., & Wynne, H. (2001). The Canadian problem gambling index: Final report. Canadian Center on Substance Abuse (CCSA).
- ^ Ben-Tovim. D., Esterman. A., Tolchard. B., & Battersby, M. (2001). The Victorian Gambling Screen: Project report. Melbourne: Victorian Research Panel.
Links
- Gamblers Anonymous
- Gambler's Help Southern - Australia
- National Center for Responsible Gaming
- An Introduction to Gambling Addiction
- Compulsive Gamblers Self-Assessment
- Final Report of Task Force on Gambling Addiction in Maryland
- The Institute for Gambling Education and Research at the University of Memphis
- Report on Gambling Motivated Fraud in Australia 1998 - 2007
This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.
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