Gambling Addictions—Individual and Governmental

It's not just individuals who have gambling addictions, governments are also addicted to the revenue gathered by gambling, says visiting gambling addiction expert Professor Bo Bernhard. Professor Bernhard, Director of Gambling Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is one of the world's experts on problem gambling. He says Australia should stand up and come to grips with a growing gambling problem. Professor Bernhard has worked extensively with the US and Canadian governments and was also called on by the President of Russia to address his cabinet on problem gambling.

300,000 Australians have a gambling problem. That is about average for the Western world but Professor Bernhard says the figures are misleading because they don't take into account the families and workplaces that are affected when a person has a gambling addiction.

Liam asked the professor to define problem gambling. He replied, "If you continue to persist in a behavior in the face of overwhelming evidence that you shouldn't - that's an addiction."

"Technically", the professor goes on to say, "there are ten criteria for the diagnosis of pathological gambling... which include chasing behaviors, a preoccupation or obsession with gambling, lying to cover up your behavior and work/family problems."

Liam asks what the trigger is that turns someone from a recreational gambler to a person with a problem and Professor Bernhard admits that the field is in its infancy. However, he says, there appears to be a flooding of chemistry in the brain when gambling.

He has had gamblers say to him In other words, says Professor Bernhard, "[gambling] removes them from that disassociated state gamblers crave to escape from whatever problems are in their lives."

The professor has seen people with carpel tunnel syndrome from playing poker machines so repeatedly.

Liam suggested that gambling addiction was very similar to heroin addiction, particularly in terms of the behaviors associated with it (lying, stealing money to feed the addiction etc).

Professor Bernhard agreed saying it wasn't so much the chemical itself that people get addicted to but the effect - the place you go to - when you take the drug. For gambling it's the escape from reality - the zone that is addictive.

As far as a cure goes, Professor Bernhard outlines three prongs to the approach. Firstly, education. Gamblers and their families must understand the problem. Secondly, finding out what the gambler is trying to escape from. And thirdly, enrolling in a 12 step program like Gamblers Anonymous.

Following the main body of the interview the Professor spoke to listeners on-air and commented on the current State Government policies on gambling and poker machines. Western Australia remains the only state free of widespread poker machines in pubs and clubs.

Author: Bartlett, Liam

Source: ABC Regional Online

Published Date: Nov 22, 2004

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