Wave of Gambling Yields Backwash of Addiction
Gambling is an activity which can and does become addictive for a significant number of people. Gambling changes the chemistry of the brain, and is one of the most difficult addictions to "cure". In communities with casinos and other gambling available, there are far more pathological gamblers than people afflicted with cancer. An NCALG White Paper by Carl Bechtold. Addiction

Proximity matters!
The Relationship of Ecological and Geographic Factors
to Gambling Behavior and Pathology
One of four published papers resulting from the largest national study to date, this presentation unequivocally demonstrates the damage created by having casinos nearby. Data collected by Dr. John Welte and others shows, (1) A casino within 10 miles of home is associated with a 90% increase in the odds of being a pathological or problem gambler. (2) For every increase of one standard deviation in neighborhood disadvantage the odds of being a pathological or problem gambler increase by 69%. (3) For every additional form of legal gambling in his or her state, the respondent’s odds of having gambled in the past year increase by 17%. Closer Casinos Bring Higher Addictions

Machines: The 'Crack Cocaine' of gambling
Rapid Onset of Pathological Gambling in Machine Gamblers
Dr. Robert Breen and Mark Zimmerman studied the length of time it takes the average compulsive gambler to become addicted and found machines are truly the "crack cocaine" of gambling. They are also the biggest moneymakers in the gambling industry today. They addict victims about three times faster than traditional table and track gambling. (Also see Breen's slides and listen to his talk in our 2004 Conference section) Machines and Rapid Onset of Addiction

Disordered Gambling Among University-Based Medical
and Dental Patients: A Focus on Internet Gambling
George T. Ladd and Nancy M. Petry of the University of Connecticut Health Center evaluated gambling behaviors, including Internet gambling, among 389 patients seeking free or reduced-cost dental or health care.  All respondents had gambled in their lifetimes, with 70% gambling in the past 2 months.On the basis of SOGS scores, 10.6% were problem gamblers, and 15.4% were pathological gamblers. Internet gambling was reported by 8.1% of participants. Compared to non-Internet gamblers, Internet gamblers were more likely to be younger, non-Caucasian, and have higher SOGS scores. This study is among the first to evaluate the prevalence of Internet gambling and suggests that people who gamble on the Internet are likely to have a gambling problem. Connecticut Study and Internet Addictions

Exploring the Limits of 'Responsible Gambling':
Harm Minimization or Consumer Protection?
Gambling in Australia has matured faster than that in America, providing valuable lessons on addiction. Mark Dickerson, noted academic from the University of Sidney, recently shared his work at the McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Essentially, Dickerson proves conclusively that the only truly “responsible” gamblers are professional gamblers. Gambling is designed, marketed and packaged to carry customers beyond the point of reason and control. Dickerson believes there are methods the gambling industry could employ to ameliorate these dangers. NCALG has found the industry is unlikely to voluntarily jeopardize revenues from its victims. The study provides remarkable insight into how gambling works and what it does to its customers. Harm Minimisation or Consumer Protection?
Reframing 'responsible gambling' as consumer protection.
(IPART Submission)This Mark Dickerson paper deals with similar issues as the study noted above. Dickerson notes the difficulty of identifying problem gamblers and suggest ways the industry could reduce harm. Dickerson IPART Submission

Nova Scotia Video Lottery Players’ Survey
If anyone doubts how much the gambling industry depends on victims, this study will provide convincing proof. Nova Scotia provides one of many opportunities to determine how much money comes from problem gamblers. Study results vary widely with location and “mix” of available gambling. This is one of the best documented studies. 5.7% of adults in Nova Scotia are involved in regular continuous play of video lottery gaming. These adults account for approximately 25% of all those who play VLT’s each year in the province and contribute approximately 96% of the annual provincial net revenue for VL gambling. Problem gamblers are likely to comprise half of the gamblers seated at VLT's at any given time. Nova Scotia Study Shows Profits from Pathology

Pathological Gambling and Alcohol Use Disorder
Gambling proponents excuse gambling addiction as simply one more symptom of addictive personalities. “It’s not our fault – there’s something wrong with the customers.” The question is, why do we need to inflict one more illness on so many citizens who may not even know they have the tendency? This study shows the link between alcohol and gambling addiction. There is a link, and populations with high levels of alcohol problems can expect to have high gambling addiction as well, If gambling is allowed to proliferate. Alcohol and Gambling Addictions Linked