Gambling Mental Health

The potential impact of COVID-19 on our daily lives, including isolation, job loss, and stress, 1 may increase the risk of experiencing mental health challenges and, in turn, elevate the risk of experiencing gambling harms. At the same time, there might be other factors that can trigger gambling addiction. It might be mental health problems like bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and ADHD. Personality traits may also be the cause of addiction. For example, some people are in constant search for excitement and thrill.

Making self-inclusion work

I’ve been interested in gambling regulation ever since we started Money and Mental Health, because it’s the one area where people who know they have a problem have a special set of rights: the right to ‘self-exclude’. You can put yourself on a register which means you are no longer permitted to gamble. The best part, recognising the way addiction and compulsive behaviours work, is that you can’t then change your mind for at least six months. So you can’t have a bad day, a bad week, or a drinking binge, and get sucked back into your gambling addiction.

In our consultation paper In Control, published in July 2016, we looked at ways that the financial services and retail sectors could learn from these kind of “sticky” restrictions, and we’ll be doing more work on this in the New Year.

But, while there are things we can learn, it’s important not to get carried away with celebrating the model that exists for gambling. The truth is, the harder you look, the more inadequate it seems. This month, we submitted recommendations to the Department for Culture Media and Sport on how to update the self-exclusion regime to make it work better, and provide the protection problem gamblers really need.

Mental health and gambling
Problem gamblers frequently have coexisting mental health problems and substance misuse. People with mental health problems have a higher than average risk of engaging in problem gambling while unwell. Listen to the voices of some members of our research panel explaining how gambling is linked to their mental health:

“PTSD flashbacks keep me up and angry at night. Then I go for a kick and the best place is [high street bookmaker] to get that feeling of being on the edge and gamble.”

“My mental health condition means I gamble online when depressed. This makes me overdrawn on bank account and/or credit cards.”

Gambling And Mental Health Nz

Self-exclusion
The current framework for self-exclusion isn’t good enough. It will get slightly better in 2017, when you’ll be able to register once, and self-exclude from all UK-regulated online gambling instead of going site by site. But you’ll still have to register separately – and with different rules – to bar yourself from bookies, fill out a third set of forms to bar yourself from local casinos; and if bingo or arcades are a risk for you, that’s two more sets of forms to complete. It’s a wonder any problem gambler manages to self-exclude at all.

We need to make the process for self-exclusion as quick and simple as possible. Navigating five separate self-exclusion processes is simply not feasible for vulnerable consumers. A consumer-friendly system of self-exclusion would:

• Be multi-channel, with registration possible by phone, email, webchat or post and other accessible channels where needed.
• Require only a single application to register with all five schemes – or as many as the applicant wants to be part of.
• Be permanent by default, so that the applicant doesn’t have to renew every year to stay protected.

Going beyond gambling operators
But at Money and Mental Health, we believe there is more to do. Under the current regime, all the responsibility for self-exclusion lies with the gambling operators. I’ve written before about the need to allow customers to block gaming and gambling content broadcast into their homes by their TV. But we can go further. Payments providers and ISPs could really help consumers change their behaviour.

We believe card providers and payment providers like PayPal and Skrill should offer all customers the facility to block gambling transactions on their credit and debit cards. And when it comes to internet access:

• ISPs should offer the option of gambling restrictions that are not branded as parental controls.
• Mobile phone providers should offer the option of gambling-only restrictions.
• App platform providers should enable consumers to prevent themselves from purchasing gambling apps.

And, whether it’s payment restrictions, TV limitations, or online blocking tools, the most important thing to remember is this:

• All gambling restrictions should be “sticky”, so consumers cannot remove them without a pre-agreed time delay.

And finally: getting people to sign up.
A simpler, more comprehensive system of self-exclusion will only be effective in reducing gambling-related harm if more consumers are supported to enrol themselves. Simple screening of those in financial difficulty (by debt advice providers) or with mental health problems (by mental health service providers) to identify those experiencing, or at risk of, problem gambling should be introduced. Consumers should be referred to the self-exclusion regime and supported where appropriate to register themselves.

A particular at-risk group includes those prescribed medication known to trigger problematic gambling behaviour. These include dopamine agonists, used to treat Parkinsons, and Aripiprazole, an anti-psychotic. Patients prescribed these drugs should be proactively warned of the risks and referred to self-exclusion as an option before problems emerge.

Read the consultation response to see our recommendations in full

Gambling, for some people, is a leisure activity that offers a night out on the town enjoying time with friends and family, with a distant possibility of winning money. For other people, the stakes are higher. After all, gambling is a $40 billion dollar industry in the United States. In Las Vegas alone—the unofficial gambling capital of the world—the casinos bring in over 10 billion dollars from people placing bets. Though many of those people only gamble once in awhile, there are people who make gambling the center of their universe. In other words, they are addicted to gambling.

The temptations to gamble are everywhere and you don’t need to be in a casino to try your luck. Every state in America, with the exception of Utah and Hawaii, offer some type of legalized gambling—from old-school slot machines to sports-betting apps and everything in between. The accessibility to gambling has only amplified with the Internet. Based on various surveys in recent years, it is estimated that two million people in the US are addicted to gambling. But that figure has the potential to increase at anytime, because those same surveys revealed as many as 20 million people noting that their gambling habit had begun to interfere with their work and social life. That type of behavior falls into the category of “compulsive gambling,” which is the stage before gambling addiction.

What is Compulsive Gambling?

“The shortest version is that compulsive gambling is, as its name implies, a compulsion,” says Lance Dodes, MD, author of THE HEART OF ADDICTION: A New Approach to Understanding and Managing Alcoholism and Other Addictive Behaviors. “Compulsive gambling leads to an addiction, which is a psychological symptom that is well-understood and treatable with psychotherapy oriented toward that understanding. It is not a biological, genetic or moral issue, and it is not fundamentally different from other compulsive behaviors or addictions.”

Worried you or a loved one may be suffering from a gambling addiction?

Take our 2-minute gambling addiction quiz to see if you may benefit from further diagnosis and treatment.

Usually, people start out gambling for fun, and then they lose money they didn’t mean to, and they end up chasing that loss until all their money is gone. And in many cases, people are gambling because they have faced emotional and financial losses and they are trying to console themselves.

There is a misconception among many people that problem gambling, another term for gambling addiction, is not a big deal. “Most people don’t realize that problem gambling is a real disorder, just like alcohol or drug addiction,” says Shelia Moran, director of communications and marketing at First Choice Services, a nonprofit agency in West Virginia dedicated to mental health issues and problems. “They think it’s just a bad habit that can be easily ended. The good news is that we find most people who get treatment are able to successfully stop gambling.”

Gambling and Co-Existing Mental Health Conditions

Sadly, it is estimated that over 80% of people who suffer from some type of gambling addiction never seek treatment, no matter how bad their problem is. Other statistics reveal that while there are people who do seek treatment for their gambling addiction, over 70% end up returning to the world of betting. People with this type of disorder are more likely to suffer from other types of mental health and substance abuse issues. Many gamblers also have an alcohol disorder or addiction, and over half were nicotine dependent.

The emotional toll it takes on people is devastating, and in many cases a gambling addiction can also bring bouts of depression, and in extreme situations may lead to suicidal thoughts or tendencies. People with a gambling addiction are also prone to anxiety, high stress and extreme sadness. When a gambler loses everything, their life will suddenly become hopeless and they fear what the future might bring.

Gambling Addiction Symptoms and Signs

As with other addictions, there are warning signs to look out for. These include:

Mental Health And Gambling

• Keeping gambling habits a secret
• Having trouble controlling their gambling habit
• Continuing to be involved with a gambling habit when they cannot financially afford to do so.
• Resorting to illegal activities to pay for their gambling habit

Physical symptoms of excessive gambling include problems sleeping, weight gain or loss, dark circles under the eyes and extreme headaches.

How can you tell if someone has a gambling disorder? The American Psychiatric Association has developed guidelines and says that a person requires at least four of the following issues to take place during the past year:

1. A person feels the need to gamble with an increasing amount of money in order to achieve the desired excitement.
2. A person becomes angry, restless or irritable when someone tells them to cut back on their gambling, or to stop it altogether.
3. A person will have unsuccessfully tried to cut back or stop gambling on their own.
4. A person has frequent thoughts about gambling, including reliving past gambling adventures, planning their next gambling outing, and thinking of ways to get money to gamble with.
5. A person will often gamble when they are feeling distressed.
6. After a person loses money, they return to try and “get even” (referred to as “chasing” one’s losses)
7. A person will not hesitate to lie to hide their gambling activity.
8. A person will jeopardize or lose a significant relationship, job or educational/career opportunity because of gambling.
9. A person will begin relying on others to help with money problems caused by their gambling habits.

Gambling Mental Health

Treatment Options for Gambling Addicts

Does Gambling Cause Mental Health Issues

If you suspect that someone in your life is addicted to gambling or a compulsive gambler, you should know that there is help. Here are treatment options to consider:

• “Behavior therapy and cognitive behavior therapy are recommended for compulsive gamblers,” says Katie Hurley, LCSW. “Behavioral therapy uses systematic exposure to the behavior to teach skills to reduce the urges, while cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on identifying unhealthy and irrational thoughts and replacing them with positive/adaptive ones. Family therapy is another option,” Hurley explains.
• Apps can help instill healthy habits and encourage consideration of events and emotions that lead to compulsive behaviors. Addiction AVERT app can help curb cravings. BreakFree can help people who use their smartphones to gamble spend less time on their phone.
• Adaptive coping strategies like exercise, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, mindfulness, and meditation are all positive options. There are even meditation apps that can help anyone who doesn’t know where to start.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, as of 2016, there are no FDA-approved medications for the treatment of gambling disorder. There is, however, emerging scientific research that has shown that medications can be effective in reducing the intensity of urges and cravings for gambling.

Gaming Mental Health Disorder

Finally, Gamblers Anonymous has been beneficial in the lives of people who have an addiction; however, they must first admit they have a problem, which is often times the most difficult thing to do. If someone is unable to find an accessible chapter of Gamblers Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous addresses many of the same behaviors.

Just as anyone can become addicted to gambling, anyone can stop.

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