The 4 secrets to a successful gambling intervention – Convince someone you love to get some help for their problem gambling.

Someone you care about gambles far more than they should. You’ve tried talking to them about their gambling but your words have never brought any tangible change in gambling behaviors. They may have been angry when you broached the subject or they may have denied the existence of a problem – likely they made some promise to change but that change never really took, if it came at all.

A person with a gambling problem uses defense mechanisms and manipulation to protect their habit and because of this it’s very hard to convince of a need for change, and although you’ve probably felt like screaming or begging or raging at them to change their ways, you probably know by now that such emotional techniques very rarely get the desired results.

But that doesn’t mean that your words don’t have power to influence and that doesn’t mean that you can’t help your loved one when they need it most; you just have to be smart and take the time to do it right.

An informal gambling intervention can get the results your begging and pleading very likely cannot. An intervention, done right, can show how much you care as it also shows how much harm the gambling has done, and since you’ll give concrete examples of such harms it will be very hard for your loved one to deny the existence of a problem.

• And unlike an unstructured chat, you go into the intervention already knowing what you want your loved one to do – such as go to a Gamblers Anonymous meeting – and you’ve already decided on the consequences you’ll impose if he or she won’t agree to your demands.
• And since you’re going to maintain an aura of concern and compassion throughout the intervention, no matter how your loved one tries to turn the tables through negative emotions, you’ll avoid getting distracted with the fights and battles a gambler picks to avoid spotlighting the gambling itself.

Ready to give one a try?

Well, don’t go into it unprepared – it’s better to wait and do it right than to rush in and botch things up. You’ll want to read up on problem gambling, talk to the people you’ll want to participate, make a list of specific examples of the consequences you’ve observed or experienced and decide on what steps you want your loved one to take – and what consequences you’ll impose if they won’t.

But as a first step on that road, here’s a quick guide to the 4 essential steps to running an effective gambling intervention.

4 Steps to an Effective Gambling Intervention

According to the Arizona Council on Compulsive Gambling the 4 steps to running an effective informal gambling intervention are:

1. Validation
2. Documentation
3. Recommendation
4. Consequences

Validation

During the validation step you set the stage for a loving and caring intervention, because though you may harbor some anger, a witch-hunt style intervention has little chance of success. You do this from a place of love and compassion or not at all.

Your loved one is a person with a gambling problem, but there is much more to that person than the negatives of compulsive gambling. Help your loved one to understand that you see them as more than a person who just creates problems by telling them explicitly how much you care and by listing specific examples of why you care and of their many positive attributes, for example:

• “Mary, as my big sister you have always taken great care of me and I love you very much. You supported me during my education and during the break-up of my marriage and I want you to know that I really appreciate all you’ve done for me over so many years – you have been a great big sister to me. I think you are a generous, loving, funny and very intelligent woman and I have always admired you for the way you have had the courage to live your life.”

Documentation

A person with a gambling problem may try to deny the existence or severity of the problem. Maintaining denial gets tougher, however, after every person involved in the intervention lists specific examples of consequences observed and experienced from the gambling and lies and manipulation that always accompany it.

• Every person involved in the intervention will compose a list, documenting specific examples of negative consequences they have observed or experienced directly as a result of the gambling.
• Do not write down anything you haven’t experienced or observed directly. Using anything from a second hand source degrades the power of your message and it can deteriorate into a he-said, she-said situation.
• Some examples of the harms you might list are instances like when gambling led to missed rent payments or when time spent gambling led to a missed child’s birthday party. Be specific and provide the details you can remember about each situation.
• After you list an example of a gambling related harm, talk about how the situation made you feel. Your loved one may deny the existence of a ‘problem’ but he or she cannot deny how their behaviors make you feel – and if they care about you, this matters.

Recommendations

You haven’t gone through step one and two just to hear yourself talk; you run an intervention for a reason - to get your loved one to take some specific action – and so in step three you ask that your loved one take some action against their gambling problem.

Some examples of actions you may recommend include:

• Taking a problem gambling assessment test
• Attending Gamblers Anonymous meetings and getting and working with a sponsor
• Making a plan for supervised money management (losing access to debit and credit cards, for example)
• Working with a therapist who specializes in gambling addiction
• Going to an inpatient gambling addiction treatment facility

Consequences

The point of the intervention is to see your loved one take some positive steps away from unhealthy gambling. You’ve already researched problem gambling and you’ve already recommended a sensible course of action. You’ve done it all out because you care, and because you care, you need to improve the odds that your loved one will listen to your advice.

To improve the odds, during this last step you explain that not following the recommendations of step 3 will result in some consequences.

• Be very specific about what you will/won’t do
• Do not threaten anything you aren’t willing to impose
• Follow through on what you say¹

There’s no easy cure for problem gambling but starting a real dialogue about the reality of the situation and getting someone you love to take some legitimate action towards managing their gambling is a very positive first step toward a happier and healthier life for all involved.

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No matter how long a slot machine goes between payouts – when you press that button, it’s never more or less likely to pay off. Understand the true nature of randomness and understand that past events do not influence future outcomes. People who fail to understand the truth about games of chance are more likely to make poor betting decisions and are more prone to developing gambling problems – so get educated and save your money and yourself!

People often believe that a slot machine or video lottery terminal that has not paid out for a long while becomes ‘due’ to pay out. This belief can lead a person to continue to gamble for long periods of time while awaiting the expected big payoff to come.

Machines programmed to be random, however, never become ‘due’ no matter how long the interval between substantial pay outs.

Here’s why.

Randomness

Each time you pull a slot machine handle you have exactly the same odds of winning as you did on ever other occasion that handle was ever pulled.

These machines are programmed using random number generators. These generators produce millions of number combinations and thousands of these number combinations cycle past every second. The results that pop up on the screen depend on the number combination that rolls over at the split second that you press the bet button.

No matter how long the machine has gone since paying out, you have the same odds of hitting a ‘big payday’ sequence of numbers from the random number generator chip as you did on every other bet.

The Gambler’s Fallacy

Over the long term, over thousands and thousands of spins, a coin will land heads 50% of the time and tails 50% of the time, and a roulette wheel will pay red as often as it pays black.

Over the short term, however, things are not so stable.

When betting on something with a fixed probability, like a coin toss, a slot machine or most forms of casino wagering, past events do not influence future outcomes.

The roulette wheel does not remember that it just landed on black 5 times in a row and when it's set spinning again, it has exactly the same odds to land on black or red as it did in the 5 preceding spins.

You Don’t Have a System

If you gamble, do it only as a recreational pastime and never bet more than you can afford to lose.

Remember that no machines ever come ‘due’ to pay, and that in a casino, no matter how many times a past event has occurred, future events are not affected.

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Do you invest responsibly or do you wager on trades in ways that mimic how problem gamblers wager at casinos? What truly motivates your investing? Worried you might be in it for the dangerous thrills? Answer the following 20 questions to learn more.

While no one invests to lose money, some people ‘play’ the stock market as much for the excitement and thrills as for the long term financial benefits – and once you start chasing a high, things can go downhill in a hurry.

Though investing on stocks may be more socially acceptable than heading to the horse track, once investing becomes compulsive and starts to interfere with your day to day functioning you have a treatable mental disorder (problem gambling) and you will likely require some assistance to change your behaviors.

Wondering about your own behavior? What truly motivates your investing? Worried you might be in it for the dangerous thrills?

Take this quick and easy test based on information from the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling¹ and the National Council on Problem Gambling² and find out if your investing behaviors are anything to worry about.

Investment Gambling Addiction 'Self Test'

Answer the following questions based on how you’ve felt and behaved over the previous 12 months.

1. Do you think about your trades a lot? Do you check on their status very frequently or study investment guides or financial newspapers excessively?
2. Do you ever trade when you’re feeling depressed or anxious as a way to make yourself feel better?
3. Do you ever feel restless or irritable when you can’t trade or can’t trade as much as you want to (such as when on vacation, without funds or when trying to stop trading?)
4. Do you ever trade more money at one time than you can really afford to lose?
5. Does trading sometimes make you feel really fantastic and other times make you feel really terrible (big highs and low lows…)?
6. Have you felt like you needed to invest greater amounts of money to get the same excitement you used to get when trading with more modest sums?
7. Have your trades become riskier over time?
8. Do you borrow money on the margins or have highly leveraged trades?
9. Do you engage in high volume trading for the rush of action?
10. Do you have a hard time letting cash build up in an account without putting it in play?
11. Do you ever avoid looking at your brokerage statements so you won’t have to think about how much you’ve lost?
12. Have you ever borrowed money to trade (including borrowing money from credit cards)
13. Have you ever failed to repay money you’ve borrowed to trade with?
14. Have you ever had to borrow money from someone due to financial problems caused by your trading activities?
15. Have you ever lied to friends or family members about your trading habits?
16. Do you ever try to reverse investing losses by putting even greater amounts in the play as a way to change your luck (chasing your losses)?
17. Have you ever wanted to stop or slow down your trading or have you ever tried and failed to do so?
18. Has the time or money you’ve spent on trading ever caused you to lose or risk losing something that’s important to you, like a friend or family member, a job or another responsibility?
19. Have you ever done anything illegal to get money to trade with, or to pay off debts related to your trading?
20. Have people close to you ever expressed concern about the way you trade?

The more yes answers you have the greater the probability you have something to worry about.

If you’re at all worried about your behaviors you should strongly consider seeking a more formal problem gambling assessment from a mental health professional near you. Problem investment gambling is a treatable disorder and the earlier you tackle the problem the better the ultimate prognosis.

Left unchecked, problem gambling is associated with financial problems, a greater likelihood to experience other disorders like depression or anxiety, a greater likelihood to develop a substance abuse problem and a greatly increased risk of suicide.³

Image Copyright: B Rosen

If your partner has a gambling problem here are 5 tips for bettering the situation.

About a year ago a coaching client of mine told me about sudden inexplicable financial troubles. He couldn’t figure out where the money was disappearing. It really wasn’t difficult to figure out at all - he just wasn't ready to see it.

A Story of Love and Gambling

The Problem

He and his wife enjoyed day trips to Atlantic City, and they had been going for years. Recently, he told me his wife began going with her friends, without him. I suspected that extra money was going down that drain. He followed up on my suggestion about discussing it with her but the conversation backfired - she not only became defensive about her need for those day trips, she also claimed that her need originated from the stress he brought to the relationship. She even claimed that if she had more control over the finances, they wouldn’t have so many problems.

A few days later he called to tell me that she wasn't going to Atlantic City with her friends, she was going alone, and sometimes she went gambling even when she said she was going elsewhere. He admitted that he could be living and loving a gambling addict. The signs were:

• Disappearing money
• Defensiveness
• Secretiveness about the gambling
• Blaming another for the problem
• Claiming to be able to control the problem.

Notice how it sounds just like the signs of substance abuse addictions.

I told him to take careful stock of the valuables in the house, and he began to notice some things missing, like his gold cufflinks (that he almost never wore) and her grandmother’s watch.

Finding Solutions

The goal in our work together became how to help a compulsive gambler, but there were two major roadblocks:

1. His feelings.
2. Her perceptions.
   

He had a hard time accepting that his beloved wife would steal money, lie, and compulsively gamble. He was also afraid to confront her because he didn’t want to hurt her and he didn't believe in tracking her movements or restricting them. He was afraid to say to her “I know you went to A.C. to gamble,” it felt accusatory, like he was an abusive husband. While he wanted her to stop, and wanted to help, he also wanted to defend her and cover up for her.

A bigger problem was that she needed to want to stop. The first step was to convince her that there was a gambling problem. Since the relationship was strong, we used a cooperative approach. One goal was to set financial boundaries and make it obvious when those boundaries were threatened. For that, he needed to be aware of her gambling and be able to discuss her financial breaches without accusing her. For this:

1. They started to plan her trips to Atlantic City together - planning how much money she would have to take with her.
   
2. They would review how well she did when she came back. This way he could track the losses.
   

This was really difficult for him, especially when she lost some of her expensive jewelry. However, since he was not getting angry and he was supportive of her (but not of the habit) it only took about three months for her to just admit that she had a problem, though it took another six months before she was ready to get help.

They are not out of the woods yet, but it is looking good. He needed (and needs) constant coaching and support, especially to guard his own finances and sanity. He certainly could not do it alone.

5 Tips for Helping a Loved-One

Here are some lessons for anyone in this situation:

1. Get Support

If you are living and loving a problem gambler, don’t try to handle the situation without support. Get help. Like all addictions, shame and stigma can prevent you from regaining your life, if you let them.

1. Support, either through professional help or a 12 step group, can save you from feeling that you're all alone.
   
2. Other people who have the same struggles can point out codependency problems; when by trying to be helpful to your loved one you are actually exacerbating the problem.

2. Protect Yourself and Your Family

Like with any addiction, one person's behaviors affect other family members. If you and your family get burdened with your loved one’s gambling debts, it could take years to get your financial situation back under control.

1. If you have to take over the family’s finances, then that might be a priority.
2. At the same time, you must be very careful not to become responsible for the gambler’s problems. He or she will have to sink or swim on her or his own.

3. Explain the Situation to the Children

If you have children, explain the problem to them. They know that something is amiss and they will handle it better if it is explained in an appropriate manner. When talking to your children, and when talking to yourself, never forget the good qualities your loved one has.

1. You need to keep the door open for a full and complete reintegration into the family.
2. In this same vein, you want to keep the gambler involved in family activities as much as possible.

4. Keep Calm

Staying calm is extremely important.

• Don’t lose your temper about the gambling, because that can serve as an excuse for more gambling (and the same goes for lecturing and scolding.)

This does not mean that you need to sugarcoat the situation. You do need to discuss the implications and consequences of the gambling, just do not react emotionally since it will be counterproductive.

5. Allow Natural Consequences to Occur

You should never bail out the gambler. There need to be “natural” consequences for bad behavior.

Always remember that gambling addiction treatment can take a long time, and it is likely that there will be ups and downs, progress and relapses, but with support and persistence you can get your family-life back.

Teens are attracted to the excitement and financial reward of gambling, and since gambling is easily accessible and socially approved, about three quarters of teens in grades 7 to 12 say that they do, at least occasionally lay a bet. However, teens are at a much greater higher of developing gambling problems and the earlier a teen starts gambling, the greater their risk of a lifetime problem.

It’s not surprising that sensation loving teens enjoy the thrill of recreational gambling, and since society seems to condone gambling as an acceptable activity, and since gambling opportunities are so easily found, even for those under the age of 18, it’s not surprising that most are already engaging in at least some amount of gambling.

Yet as much as teens may enjoy the excitement of a wager, few that gamble have any real appreciation of the risks involved.

• Teens are more likely than adults to develop a gambling problem, and an estimated 10% of teens from grades 7 to 12 are already problem gamblers
• People that start gambling at a very young age are far more likely to mature into problem or pathological gamblers
• Teens that become problem gamblers also have higher incidence rates of drug and alcohol abuse, risky sexual behaviors, violent acts, mental illness and school and family problems¹

Although we may glamorize gambling in media and though opportunities to place a bet are never far away or hard to find, everyone needs to know that teens that gamble are putting themselves at risk; and that parents who teach their children to abstain or delay gambling do a great deal to reduce the risks of gambling addiction in the family.

Why and Where Do Teens Gamble?

Though most jurisdictions enforce minimum age requirements for gambling, teens and even preteens have very little trouble finding places to lay a bet.

Teens may have trouble gaining entry to a casino, but teens have little difficulty playing lottery or scratch and win cards, wagering at charity events, playing cards for money or betting on sports events or games like pool – and with internet casinos now open for play around the clock, any teen with access to a credit card a bedroom computer can play high stakes card games in complete privacy and anonymity.

Some of the reasons why teens may be attracted to gambling include:

• It can be fun and exciting
• Teens have a preference for low effort/high stimulation activities (because of brain development at this life-stage)²
• There is an opportunity to win large sum of money
• It is glamorized in movies and on TV
• Advertising campaigns for lotteries or casinos promote the behavior
• Society generally condones gambling, as do many parents (Although it’s an addictive behavior, few parents are as worried about gambling as they are about drugs or alcohol use, for example)
• Teens generally don’t see gambling as a high risk activity³
• Few prevention programs exist to educate teens to the risks of gambling (unlike prevention programs which warn against drugs, tobacco and alcohol, for example)

Teens are more or less hard-wired to enjoy gambling and they have no trouble finding places to play – and with this combination of attraction and easy availability, it’s not at all surprising that the vast majority of American teens are already gambling. However, since they’re also more likely impulsive and less able to forecast the likely consequences of their action, they are also at much greater risk to become problem gamblers.

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Struggling with gambling debts? Here are 7 steps you can take to get back in control of your financial situation and to stop gambling for good.

Gambling problems and difficult financial situations go hand in hand, so if you’re working to get a handle on your gambling you’re very likely also struggling with debts you’ve accumulated through your gaming.

Here are 7 steps that you can take to get back in control of your finances as you also limit your access to easy cash for gambling:

1. If you’ve gambled to the point that you’re having trouble managing your debts, then you clearly have a problem. If you’re not already, make sure you get some professional help and treatment that will provide the tools you’ll need to maintain your resolve and to overcome urges. You may also want to get involved with community support organizations, like Gamblers Anonymous.  After all, there is very little point in trying to tackle existing debt if you’re going to go right back out and gamble to add on new debt to the pile.

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2. Forget about trying to solve your debt problem with a big win. Gambling got you into this situation and more gambling isn’t going to get you out of it.

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3. Get a second job. Having a second paycheck roll in every couple of weeks will help enormously as you battle against debt, and the time you spend each evening at your second job is also time you can’t spend gambling or otherwise spending money. Focusing your energies on something productive like a second job reduces dangerous free time and reduces the hours in any given day you’ll have to battle against gambling urges.

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4. Either destroy or put someone you can trust in control of your credit and debit cards. It can be easier to control late night urges to gamble when you have no easy access to money to play with.

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5. After you’ve eliminated you access to credit and debit cards, make it even harder to get quick cash by requiring that any bank withdrawals require two signatures – yours and that of someone else you trust, such as a spouse or family member.

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6. Don’t risk your major assets to gambling debt. Transfer property titles to a spouse or to another family member.

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Image Copyright: B Rosen

Do like to gamble? Do you ever wonder if you’re putting yourself at risk of developing a gambling problem? Well, the more often you play and the more you wager the greater your odds of getting in trouble. Want to know if your gambling falls within a ‘normal’ range? Compare your habits to North American averages to see how you stack up.

Neither high frequency of play nor amount wagered necessarily reveal problem gambling behavior, since problem gambling is much more about losing control and the experience of negative consequences.

Gambling a lot and even wagering significant amounts per year do not, by themselves, indicate problem or pathological gambling, but since problem and pathological gamblers often need to gamble with greater frequency and risk greater amounts to feel excitement and fulfillment, your heavy or escalating betting could be a warning sign of a very serious problem.

If you’re gambling much more than an average person does, you are at correspondingly much greater risk to develop a problem and may want to look hard at how much control you still exert over your present play.

But how much is too much and how do you compare to the average North American man or woman?

How Much Money Did You Lose Over the Last 12 Months?

Be honest here. Calculate exactly how much money you lost through all forms of gambling over the past year (casino, sports betting, office pools, lottery and scratch and win tickets, bingo, VLT terminal etc.).

• The average American loses just under $400 per year, or about $30 per month, through all forms of gambling
• The average Canadian loses just under $600 per year, or about $50 per month, through all forms of gambling¹

Another way to look at things is to calculate what percentage of your gross family income (before taxes) you spend on gambling per month.

To calculate your percentage, divide your total monthly pre tax family income by the amount you gamble in a month.

For example:

If my gross monthly family income is $5000 and I gamble $500 per month then 5000/500=10%

People who gamble more than 5% of their gross family income per month are 3 times more likely than people who gamble less than 1% of their gross family income per month to experience serious problems from their gambling. Some examples of serious consequences from gambling include health problems, needing to borrow money to pay gambling debts, having financial problems or feeling guilty or ashamed about your gambling.

• 27.1% of people who report spending more than 5% of their gross family income per month on gambling report experiencing serious negative consequences from their gambling

How Often Do You Gamble?

Regular gambling doesn’t necessarily indicate a gambling problem, but statistics show that people who gamble more frequently are more likely to experience significant consequences from their betting and since a preoccupation with gambling is a serious warning sign of a problem, if you’re playing more frequently than the average person, you may want to be careful.

So how often do most people gamble, anyway?

According to the University of Calgary Addiction Behaviors Laboratory: in Canada, among men:

• 1% gamble daily
• 9% gamble between 2 and 6 times per month
• 19% gamble once per week
• 18% gamble between 1 and 3 times per month
• 7% gamble between 6 and 11 times per year
• 19% gamble between 1 and 5 times per year
• 27% do not gamble

Among Canadian women:

• 1% gamble daily
• 9% gamble between 2 and 6 times per week
• 16% gamble once per week
• 17% gamble between 1 and 3 times per month
• 8% gamble between 6 and 11 times per year
• 22% gamble between 1 and 5 times per year
• 27% do not gamble

People who gamble with greater frequency are more likely to report experiencing negative consequences from their play:

• 21.7% of people who gamble daily report negative consequences from their gambling. In comparison, only 2.5% of people who gamble about once a month report negative consequences.²

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Just as the 12 steps help alcoholics reclaim sobriety, they also help many to overcome an addiction to gambling.

As Gambling addiction shares many similarities with drug addiction or alcoholism it's not surprising that similar treatment approaches seem to work.

So just as the 12 steps of AA or NA offer a program of recovery to substance abusers, the 12 steps of GA (Gamblers Anonymous) based entirely on the original 12 steps of AA, provide a framework for a life of recovery from pathological gambling.

Not everyone finds GA helpful, but meetings are free, are full of people with similar challenges - overcoming similar problems, and the 12 steps of GA work for enough to make giving a few meetings a try well worthwhile.

Core Principles of GA

Gambling addiction (often termed compulsive gambling in GA literature) is a progressive condition, and without intervention, it always gets worse.

Gambling addicts are addicts for life, the 12 steps work to induce remission, but a gambling addict may never wager again.

Only through a belief and reliance on a higher power, can a gambling addict achieve recovery. A higher power need not be God in the traditional sense, but must be a power outside of yourself, and cannot be another living person.

Only through a committed and purposeful working of the steps in daily life, can an addict achieve remission.

Gamblers Anonymous is free, and the only requirement for entry is a desire to stop gambling.

GA advocates preach 12 steps participation as the most effective way to overcome a compulsion to gamble. Addicts in recovery must work all of the steps, must use the assistance of a higher power in recovery, and must work the steps on a daily and continuing basis, forever. There is no cure, only a remission.

The 12 Steps of Gamblers Anonymous

1. We admitted we were powerless over gambling - that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to a normal way of thinking and living.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of this Power of our own understanding.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral and financial inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have these defects of character removed.
7. Humbly asked God (of our understanding) to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Make direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having made an effort to practice these principles in all our affairs, we tried to carry this message to other compulsive gamblers.

For recovery to work you gotta work it - they're called steps for a reason! The 12 steps are an active program of recovery, requiring of you active participation. Simply attending meetings does little without a belief in the process, and a willingness to change your life in some fundamental ways.

GA believes that Gambling addicts are fundamentally selfish and immature and insecure people, and that only through a committed working of the steps can a Gambling addict recover not just away from destructive betting, but also achieve recovery through personal growth.

In early recovery, compulsive gamblers should attend meetings often; with increasing abstinence, some members will attend more infrequently - still getting the support they need. But a true working of the steps requires a new self awareness, and a changed way of thinking at all times, not just during meetings.

Gamblers in recovery must pray daily to their higher power for support, they must make amends for any wrongdoings as soon as possible, and look deeply at their behaviors for these wrongdoings on a daily basis. Gamblers must also continue, for the rest of their lives to help others new to recovery achieve freedom from gambling addiction.

It's a big commitment, but it's far preferable to the alternative, and if a 12 step lifestyle can work for you, it's well worth any sacrifice!

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While most seniors gamble for recreation only, a small subgroup of the elderly are at increased risk to develop a gambling problem. Risk factors for a gambling problem can include the loss of a spouse, health problems that limit participation in other activities, a need for money and others.

Seniors have lower rates of problem gambling than adults in the general population – however, certain subgroups of older adults may be at increased risk to develop gambling problems and because of the life-stage, the financial consequences of problem gambling can be particularly devastating to a senior citizen.

Why Do Seniors Gamble?

The vast majority of older adults gamble for recreation and have few if any problems from their gambling behaviors. Seniors may be attracted to gambling because:

• Trips to gambling venues such as casinos or bingo halls provide an opportunity to socialize.
• Gambling venues often work to attract this subgroup of people, by offering amenities such as free transport, free or discounted meals and other bonuses to seniors who come to gamble
• Seniors often have more free time to fill and are sometimes prone to boredom – gambling can fill the hours with excitement

Older adults may lose the physical capacity to engage in hobbies and recreational activities that were once enjoyed. Because gambling takes very little physical strength or ability, it can fill this activity void.

Why Are Some Seniors More Vulnerable to Problem Gambling?

Some seniors may be especially vulnerable to developing a gambling problem. Situations that may put an older adult at risk include:

• Losing a spouse
• Loneliness
• Dealing poorly with retirement
• Health problems that limit participation in other activities
• Having financial problems
• Cognitive declines that may impair judgment
• Others

The Consequences of Problem Gambling for Seniors

In one research study, which compared the percentage of income spent on gambling by problem gamblers of differing age groups, it was found that problem gambling women aged 35 – 55 spent, on average, 77% of their total monthly income on gambling. By contrast, among problem gambling women aged 56 and up, the average monthly expenditure equaled 249% of monthly income!

Older adults are more likely living on a fixed income and once retired or with few working years ahead of them, the consequences of a loss of life savings or the loss of a paid-for house can be severe. Other consequences can include an inability to pay for needed medical care or medications, the need for a financial bail-out from family members, the possibility of committing illegal acts to finance their gambling habit, stress and ill-health and more.¹

Because of this and because problem gamblers rarely recognize the early warning signs of a gambling problem, family members should be on the lookout for warning signs of a gambling problem. Some signs to watch for include:

• Unaccounted for blocks of time
• Unexplained money problems
• The sudden disappearance or sale of valuables
• Avoiding friends or relatives
• Discontinuing activities that were once enjoyed to spend more time gambling
• Lying about time or money spent gambling
• Changes in personality
• Signs of neglecting hygiene or personal appearance²

Image Copyright: Martin McKenna

While there is no way anyone can predict who’s going to wind up having a gambling problem, researchers have identified a number of known ‘risk factors’ that seem to up the chances of trouble down the road.

Most people can gamble as a recreational activity, a small percentage of people will develop a gambling problem and some will develop a strong compulsion to gamble (pathological gambling disorder).

Are You at Risk?

While there’s no way to predict who will go one to develop a gambling problem, researchers have identified certain risk factors that seem to increase a person’s odds of having a problem.

If you like to gamble you should realize that gambling can be an addictive pastime and that you should gamble with caution and with awareness. If you gamble and find that several of the list items below match your experiences, then you should gamble with great caution, if at all.

Gambling Risk Factors

Factors that increase the risks of developing a gambling problem include:

• Being in a tight financial situation
• Winning a lot of money early in a gambling career
• Starting to gamble as a child or teenager (younger gamblers are at greater risk)
• You are impulsive
• You or someone in your family has or has had a mental illness, substance abuse problem or gambling problem
• You gamble as a way to escape your problems (deal with stress or emotional problems)
• You have ever been abused
• You think that you have a system or a special skill for gambling
• You are bored, depressed, anxious or feeling directionless in life
• You always want to win back any money you lose
• You have recently suffered a life upheaval, such as a divorce or the loss of someone close to you *

How to Reduce the Risks of Developing a Gambling Problem

No matter how many risk factors you identify with, if you choose to gamble, it makes sense to gamble smart, and to take steps to reduce your chances of ever developing a gambling problem.

Safer Gambling Suggestions

• Know that if you gamble, you are probably going to lose. Think of it as entertainment only, and not as a way to make money
• Don’t gamble after you’ve been drinking or using drugs
• Be aware of your emotions and never gamble as a way to escape negative feelings
• Decide in advance of a gambling session how much you’re prepared to lose and how much time you’ll spend playing, and never exceed this limit
• Never gamble more than you can afford to lose
• Keep track of your wins and losses (write them down) so you’ll know accurately how much your gambling habit costs
• Take the concerns of others seriously. If friends or family express concern about your gambling behaviors, then you’d be very wise to listen to their words – people developing a gambling problem often fail to observe in themselves what others can clearly see from a distance.

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Researchers have shown that pathological gambling seems to ‘cause’ diseases like tachycardia, angina and liver disease.

Is your gambling problem making you physically sick?

It might be – researchers at the University of Connecticut Health Center have discovered that pathological gamblers are more likely to experience a host of serious medical conditions and are more likely to make use of healthcare services.

To come to this conclusion, they took data from the more than 43 000 participants of the 2001 – 2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Of these people, 1% were found to be problem gamblers and less than 0.5% were found to have pathological gambling disorder.

People with pathological gambling disorder were more likely to have been diagnosed with:

• Tachycardia
• Confidence Interval
• Angina
• Cirrhosis
• Other liver diseases

Gamblers were more likely to be obese, be alcoholics, smoke, have high blood pressure and to have mood or anxiety disorders. The researchers found that even after controlling for all of these factors, gamblers still had greatly increased prevalence rates of the disease listed above.

These gamblers were also more likely to have had a serious injury or received treatment in an emergency room within the last year.¹

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What is gambling addiction - how does it happen - who is at risk - and what to do about it?

What Is Gambling Addiction?

Clinically, gamblers having trouble controlling their behaviors are known either as problem gamblers, or pathological gamblers; with pathological gamblers at a severe end of the compulsive spectrum.

Problem gamblers gamble even though it does them some harm. Harm is self-defined, and is not related to amounts of money lost or frequency of wagering. Some examples could be gambling at a level that causes some anxiety or depression, that interferes with personal relationships, that interferes with professional or educational responsibilities or gambling more than one can afford to lose.

Pathological gamblers are problem gamblers demonstrating a serious compulsion to gamble. They will feel intense cravings to wager, experience significant harms from their gambling and have little control over their gambling behaviors. Pathological gamblers can rarely stop gambling without help, almost all will experience accompanying mental health disorders such as depression or anxiety, and about 20% will attempt suicide at some point.

Between 4%-6% of all recreational gamblers will develop a gambling problem.

Pathological gambling is recognized by the American Psychiatric Association as an impulse control disorder, a form of mental illness; and is considered a progressive, but treatable condition.

Are Certain Forms of Gambling More Addictive Than Others?

Any type of gambling can become problem gambling, but certain forms of gambling seem to cause an accelerated progression of the problem. The speed of play influences the addictive properties of the game, with quicker action more problematic. Also, certain types of gamblers, who play for an "escape" rather than for the excitement of the game, seem predisposed to quicker disease progression.

For these two reasons, gamers who play primarily VLT machines or slot machines can become pathological far more quickly.

How Can You Get Addicted When Nothing is Consumed?

Although gamblers consume no intoxicants, a compulsion to gamble shares many similarities with an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Both types of addictions cause cravings and a tolerance, both get progressively worse over time, and both respond to treatment.

Although nothing is consumed, gambling behaviors create similar rewards changes in the brain as a drug like cocaine, and the end result of excessive gambling or drug taking is similar. You get addicted to the feelings (high) of gambling, just as you get addicted to the high of drugs.

Who Is Most at Risk?

Between 4% and 6% of gamblers will develop a problem, and there are an estimated 2 million pathological gamblers in America. Anyone who gambles excessively is at risk of addiction, but certain types of people are statistically more likely to develop gambling problem.

People more at risk for addiction:

• Those with a past or present history of substance abuse
• Those with a past or present history of mental illness
• Those with a history of head trauma
• Those with a history of emotional, physical or sexual assault
• Those with a family history of addiction or alcoholism

The vast majority can gamble without ever developing a problem, and some problem gamblers seem able to restrain themselves after seeing the harms of their actions, but a small but significant (and tragic) number of gamblers will develop a serious gambling problem.

Is it About Money?

The thrill of the payday plays an integral role in the early excitement and attraction of gaming, and those that gamble too much tend to have serious financial difficulties; but for those who develop a gambling addiction - money has little to do with the compulsion to keep playing.

Gambling addicts chase the feeling of the action, and whether seeking exhilaration or analgesic escape, they are compelled to play, win or lose.

Well intentioned friends or family sometimes pay gambling debts, believing that if the financial pressures evaporate so to will the gambling. This will not work.

Do You Have to Gamble Everyday to Have a Gambling Problem?

Some problem gamblers game only occasionally, during binge gambling sessions. To meet the criteria for problem gambling, gambling behaviors need only cause you personal harm.

Since problem and pathological gambling are progressive in nature, over time, most problem gamblers will gamble more frequently, and wager greater amounts of money.

Is There a Risk of Suicide?

Pathological gamblers, especially end-state hopeless gamblers, are at a very high risk for suicidal ideations and even attempted suicides. About 1 in 5 will attempt suicide, with virtually all considering it at some point.

Most pathological gamblers will have developed a concurrent mental health issue, with serious depression or anxiety compounding the risks of suicide.

What Treatments Work?

No one treatment for gambling addiction helps all pathological or problem gamblers – and although research indicates that medications may eventually help greatly, no drugs are currently approved for the treatment of gambling addiction.

Available treatments include 12 steps meetings such as Gamblers Anonymous, self help group meetings, cognitive behavioral therapy, individual therapy sessions and psychiatric medications.

Most gamblers receive treatment on an outpatient basis, but inpatient rehabs are also available for those in real need.

No one treatment is perfect, but gambling addiction is a treatable disease.

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From recreational gambler to pathological gambler, all addicts pass through three stages of behavior and irrational thinking.

An addiction to gambling doesn’t happen overnight. The rate of progression varies greatly, and certain types of gamblers (mostly those playing "skill" type games of chance) may gamble for years or even decades before becoming pathological in their addiction. Other gamblers, particularly those who gamble for escape, or who gamble on games such as slot machines or video poker terminals, may progress much more rapidly.

Regardless of the rate of progression though, gamblers move from recreational gamblers to problem gamblers to gambling addicts through three distinct stages of behavior.

The Three Stages of Gambling Addiction

Most people gamble as a form of recreation, never risking more than they're willing to lose, and don’t spend much time thinking about gambling other than during rare outings.

All people start as recreational gamblers, but a small percentage, about 5%, will move beyond this recreational stage at some point, and gambling will begin to exert a real influence over behaviors. Although most gamblers consider time spent in the winning stage a relatively positive period, even winning stage thinking represents a decent into compulsion, and the beginnings of a serious problem.

Stage 1 - The Winning Phase

• Gambling activity increases in frequency – Gambling may still occur only at intervals, but there is a reduction in time between gambling sessions.
• The person begins to attach importance to gambling as a life activity. Gambling is still seen as a wholly positive and fun activity. The gambler likes the euphoria or escape offered by gambling.
• Often problem gamblers will enjoy a winning streak, or a single large win – wins that help to further justify an increase in gambling behavior.
• The person begins to think of themselves as a gambler and will often tell gambling stories.
• During winning periods, the gambler may start to believe that they have a special talent or ability as a gambler.
• The gambler experiences no real problems from their gambling during the winning phase. Gambling is seen as a positive experience, and family and friends rarely have a problem with it.
• The duration of the winning phase can vary greatly. Some people may bet at the track for many years in the winning phase, while some video terminal gamblers may move through this phase in only weeks.

Stage 2 - The Losing Stage

• The frequency of gambling increases. Gambling may become ritualized.
• A tolerance develops; gamblers need to bet more to feel the same euphoria. Gamblers in the losing stage often need to bet more to feel the same effects.
• Gamblers begin to chase losses, feeling a need to win back gambling losses as soon as possible.
• More free time is spent gambling. Family life and work may begin to suffer from neglect.
• The gambler begins to require loans from friends or family, or may take out bank or credit card loans.
• The gambler may start hiding the extent of their gambling from others.
• Losing phase gamblers start to experience anxiety or depression from their financial situation.
• The gambler may try to quit, but ultimately fail.
• The gambler will often deny, even to themselves, that gambling is a problem, and still believe that they can handle their gambling.

Step 3 – The Desperation Phase

• Financial pressures mount. The gambler may start selling belongings, or may even engage in criminal acts to get money for gambling.
• Depression and anxiety increase.
• Sleep may be affected, health may suffer.
• The gambler becomes increasingly isolated from loved-ones.

During the desperation phase, about 20% will attempt suicide and almost all will consider it – 60% will commit a crime and 20% will get arrested for their criminal activities.

Although the sometimes long winning phase appears at the surface, harmless, it is during this phase that intervention and treatment is best provided. Gambling addicts can achieve remission through treatment at any phase in their addiction, but as with all addictions, the earlier treatment begins, the better the prognosis.

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Learn why VLTs earn their reputation as the crack cocaine of gambling.

Called the crack cocaine of gambling for good reason, video lottery terminals (VLTs) seem uniquely addictive – and VLT addiction happens fast.

While gamblers betting on sports, horses, or on perceived games of skill (such as poker) may take decades to progress to pathological gambling; VLT players can make this tragic journey in under a year.

Completely unregulated in most states, no one was prepared for the social devastation unleashed by the proliferation of VLT gaming. Countless stories of tragedy, financial ruin and suicide linked to VLT have made their very existence controversial, yet they remain widely available for play in many jurisdictions.

Why Are VLTs So Addictive?

Escape Gambling

VLT gamers play for an analgesic escape. They play to forget about problems, anxieties or any other negative emotions - They play VLT's in the same way an alcoholic drinks to forget. By contrast, action gamblers (those who play games such as poker or bet on sports) chase the thrill and excitement of the wager.

This seeking of escape through gaming induces an almost narcotic and trance-like state, and this hypnotic and narcotic trance is very addictive to the escape gambler.

More women than men gamble to escape, and all escape gamblers play fairly mindless and repetitious games, such as those offered on VLTs.

Fast Action

VLT gamers may bet 10 or more games per minute; VLT machines offering unparalleled speed of play and quickness of reward – and this rapidity of bet/reward increases the addictive properties of VLT play.

The quicker the pleasurable stimulus after an action, the more habit forming or addictive that action can become. Just as crack is more addictive than cocaine partially due to it's speed of onset, VLT gaming is more addictive than other forms of gambling due to this speed of play.

Access

The more time spent gaming, the quicker the progression of addiction.

Gamblers preferring to play live poker can only play when they can get to a casino, and

only while the casino remains open for business. Additionally, gambling regulations in most jurisdictions limits the time any one player may game in succession.

VLT gaming offers round-the-clock access, usually only minutes from the home - 24 hour a day play, with no limitations set on duration of gaming and with machines in hundreds of easy to access locations throughout most towns.

The Hypnotic Nature of VLT Play

The lights and sounds of a VLT can induce a trance-like state, particularly for someone playing over long periods of time. This trance-like state increases the analgesic effects sought by the escape gambler – increasing the addiction.

Although now widely recognized as socially destructive, VLTs generate enormous taxation revenues for local and state governments, governments now too reliant on these revenues to seriously limit access to play.

Play VLTs only with extreme caution and awareness, if at all.

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Worried about your gambling? Take these 2 very quick self tests to find out if you’ve really got something to worry about.

Are you worried about how much you’re gambling and wonder if you might have a problem - or has someone who cares about you expressed concern about your gambling habits?

Well, firstly, if you think you’re fine but someone you love thinks you have a problem, you’d be wise to take their concerns seriously – since denial is such a hallmark of the early stages of a gambling problem, loved ones are often the first ones to diagnose the problem.¹

Take this 5 question test developed by the Canadian Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and find out if you meet the criteria for problem gambling

Problem Gambling Self Test

1. Within the last year, have you ever gambled more than you intended on?
2. Within the last year have you ever told anyone that you were winning money when you weren’t?
3. Within the last year have you ever felt guilty about your gambling or the consequences of your gambling?
4. Within the last year has anyone ever criticized you for your gambling?
5. Within the last year have you had arguments about the money you spend on gambling? ²
   

Answering yes to 2 or more questions indicates a possible gambling problem that warrants a referral to a gambling treatment program.

The Lie Bet Test

Want to try another self screen? This one is called the lie-bet test and screening tests don’t get much easier than this. Ask yourself the following 2 questions and if you answer yes to either, then you may have a gambling problem.

1. Have you ever felt the need to bet more and more money?
2. Have you ever had to lie to people important to you about how much you gambled?³

This test is used to quickly rule out pathological gambling behaviors in a clinical environment. Should a person answer yes to either of the questions in the lie-bet test, healthcare workers are instructed to refer the client to a gambling treatment program for further evaluation and treatment if necessary.

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