Public Health

Facebook ‘creating a generation of gambling addicts because of site’s Las Vegas style games’

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Facebook has been accused of turning youngsters into gambling addicts with an explosion of Las Vegas-style casino games on the social networking site. Children are using ‘virtual coins’ to simulate the thrill of hitting the jackpot with slot machine and roulette games on their home computers and mobile phones. Zynga, which accounts for 12 per cent of all Facebook’s revenues due to its popular games such as FarmVille, launched Zynga Slots in the UK last month. Although these games are free, addiction experts have warned the games encourage teenagers to think gambling is harmless fun.

Facebook ‘creating a generation of gambling addicts because of site’s Las Vegas style games’

CkirbyFacebook ‘creating a generation of gambling addicts because of site’s Las Vegas style games’
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Frequent video gamers have brain differences, study finds

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Young teens who were frequent video gamers had more gray matter in the rewards center of the brain than peers who didn’t play video games as much — suggesting that gaming may be correlated to changes in the brain as much as addictions are. This characteristic is precisely why casino owners are aiming to promote internet gambling and target those who are already prone to addiction.

Frequent gamers have brain differences study finds

LesFrequent video gamers have brain differences, study finds
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University research outlines the dangers of slot machines

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The Carleton University Gambling Laboratory, a think-tank deciphering what makes gamblers keep coming back, says slot machines are nearly four times more addictive than regular card tables. Head researcher, Prof. Michael Wohl, said that’s because players can sit for long periods of time in a relatively low-stress situation and can cash in their winnings without leaving their seats. It’s also due to grave misconceptions about how slot machines work.

“A lot of people think that every time you spin a slot machine you’re getting closer and closer to a win,” Dr. Wohl explains. But that’s simply not the case, he says. He describes them as a mixed bag of marbles. Within it, there’s one “jackpot” marble combined with hundreds of losses. When you play a machine, one of those losses falls out of the bag. But what many people don’t understand is before your very next spin, that dud marble goes right back into the bag. The odds of winning or losing are always exactly the same.”

According to the Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse, 80% of problem gamblers in Ontario cite slot machines as their problem. The largest percentage are seniors and low-income earners.

University research outlines the dangers of slot machines 

LesUniversity research outlines the dangers of slot machines
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Children as young as 10 are battling serious gambling problems, a major study has revealed

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While the United States continues to ignore its public health problem of gambling addiction, the first national study of the gambling habits of Australia’s youth has found a tenth of kids aged 10-14 fit definitions of ‘‘at-risk’’ or ‘‘problem’’ gamblers. And a third have adults willing to place bets on their behalf. Almost a third of kids aged 10-14 said they had played electronic gambling machines in the previous year, more than half had purchased scratch tickets.

2012 Junior gamblers battle addiction

LesChildren as young as 10 are battling serious gambling problems, a major study has revealed
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Problem gambling is now considerably more common than alcohol dependence in the U.S

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Living within 10 miles of a casino doubles your risk of problem gambling. This is just one of the compelling statistics in the third “Expert Summary” issued by the University at Buffalo’s Research Institute on Addictions. Another incredible statistic found was that problem gambling is considerably more common than alcohol dependence in the U.S. The prevalence of problem gambling in the U.S is properly highlighted in this article.

New-Expert-Summary-Highlights-the-Prevalence-of-Problem-Gambling-in-the-U.S.

CkirbyProblem gambling is now considerably more common than alcohol dependence in the U.S
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Kansas state government exempts casinos from statewide ban on indoor smoking

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Despite the statewide ban on indoor smoking, state government in Kansas exempted casinos. Research indicates that a smoking ban would drive thousands of patrons away from Kansas casinos.

Smoking Conflict Snuffs Kansas Gambling

CkirbyKansas state government exempts casinos from statewide ban on indoor smoking
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‘Gamble responsibly’ is an ad, not a deterrent

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State governments presumably believe that the ‘gamble responsibly’ message is evidence of their concern about gambling problems, and will assist people who gamble to do so in a ‘responsible’ manner. This message seems to be no more than a façade however, providing a false sense of caring, as persuasively explained in this article by Charles Livingstone.

‘Gamble responsibly’ is an ad, not a deterrent 

Ckirby‘Gamble responsibly’ is an ad, not a deterrent
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Emerging Issues in the Use of “Free Play”

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Non-negotiable slot credits, or what is commonly called “free play” has become the primary form of customer incentives in casinos. Today’s casinos use mail, phone and email solicitations to offer free slot machine play to lure citizens who have rarely been to a casino before, a tactic adopted from the tobacco companies who used to hand out free cigarettes in low-income neighborhoods. This article attempts to identify the emerging issues of free play and how they are impacting the frequency of play and casino profitability.

Emerging Issues with Free Play

CkirbyEmerging Issues in the Use of “Free Play”
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The Definition of a Pathological Gambler

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According to the American Psychiatric Association, in order to be diagnosed as a pathological gambler, someone must meet five of the ten criteria below:

  • Committing crimes to get money to gamble
  • Feeling restless or irritable when trying to cut back or quit gambling
  • Gambling to escape problems or feelings of sadness or anxiety
  • Gambling larger amounts of money to try to make back previous losses
  • Having had many unsuccessful attempts to cut back or quit gambling
  • Losing a job, relationship, or educational or career opportunity due to gambling
  • Lying about the amount of time or money spent gambling
  • Needing to borrow money due to gambling losses
  • Needing to gamble larger amounts of money in order to feel excitement
  • Spending a lot of time thinking about gambling, such as remembering past experiences or ways to get more money with which to gamble
CkirbyThe Definition of a Pathological Gambler
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