Gambling products and their risk potential for gambling disorder
Authors:
Viktor Mravčík 1,2,3; Pavla Chomynová 1,2,3; Kateřina Grohmannová 1,2,4; Zdeněk Rous 1
Authors‘ workplace:
Národní monitorovací středisko pro drogy a závislosti, Úřad vlády ČR
1; Národní ústav duševního zdraví, Klecany
2; Klinika adiktologie 1. LF UK a VFN v Praze
3; Institut pro kriminologii a sociální prevenci, Praha
4
Published in:
Čas. Lék. čes. 2020; 159: 196-202
Category:
Review Article
Overview
Gambling brings excitement, which is a part of entertainment, but also a basis of operant conditioning, which, in conjunction with other biological and psychological factors, leads to the loss of control over the player's behaviour. This gambling disorder (problem gambling) is characterized by a high intensity and episodic character of gambling and a high amount of staked money, with negative consequences to players and their close ones. Problem gamblers have a high rate of psychiatric comorbidity, as well as suicide.
Various gambling products pose a different risk of problem gambling. The game's risk is determined by the arousal for players, the social nature of the game, or the degree of skill required for gambling. It is an effect of so-called structural and situational characteristics, such as amount and variability of bets, structure and probability of win, jackpot, game speed, near wins, audio and visual effects, etc. The game risk increases also with its accessibility or with substance use while playing.
In the Czech Republic, there is a high availability of electronic gaming machines (EGM) compared to the neighbouring countries; the availability of on-line games has increased dramatically in recent years. There is also an observed increase in participation in on-line gambling, not just odds and live betting, but also technical games or casino games as reported in population surveys. Estimated up to 5.7% of the adult population is at risk of problem gambling (approx. 510 thousand persons), of which 1.2-1.4% are at a high risk (approx. 80-120 thousand persons). EGMs represent the highest risk, but also casino or on-line games including odds betting, especially live betting shows high risk of problem gambling. Most of the problem gamblers are men; especially young men are highly vulnerable.
Although the new Gambling Act has introduced a number of new preventive measures since 2017 according to basic types of games, the assessment of the risk potential of particular gambling products is not a part of their licensing. This contributes to increasing availability of high-risk games, especially on-line.
Keywords:
gambling – gambling disorder – structural characteristics – situational characteristics
Sources
1. Černý J. Fotbal je hra (pokus o fenomenologii hry). Československý spisovatel, Praha, 1968.
2. Frouzová M. Gambleři a gambling. In: Kalina K a kol. Drogy a drogové závislosti – mezioborový přístup 2. Úřad vlády ČR, Praha, 2003: 267–271.
3. Blaszczynski A, Nower L. A pathways model of problem and pathological gambling. Addiction 2002; 97(5): 487–499.
4. Potenza MN. Neurobiology of gambling behaviors. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2013; 23(4): 660–667.
5. Griffiths M. Problem gambling in Europe: an overview. International gaming research unit, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, 2009.
6. Volberg RA, Williams RJ. Epidemiology: an international perspective. In: Richard DCS, Blaszczynski A, Nower L (eds.). The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Disordered Gambling. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, 2014: 26–48.
7. Abbott M, Binde P, Hodgins D et al. Conceptual framework of harmful gambling: an international collaboration. Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre (OPGRC), Guelph, 2013.
8. Vacek J. Jak snížit či zamezit vzniku škod způsobených hazardním hráčstvím. Úřad vlády ČR, Praha, 2014.
9. Williams RJ, West BL, Simpson RI. Prevention of problem gambling: a comprehensive review of the evidence, and identified best practices. Report prepared for the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, 2012.
10. Neal P, Delfabbro P, O’Neil M. Problem gambling and harm: towards a national definition. Gambling Research Australia, Melbourne, 2005.
11. Richard DCS, Humphrey J. The conceptualization and diagnosis of disordered gambling. In: Richard DCS, Blaszczynski A, Nower L (eds.). The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Disordered Gambling. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, 2014: 1–25.
12. Mravčík V, Nechanská B, Roznerová T et al. Sebevražednost problémových hráčů v kontextu psychiatrické komorbidity: kohortová studie mortality. Adiktologie 2015;15 (4): 354–364.
13. American Psychiatric Association. Highlights of changes from DSM-IV-TR to DSM-5. American Psychiatric Association, Arlington, 2013.
14. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. American Psychiatric Association, Arlington, 2013.
15. Reilly C, Smith N. The evolving definition of pathological gambling in the DSM-5. National Center for Responsible Gaming, Washington, 2013.
16. WHO, ÚZIS ČR. Mezinárodní statistická klasifikace nemocí a přidružených zdravotních problémů – 10. revize (MKN-10). Ústav zdravotnických informací a statistiky ČR, 2008. Dostupné na: www.uzis.cz/cz/mkn/index.html
17. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders – TR. American Psychiatric Association, Arlington, 2000.
18. Sassen M, Kraus L, Bühringer G. Differences in pathological gambling prevalence estimates: facts or artefacts? Int J Methods Psychiatr Res 2011; 20(4): e83–e99.
19. Williams RJ, Volberg RA, Stevens RMG. The population prevalence of problem gambling: methodological influences, standardized rates, jurisdictional differences, and worldwide trends. Report prepared for the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, 2012.
20. Holtgraves T. Gambling, gambling activities, and problem gambling. Psychol Addict Behav 2009; 23(2): 295–302.
21. Currie SR, Hodgins DC, Wang J et al. Risk of harm among gamblers in the general population as a function of level of participation in gambling activities. Addiction 2006; 101(4): 570–580.
22. Humphreys BR, Perez L. Participation in internet gambling markets: an international comparison of online gamblers' profiles. J Internet Commerce 2012; 11(1): 24–40.
23. Wood RT, Williams RJ. Internet gambling: prevalence, patterns, problems, and policy options. Final report prepared for the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre, Guelph, 2009.
24. Ejova A, Licehammerová S, Chomynová P et al. The risks of online gambling for younger males: insights from Czech national surveys. In: Lorentz P., Šmahel D., Metyková M, Wright M (eds.). Living in the digital age: self-presentation, networking, playing and participating in politics. MUNI Press, Brno, 2015.
25. Bonnaire C. Internet gambling: what are the risks? Encephale 2012; 38(1): 42–49.
26. Nelson TF, LaBrie RA, LaPlante DA et al. Sports betting and other gambling in athletes, fans, and other college students. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport 2007; 78(4): 271–283.
27. Johansson A, Grant J, Kim S et al. Risk factors for problematic gambling: a critical literature review. J Gambling Stud 2009; 25(1): 67–92.
28. Parke J, Griffiths MD. The role of structural characteristics in gambling. In: Smith G, Hodgins D, Williams R (eds.). Research and Measurement Issues in Gambling Studies. Elsevier, New York, 2007: 211–243.
29. Delfabbro PH. Behavioral risk factors in disordered gambling and treatment implications. In: Richard DCS, Blaszczynski A, Nower L (eds.). The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Disordered Gambling. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, 2014: 71–97.
30. Livingstone C, Woolley R, Zazryn T et al. The relevance and role of gaming machine games and game features on the play of problem gamblers. Report prepared for Independent Gambling Authority South Australia, 2008.
31. Vasiliadis SD, Jackson AC, Christensen D, Francis K. Physical accessibility of gaming opportunity and its relationship to gaming involvement and problem gambling: a systematic review. J Gambling Issues 2013: 1–46.
32. Mravčík V, Černý J, Leštinová Z a kol. Hazardní hraní v České republice a jeho dopady. Úřad vlády ČR, Praha, 2014.
33. Mravčík V, Rous Z, Chomynová P a kol. Výroční zpráva o hazardním hraní v České republice v roce 2018. Úřad vlády ČR, Praha, 2019.
34. Chomynová P, Drbohlavová B, Mravčík V. Rozsah hazardního hraní v české populaci. Adiktologie 2015; 15 (4): 298–308.
35. Currie SR, Casey DM, Hodgins DC. Improving the psychometric properties of the Problem Gambling Severity Index. Canadian Consortium for Gambling Research, 2010.
36. Currie SR, Hodgins DC, Casey DM. Validity of the Problem Gambling Severity Index interpretive categories. J Gambling Stud 2013; 29(2): 311–27.
37. Holtgraves T. Evaluating the problem gambling severity index. J Gambling Stud 2009; 25(1): 105–120.
38. Johnson EE, Hamer R, Nora RM et al. The Lie/Bet Questionnaire for screening pathological gamblers. Psychol Rep 1997; 80(1): 83–88.
39. Mravčík V, Rous Z, Chomynová P a kol. Výroční zpráva o hazardním hraní v České republice v roce 2017. Úřad vlády ČR, Praha, 2018.
40. Mravčík V, Rous Z, Tion Leštinová Z a kol. Výroční zpráva o hazardním hraní v České republice v roce 2014. Úřad vlády ČR, Praha, 2015.
41. Peren FW. Assessment tool to measure and evaluate the risk potential of gambling products AsTERiG. Research Institute for Gambling and Gaming, Sankt Augustin, 2010.
42. Národní monitorovací středisko pro drogy a závislosti, ppm factum research. Patologičtí hráči v léčbě 2017 – analýza výsledků studie. Nepublikováno, 2018.
43. Ministerstvo financí ČR. Hazardní hry. Zpracováno NMS, nepublikováno, 2019. Dostupné na: www.mfcr.cz/cs/soukromy-sektor/hazardni-hry
44. Ziolkowski S. The World Count of Gaming Machines 2018. Gaming Technologies Association, 2018. Dostupné na: http://gamingta.com/librar
Labels
Addictology Allergology and clinical immunology Angiology Audiology Clinical biochemistry Dermatology & STDs Paediatric gastroenterology Paediatric surgery Paediatric cardiology Paediatric neurology Paediatric ENT Paediatric psychiatry Paediatric rheumatology Diabetology Pharmacy Vascular surgery Pain management Dental HygienistArticle was published in
Journal of Czech Physicians
Most read in this issue
- Production and use of convalescent plasma in COVID-19 treatment, taking into account the experience in the Central Millitary Hospital Prague
- A case of severe course of COVID-19 treated with experimental therapy
- Gambling products and their risk potential for gambling disorder
- Zapomenutý gastroenterolog?