The Psychology of Gambling

Gambling has been a component of mainstream Australian culture since colonisation. It is a major entertainment and tourism industry, and a valued source of revenue to government and private enterprise. Nevertheless, for those Australians who are problem gamblers, along with their families and communities, gambling is the cause of considerable harm. Psychology, as a science and profession, has much to offer in understanding gambling behaviour. Gambling involves the staking of an item of value on an outcome that is governed by chance, and comprises a wide range of commercial activities, including lotteries, electronic gaming machines, casino games, racing and sports-betting. Almost all forms of commercial gambling are designed to provide a negative return to players, that is, a relative advantage to the house or gambling operator. Gambling venues and activities are highly accessible throughout Australia and 70-80% of Australians gamble at least once a year. Gambling is a regulated industry with statutory regulatory bodies in each jurisdiction. Nevertheless, there is intrinsic conflict in government regulation of an industry that provides significant revenue to government, and self-regulation that if effective would reduce revenue for private enterprise. Gambling harm is variably defined. A public health approach argues for assessment of harm on a continuum and determined at individual, family and community levels. diagnostic and medical approach in classifying pathological gambling as an impulse control disorder, with many diagnostic items based on those founding traditional addiction models including tolerance, withdrawal, and difficulty controlling urges. Australian adults (0.5 – 1%) suffer significant gambling problems, a further 230,000 to 350,000 (1.4 – 2.1%) are at moderate risk for problem gambling, and many more people (family members, work colleagues) are indirectly affected by problem gambling. Men, younger people, those who come from a family with a problem-gambling parent, Indigenous Australians and those from some ethnic minorities are most likely to iv experience gambling problems. Problem gambling has a high level of co-occurrence with mental health and substance use problems. Continuous forms of gambling, such as electronic gaming machines, racing and casino tables, are most likely to be associated with problem gambling. Electronic gaming machines are the mode of gambling associated with the greatest level of harm. The main measure to assess problem gambling in the community is the Problem Gambling Severity Index of the Canadian Problem Gambling Index. The South Oaks Gambling Screen, which was designed as a clinical measure, is also used. People are motivated …