This edited volume aims to facilitate the evolution of the new public health approach towards gambling. Bringing together the work of international experts, it gives a current overview of the field, highlighting the need for a coordinated framework of prevention and harm reduction measures to replace current "player protection" measures. Chapters begin by exploring the impact of problem gambling, looking at its effects on several levels, ranging from the individual to the family and society. Subsequently an overview of prevention and harm reduction models is presented, bringing the reader to an in-depth understanding of what a public health approach to gambling would entail. Later chapters focus on potential challenges to monitoring and evaluation, inviting the reader to envisage possible barriers towards implementation and ways of overcoming these. The book concludes with recommendations on how to take a harm reduction approach, from a political and human rights perspective. This work gives a rare synopsis of the present-day issues when considering the implementation of a harm reduction strategy for gambling. Recent work by key professionals is presented in order to encourage further developments in this ever-changing domain. Such issues will be relevant to all those with an interest in the field of problem gambling, from clinicians, students and healthcare professionals, to politicians.

Using a public interest framework, epidemiological evidence, and an international approach, Setting Limits discusses gambling policies that will best serve the public good and minimise harm. Essential reading for policymakers and all those working in gambling research.

"Responsible gambling" refers to a range of strategies, initiatives, and activities introduced by gambling regulators, policymakers, and industry operators to reduce gambling-related harms. There is an absence of agreement about the definition of responsible gambling among these parties, and stakeholders' experiences reflect varied and often conflicting positions about the development, implementation, and maintenance of existing responsible gambling programs. Complicating these issues further, there is little empirical evidence supporting the current crop of responsible gambling activities. Consequently, there is a pressing need to bring together key similarities and differences associated with disparate stakeholder groups. Responsible Gambling: Primary Stakeholder Perspectives will inform and better ground both current and future debates focused on the topic of responsible gambling and its intended outcomes. Chapters address responsible gambling from the perspective of five groups of complementary stakeholders: scientists/researchers; clinicians; gambling operators; public policy makers/regulators; and recovering gamblers. Contributors address responsible gambling through the lens of the Reno Model, an approach that emphasizes the importance of stakeholders working together and using evidence-based methods to reduce gambling-related harms. Building upon and expanding the Reno Model and addressing conflicts and ethical compromises so that these programs can achieve their intended objectives (reducing the worldwide rate of gambling-related harms), Responsible Gambling will be of value to scientists, clinicians, policy makers, regulators, and industry operators interested in responsible gambling strategies and activities.

Given the high rates of gambling in the United States and the growing population of problem and pathological (disordered) gamblers, there is a need for effective interventions that will eliminate or reduce disordered gambling or, at minimum, reduce harm resulting from disordered gambling. High-risk populations for development of problem and pathological gambling include college students and online poker players. This study sought to develop and test a brief educational and behavioral intervention for decreasing impulsive betting, monetary loss, and time spent gambling and for college-aged self-identified problem gamblers who play online internet poker. This study included four participants in a multiple baseline across participants. Compared to baseline levels of money lost and time spent playing, all participants saw some effect. Post-intervention, all participants lost less money overall. The fourth participant was never at a net monetary loss. Future research and implications are discussed.

This book provides an overview of the state of the art in research on and treatment of gambling disorder. As a behavioral addiction, gambling disorder is of increasing relevance to the field of mental health. Research conducted in the last decade has yielded valuable new insights into the characteristics and etiology of gambling disorder, as well as effective treatment strategies. The different chapters of this book present detailed information on the general concept of addiction as applied to gambling, the clinical characteristics, epidemiology and comorbidities of gambling disorder, as well as typical cognitive distortions found in patients with gambling disorder. In addition, the book includes chapters discussing animal models and the genetic and neurobiological underpinnings of the disorder. Further, it is examining treatment options including pharmacological and psychological intervention methods, as well as innovative new treatment approaches. The book also discusses relevant similarities to and differences with substance-related disorders and other behavioral addictions. Lastly, it examines gambling behavior from a cultural perspective, considers possible prevention strategies and outlines future perspectives in the field.

This book presents research into gambling, showing the psychological variables that govern erosion or maintenance of self-control.

Howard J. Shaffer, Ph. D. More than 20 years ago, I first noted that young people in North America were growing up in a context of legalized gambling for their entire lifetime. By the 1980s, for young people, gambling had become an average and expectable part of the social landscape. Amid legal opportunities to gamble in all but two of the United States and with illicit opportunities to gamble in every state, gambling is now ubiquitous in America. With few social sa- tions to limit a young person’s interest in gambling—like their adult co- terparts—young people now gamble in larger numbers and for seemingly higher stakes. Gradually, gambling-related problems became more visible for young people and the culture slowly but increasingly took notice. By the late 1990s, every sector of American and Canadian society had started to c- sider the effects of legalized gambling on youth. For different reasons, r- resentatives of the gambling and health care industries led the movement to prevent youthful gambling and reconcile existing problems whenever p- sible. Scientists also recognized that there was much to be learned by stu- ing young gamblers. Toward the end of the 20th century, there was a rapid increase in gambling research focusing on developmental issues; half of what is known about gambling emerged during the 1990s. This volume represents an important event in the continuing growth of a field.

As more and more states are becoming dependent on gambling revenue, we are opening the doors to novice gamblers and increasing the potential for existing gamblers to cross the line into illegal activities. Those who have never gambled before, or never engaged in any criminal activity are susceptible to the lure of gambling's promise of instant riches and escape from loneliness, stress, and boredom.

Youth gambling represents a potentially serious public policy and health issue. Nevertheless, the rise in youth gambling issues and problems in the global context is not matched with a parallel increase in research on adolescent gambling. As such, there is an urgent need to conduct more studies on adolescent gambling behaviour. Recently significant advances in the knowledge of the risk factors associated with adolescent problems has emerged. This book addresses issues related to prevalence, assessment, prevention and treatment of youth gambling problems as well as concerns related to technological changes associated with youth problem gambling.