New Jersey citizens with lower incomes have higher rates of problems with gambling
Approximately 350,000 adults in New Jersey will battle gambling problems in their lifetime
Roughly 87,000 seniors in New Jersey are affected by problem or disordered gambling
The National Council on Problem Gambling estimates that currently 30,000 youths aged 14-17 are dealing with a gambling addiction
Substance abuse funding allocates $11.68 per person compared to just $0.11 for gambling
NJ receives less total and per capita funding than New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware
States with earlier histories of legalized gambling and more accessibility (like New Jersey) show increased rates of problem or disordered gambling
Atlantic City has had one of the highest rates of suicide of any U.S. city since the start of legalized casino gambling
Important Factors for Problem Gambling Development
More significant life events have occurred in gamblers than non-gamblers
Children of problem gamblers are much more likely to develop gambling problems
Nearly 10% of first-degree relatives of problem or disordered gamblers have gambling problems
Communities in close proximity of casino establishments have an increased risk for gambling problems
People with gambling addictions often have a harder time controlling their impulses and can be easily bored
Many people gamble for the excitement and thrill
Senior gamblers are more likely to acknowledge social benefits of gambling participation
Emotional problems (e.g. depression and stress) can lead to gambling behavior aimed at reducing these undesired states
Many types of gambling play use variable ratio schedules of reinforcement in which wins and losses occur in a manner that the player finds exciting even if they are losing more than winning
Problem or disordered gamblers may prefer immediate rewards over long-term rewards even if the short term comes with more negative consequences
Many people overestimate their chances of winning and/or mistakenly believe that prior losses means they have will win more in the future
Some research has shown that gamblers may have a decreased sense of reward
Treatment
Some common motivating factors for quitting gambling include financial concerns, emotional factors, thoughts about family and children, hitting rock bottom, and evaluation of pros and cons of gambling behavior
Problem or disordered gambling is often co-morbid with alcohol and substance disorders, depression and bipolar disorder, and other anxiety disorders like PTSD and general anxiety disorder
Engagement in new activities and recollection of past gambling problems are common methods to help abstain from gambling
Obstacles to treatment include person’s desire to stop on their own, pride or embarrassment about seeking out help, belief that gambling problems aren’t that severe, lack of knowledge of treatment options, trouble sharing with others, and stigma concerns
A substantial number of people achieve natural recovery, doing so without going to formal treatment or attending self-help groups
Middle-aged gamblers are more likely to come for treatment than younger gamblers
Minorities are less likely to seek formal treatment than Caucasians
Medication trials for gambling addiction have had mixed results, the most common type is serotonin reuptake inhibitors
Gamblers Anonymous
GA started in 1957 and now has chapters in every state and many international meetings
Self-help groups are the most utilized form of treatment sought by gamblers
Alcoholics Anonymous greatly influenced GA’s development though GA focuses more on finances and family involvement and less on spirituality than does AA
The availability of meetings in rural areas is still scarce
Some have criticized meetings as lacking a full perspective, specifically for female and ethnic minority gambling issues
Previous GA participation has led to better outcomes in formal treatment
There are also self-help groups for spouses (Gam-Anon) and children (Gam-A-Teen) of gamblers
