Gambling addiction

Background and aims: Loneliness and a low sense of mastery are associated with excessive gambling, but the underlying processes of these relationships remain unstudied. Because psychological distress can increase vulnerability to excessive gambling, we investigated its mediating role in these relationships among young people. To meet the need for cross-country research, we also observed how these relationships occur in four countries with different cultures. Design, setting, and participants: Demographically balanced cross-sectional survey data were collected from 15–25-year- olds in Finland (n = 1200; 50% male), the United States (n = 1212; 49.8% male), South Korea (n = 1192; 49.6% male), and Spain (n = 1212; 51.2% male). Measurements: Excessive gambling was measured with the South Oaks Gambling Screen, psychological distress was assessed with the 12-item General Health Questionnaire, loneliness was measured with the three-item Loneliness Scale, and low sense of mastery was assesse...

Objective. We studied the prevalences of video game use (VGU) and addiction (VGA) in gambling disorder (GD) patients and compared them with subjects with non-video game use (non-VGU) in relation to their gambling behavior, psychopathology, and personality characteristics.Method. A sample of 193 GD patients (121 non-VGU, 43 VGU, and 29 VGA) consecutively admitted to our pathological gambling unit participated in the study.Assessment. Measures included the video game dependency test (VDT), symptom checklist-90-revised, and the temperament and character inventory-revised, as well as a number of other GD indices.Results. In GD, the observed prevalence of VG (use or addiction) was 37.3% (95% CI:30.7%÷44.3),VGU 22.3% (95% CI:17.0%÷28.7), and VGA 15% (95% CI:10.7%÷20.7). Orthogonal polynomial contrast into logistic regression showed positive linear trends for VG level and GD severity and other measures of general psychopathology. After structural equation modeling, higher VG total scores w...

There have been several recent lawsuits in which problem gamblers (or those affected by problem gambling) have sued casinos or other gaming companies for damages relating to bankruptcies, suicides, and other negative consequences of compulsive gambling. Although the legal cases have been decided in favor of the gaming companies, it can seem as though there is a moral residue in some of these cases: perhaps some of the actions of the gaming companies, though legal, have been morally problematic. This case invites students to explore this possibility by introducing them to the facts surrounding the lawsuits and highlighting some of the most salient moral considerations. Students will also be asked to reflect on the public policy implications, if any, of their findings.

Background and aims Loneliness and a low sense of mastery have been associated with excessive gambling, but the underlying processes of these relationships remain unstudied. Because psychological distress can increase vulnerability to excessive gambling, we investigated its mediating role in these relationships among young people. To meet the need for cross-country research, we also observed how these relationships occur in four countries with different cultures. Design, setting and participants Demographically balanced cross-sectional survey data were collected for 15–25-year-olds in Finland (n=1200; 50% male), the United States (n=1212; 49.8% male), South Korea (n=1192; 49.6% male) and Spain (n=1212; 51.2% male). Measurements Excessive gambling was measured with the South Oaks Gambling Screen, psychological distress was assessed with the 12-Item General Health Questionnaire, loneliness was measured with the Three-Item Loneliness Scale and low sense of mastery was assessed with the...

Most European sports betting operators now feature “cash out” functionalities in their online platforms. This means (as outlined
in the examples above) that bettors can withdraw their bets before the event bet upon has concluded, obtaining a smaller but guaranteed return if the outcome of the bet is going their way, or, conversely, cutting down the monetary impact of a foreseeable loss. The cash out functionality
has rapidly become popular among sports bettors that bet in-play (i.e., during the game on things such as soccer matches and horse races) as a way of maximizing value on the bets they have made.

Sports betting advertising has arguably permeated contemporary sport consumption in many countries. Advertisements build narratives that represent situations and characters that normalise betting behaviour and raise public concerns regarding their detrimental effect on vulnerable groups. Adopting a grounded theory approach,
the present study examined a British sample of sports betting advertisements (N = 102) from 2014 to 2016. The analysis revealed that individual themes aligned in a single core narrative, constructing a dual persuasive strategy of sports betting advertising: (i) to reduce the perceived risk involved in betting (with themes such as betting with friends, free money offers, humour, or the use of celebrities) while (ii) enhancing the perceived control of bettors (including themes of masculinity and sport knowledge). In addition, new technological features of sports betting platforms (e.g. live in-play betting) were used by advertisers to build narratives in which the ability to predict a sports outcome was overlapped by the ability of bettors to use such platforms, equalizing the ease of betting with the ease of winning. Based on the data analysed, it was concluded that the construction of a magnified idea of control in sports betting advertising is a cause for concern that requires close regulatory scrutiny.

The pervasiveness of sports betting marketing and advertising is arguably normalising betting behaviour among increasingly larger groups of population. In their adverts, bookmakers represent characters and situations that conventionalise betting and promote specific behaviours while ignoring others. The present study examined a sample of British and Spanish sports betting television adverts (N=135) from 2014 to 2016 to understand how bettors and betting are being represented. Using content analysis, 31 different variables grouped into seven broad categories were assessed, including general information about the advert, the characters and situations represented, the identification of the characters with sports, the use of online betting, the co-representation of gambling along other risky behaviours such as eating junk food and drinking alcohol, the amount of money wagered, and other variables such as the representation of free bets, humour, and celebrities. The results showed a male-dominant betting representation with no interaction between women. Typically, bettors were depicted surrounded by people but isolated in their betting, emphasising the individual consumption practice that mobile betting promotes. In-play betting was observed in almost half of the adverts. A little empirical
evidence indicates that betting while watching sport in betting adverts is associated with emotionally
charged situations such as celebrations and/or alcohol drinking. Bettors were typically depicted staking
small amounts of money with large potential returns, implying high risk bets. Overall, the study provides preliminary evidence in understanding the social representation of betting behaviour by bookmakers and critiques the problematic consequences of such representation from a public health perspective.

Boredom is quite often cited as one of the more challenging aspects when dealing with recovery from substance use issues. It is safe to say that no one likes boredom, and we all have to face boredom at one time or another. Therefore, it makes sense to be prepared for boredom when making life changes as we move away from a life of addictive behaviors. One way to do this is to adjust our viewpoint on boredom. We can learn and practice mastering boredom instead of allowing feelings of boredom to derail our progress.

Գրքում ներկայացված են խաղամոլության հիմնական տեսակները, վերջինիս պատճառականության, զարգացման և հաղթահարման ժամանակակից պատկերացումները։ Քննարկվում են խաղամոլության ոչ դեղորայքային, հոգեթերապևտիկ հաղթահարման մեթոդները։ Ներկայացված են խաղամոլության գնահատման գործիքներ և հաղթահարման 6 շաբաթյա  ծրագիր։  Գիրքը նախատեսված է ինչպես սեփական խնդիրը ինքնուրույն և/կամ մասնագետի օգնությամբ հաղթահարել ցանկացողների, այնպես էլ իրենց այցելուներին օգնել ցանկացող հոգեկան առողջության և հարակից ոլորտների մասնագետների (հոգեբանների, հոգեթերապևտների, հոգեբույժների, նյարդաբանների, սոցիալական աշխատողների, հատուկ մանկավարժների և այլոց) համար։

This chapter contains a brief history of gambling and a brief description of gambling disorders , followed by the risks that this behavior would become compulsive and the negative consequences that the gambler and the members of this family would experience. Thereafter, the psychological characteristics of the compulsive gambler will be specified, as results from the recent international researches, and we will also describe the psychological profile of the Romanian compulsive gambler. Next, we will approach the various methods of treatment of gambling addiction, focusing on the forms of psychotherapy that proved to be effective in treating this mental disorder, and listing of certain studies that have demonstrated their effectiveness.

Scopul principal al acestui ghid practic este informarea jucătorilor şi a publicului larg despre faptul că dependenţa de jocuri de noroc este o problemă serioasă, cu care se confruntă în ultimul timp tot mai multe persoane şi care afectează atât jucătorii dependenţi, cât şi familiile acestora, precum şi societatea românească în ansamblul ei.

The purpose of this study was the adaptation and reliability control of the, paraphrased instrument, Greek version of the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for gambling disorder, in order to be a tool in clinical and epidemiological studies conducted in Greece. The questionnaire includes nine (9) questions. The respondent selects an answer, either yes or no, and the score is calculated by summing up the individual scores of the questions. The overall result (score) theoretically
ranges from zero to nine (0-9) and the criteria are of equal weight. Occurrence of the criteria will relate to the period of the last twelve months. Randomly selected samples were used in this study: a) the general population b) online gamblers, and c) Gambler’s Anonymous. Patients and people in the general population, completed
the survey questionnaire [this questionnaire included demographic characteristics and the Greek version of DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for gambling disorder]. The psychometric tests applied included a) consistency of the questionnaire (coefficient Cronbach’s alpha 0.877 for group Α, for group B 0.866, for group C 0.946 and omega 0,89, 95% CI [0,85, 0,91] for group Α, 0,88, 95% CI [0,85, 0,90] for group Β, 0,96, 95% CI [0,96, 0,98] for group C . a) The total for all samples is 0.914 and 0,92, respectively, b) the Factor analysis of the scale’s structure highlighted one component and c) according the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) the factors loadings were all significant (p < .001), ranging from .623 to .855. The scale confirmed good psychometric properties for the Greek population. Ιn conclusion, the Greek version of DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for gambling disorder provide us with valuable insights.

Coping with craving is an essential part of the change process when dealing with substance use issues or when coping with any potentially behavioral addictions as well (such as compulsive gambling, sex, shopping, etc.) Having a plan for managing cravings is critical to making positive progress. For this activity, you will develop your own cravings plan.

Environmental stimuli in the form of marketing inducements to gamble money on sports have increased in recent years. The purpose of the present paper is to tackle the extended definition of the gamblification of sport using sponsorship and partnership deals of gambling, forex trading, and fantasy gaming as a proxy for assessing its environmental impact. Using data about sponsorship deals from English Football Premier League, the paper builds on the evidence of English football's gamblification process to discuss the impact that the volume, penetration, and marketing strategies of sports betting might have on public health and well-being. Findings demonstrate that gambling marketing has become firmly embedded in the financial practices of many Premiership football clubs. It is argued that such associations are not trivial, and that the symbolic linkage of sport and newer gambling forms can become an issue of public health, especially affecting vulnerable groups such as minors and problem gamblers. The present study is the first to explore in-depth the relationship and potential consequences and psychosocial impacts of sports-related marketing, particularly in relation to football.

Dostoyevski'nin Kumarbaz romanından yola çıkarak kumar, romanın yazılma hikâyesi ve Dostoyevski'nin hayatında "kumarbaz"lığın etkileri üzerine, yeniyazı'nın 12. sayısında yayımlanan makale: "Dostoyevski, sadece bir romanı konuşmaz, aynı zamanda uzun süredir hayatının değişmez patinaj noktalarından biri olan kumarı ve kumarla birlikte ilerleyen enayiliklerinin zehrini sağaltmaya, hem adı konmamış hem de acemice olsa da etkili ve yoğun bir terapiye de girmiş olur."

Il fenomeno della dipendenza da gioco d'azzardo considerato nella Tesi non è nuovo, esiste da tempo immemorabile ma è nuova la sua trattazione in ambiti quali la cura e la riabilitazione.
Ho scelto di utilizzare principalmente il termine dipendenza da gioco d'azzardo, prediligendolo ad altri quali: gioco d'azzardo compulsivo, gioco d'azzardo patologico, disturbo nel controllo degli impulsi che porta a giocare d'azzardo, etc. Questa scelta deriva dal fatto che ho voluto sottolineare la caratteristica dipendenza intrinseca al fenomeno, piuttosto che inquadrare il problema in termini di diagnosi psicopatologica.
È importante evidenziare che questa particolare forma di dipendenza rientra nelle dipendenze da non-sostanza. Come ogni altra forma di dipendenza ha anch'essa connotazioni psicologiche, ma non ho voluto trattarle in modo approfondito nella Tesi perché esse non sono propriamente di competenza dell'educatore professionale.
Ho preferito quindi illustrare come si evolve la dipendenza da gioco d'azzardo dall'esordio alla richiesta d'aiuto.
Il dipendente da gioco d'azzardo è un deviante; devia dalla media delle persone che giocano a giochi finalizzati alla vincita in denaro. Di fatto, se fruisce dei giochi garantiti dall'AAMS, egli non viola alcuna legge; tuttavia la sua devianza riguarda il non rispetto di un'aspettativa sociale. Gli studi sociologici di R. Caillois riguardo ai giochi mostrano come il gioco d'azzardo sia differente dagli altri giochi, come già detto, e quindi definibile come deviante.
Il nodo gordiano che ho dovuto recidere da subito per poter intraprendere il percorso che mi ha portato alla tesi, è stato proprio quello relativo all'educatore in quanto figura professionale. Ho dovuto comprendere a fondo quanto potesse, e se potesse, operare in ambito di dipendenza da gioco d'azzardo.
Nel lavoro dell'educatore si ripresentano sia il progetto educativo individualizzato, che i colloqui educativi, sia l'équipe, che il lavoro di rete. Tutti i servizi in questo campo operano attraverso équipe multidisciplinari e reti di servizi.
La prevenzione del fenomeno dipendenza da gioco d'azzardo se si vogliono ottenere dei veri risultati, va fatta in modo adeguato progettando interventi e costituendo gruppi specifici nei quali fare prevenzione. Ciò necessita di figure professionali, tra cui l'educatore, correttamente formate sia in ambito di dipendenza da gioco d'azzardo che in ambito di prevenzione.

Pascasius Justus Turcq was born in the Flemish town of Eeklo. As a young man, he travelled through Spain before devoting himself to the study of philosophy and medicine in Italy. On gaining his doctorate, he returned north and settled in Bergen-op-Zoom, where he worked as a physician and eventually became the city’s mayor. He attended to William the Silent as one of the physicians who worked to save the Prince’s life after the assassination attempt of 1582.
Alongside tales of gambling princes and perceptive accounts of the mental suffering experienced by problem gamblers, Pascasius’ De alea is remarkable for its singular insights into 16th-century medical science.
Basing himself on the authority of the ancient, late-antique and mediaeval traditions, Pascasius first fuses discrete theoretical systems into an innovative framework, allowing him to propose a novel description of compulsive gambling as a psychological disorder. Secondly, Pascasius articulates a series of pioneering cures. He describes this therapy in cognitive terms reminiscent of approaches to non-substance addiction in use today.
On Gambling was routinely referenced in scholarship on gambling into the 18th century before disappearing almost entirely from view. Newly available here, with a critical Latin text and English translation, On Gambling epitomises the creative potential of 16th-century medical humanism.

Technology has changed the nature of gambling practices over the last decade and is continuing to do so. The online sports betting industry has become a rapidly growing sector of the global economy, with online sports betting contributing 37% of the annual online gambling market in Europe. There has been an integration of social and technological processes that has enabled the cultural saliency of contemporary online betting. One of the more newly introduced forms of online sports betting is in-play sports betting behaviour (the betting on events within a sporting event such as football and cricket). In-play sports betting features (such as 'cash out') are increasing in popularity amongst online gambling operators. A scoping study was carried out examining the evolution of this new form of gambling practice which included both a systematic literature review and the examination of 338 online gambling websites that offered sports betting. The present study identified a comprehensive list of what in-play betting features are currently being offered on online gambling websites as well as other information concerning in-play sports betting. A total of 16 academic papers and two 'grey literature' reports and were identified in the systematic review. Out of 338 online gambling websites that were visited, 26% of these offered at least on in-play betting feature. Results from the systematic review suggest that in-play sports betting has the potential to be more harmful than other ways of gambling because of the inherent structural characteristics.

We report data collected in a representative sample of 17-year-old Norwegians to investigate prevalence rates of non-problem, risk, and problem gambling, as measured by the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). In addition, we explored the importance of demographic, personality, motivational, social, and health variables explaining variance in adolescent gambling. Prevalence rates of risk and problem gambling were low but similar to those found in previous studies outside of Norway using the PGSI in adolescent samples. With regard to the relative importance of the various covariates, we found that motivational variables (future gambling intentions, attitudes toward gambling, and gambling-related knowledge) distinguished best between those who did not gamble, non-problem gamblers, and risk and problem gamblers. Furthermore, social variables were important covariates of adolescent gambling; significant associations were found for family and friends&#39; approval of gambling, parenta...

When gamblers register to online gambling sites, they consent to different policies imposed in a “take it or leave it” manner by online gambling service providers. However, gambling addiction, which is one of the main features of the regulatory challenges of gambling, has an important impact on gamblers’ decision-making and common-sense reasoning.
Considering EU Law, this paper discusses how gambling addiction may influence people’s legal capacity for lawful consenting related to use of online gambling services. In particular, the paper focuses on legal requirements for lawful consent to personal data processing and to processing of data used for commercial communications (advertising).
In addition, the paper discusses what happens if legal consent is absent and what gamblers and service providers should do under those circumstances.
Thus, the paper addresses the following research question: What are the legal consequences for the lawfulness of personal data processing and commercial communications, if consent is influenced by gambling addiction?
This question will be answered through an analysis of EU law, a description of the addictive potential of situational characteristics (e.g. availability and accessibility of services, advertising) and structural characteristics (prize structure, near misses, frequency of event) and how these could affect individuals’ legal capacity for lawful consent, and a discussion of the practical legal consequences of deficiencies in lawful consent.

Interdisciplinary study of addiction is facilitated by relative unification of the concept. What should be sought is not formal unification through literal analytic definition, which would undermine practical flexibility within disciplines and intervention practices. However, leading controversies around whether addiction should be conceived as a 'disease', and over whether addiction is 'chosen' behavior, are made more difficult to resolve by failure to apply philosophical reflection on these general concepts. Such reflection should be sensitive to two kinds of constraint: coherence in description of empirical, including neuroscientific, observation, and utility in framing normative goals in treatment and policy design. Following review of various interpretations of addiction, disease, and choice across contributing disciplines, it is concluded that addiction is most plausibly viewed as a disease at the scale of public health research and policy, but not personal (e.g. clinical) management and intervention. Addicts must make choices to recover, and in that respect addiction is a 'disorder of choice'. However, it is concluded that the most relevant sense of 'disorder' arises at the social rather than the personal scale.

Adolescent boys are characterised by increased risk-taking behavior, including a relatively high propensity to develop problem gambling habits. The association between gambling and sensitivity to immediately available rewards is well-established, suggesting that gamblers are less influenced by potential future consequences than non-gamblers. Nevertheless, existing studies have considered present-and future-orientation as two ends of the same continuum, and have not investigated the possibility that present and future perspectives might make independent contributions to gambling behavior. In the current study, we adopted Zimbardo's multidimensional approach, which discriminates between not only present and future perspectives, but also between a hedonistic and fatalistic present orientation (in addition to positive and negative orientations towards the past). The participants were 223 male adolescents (mean age = 16.7 years). We investigated the effects of time perspectives on gambling frequency and gambling problem severity, after taking into account the effects of age, sensation seeking, and gambling-related cognitive distortions. Gambling frequency was significantly predicted by the present fatalistic perspective, and problem gambling was significantly (negatively) related to the future perspective. The present hedonistic and past negative perspectives were also significantly related to both gambling frequency and gambling problems, although they did not explain additional variance in gambling behavior when the effects of the other factors were controlled. Overall, these results offer a fresh perspective on the role of time perspectives in gambling behavior, with potential implications for understanding the origins of gambling problems and the development of novel interventions.

Over the past decade, gambling has become a very popular activity across Europe including the growth of Internet gambling. Portugal is one of the few European countries where little research has been carried out. Given the lack of studies, a Portuguese sample (N = 1,599) was surveyed concerning their online and offline gambling habits. More specifically, the aim of this study was to identify and compare from the total sample, online pathological gamblers (PGON) (n = 171) and offline pathological gamblers' (PGOF) (n = 171) characteristics , and eventual risk factors for the development of problem gambling. Results demonstrated that PGON had different profiles compared to PGOF, although there were also similarities. Situational characteristics were much more significant for PGON than PGOF (e.g., availability, accessibility, affordability), but PGOF had higher scores than PGON on factors concerning individual characteristics (e.g., intensity of feelings while gambling, depression, suicidal ideation, etc.). Findings also showed differences concerning attitudes toward responsible gambling measures. The fact that situational characteristics are more attractive to online gamblers confirms differences between PGON and PGOF and suggests that this preferred attractiveness may enhance problem gambling potential. Further research is needed to better understand the interaction between Internet situational characteristics and the individual characteristics of gamblers, as well as the profile of the growing population of gamblers that uses both online and offline modes to gamble.

Objectives: Most of the addiction studies focus on very specific aspects of addictions , often with contradictory results, and integrated studies are quite rare. Experimental studies comparing underlying mechanisms of addictions and analyzing data from an integrative psychological and genetic perspective are almost nonexistent. The aim of the present paper is to describe the research protocol of the Psychological and Genetic Factors of Addictive Behaviors (PGA) study, which applies an integrative approach to understanding the acquisition, development, and maintenance of addic-tive behaviors. Methods: A wide-spectrum national study was carried out. Data were collected from 3,003 adolescents. Addictions to both psychoactive substances and behaviors were thoroughly assessed via psychometrically robust scales, which also included assessment related to a wide range of related psychological dimensions. Additionally, a DNA sample was also collected from participants. Results: The paper presents the detailed methodology of the PGA study. Data collection procedures, instrumentation, and the analytical approach used to attain the research objectives are described. Conclusions: Future plans, along with potential contributions of the PGA study, are also discussed. It is envisaged that the study will provide a unique opportunity to test possible mechanisms and causal pathways mediating the associations of genetic factors , psychological characteristics, and addictions.

The legalisation of online gambling in multiple territories has caused a growth in the exposure of consumers to online sports betting (OSB) advertising. While some efforts have been made to understand the visible structure of betting promotional messages, little is known about the latent components of OSB advertisements. The present study sought to address this issue by examining the metaphorical conceptualisation of OSB advertising. A sample of Spanish and British television OSB advertisements from 2014 to 2016 was analysed (N = 133). Following Lakoff and Johnson's conceptual metaphor theory, four main structural metaphors that shaped how OSB advertising can be understood were identified: betting as (1) an act of love, (2) a market, (3) a sport, and (4) a natural environment. In general, these metaphors, which were found widely across 29 different betting brands, facilitated the perception of bettors as active players, with an executive role in the sport events bet upon, and greater control over bet outcomes.

ost people reading this will be aware that in-play betting (also known as 'live action' betting or 'inrunning' betting) refers to the wagering on an event that has started but not yet finished. Here, gamblers have the option to continue to bet once an event has started, and adapt their bets depending on how the event is progressing (e.g., on a sporting event such as a football or cricket match).

Conceptually, there is a common association between gambling games with fast speeds of play and problem gambling. This relationship however, is largely correlational in nature, which comes at the expense of carefully controlled empirical investigation. Research that does exist aimed towards investigating the impact of gambling speeds on psychological and behavioural factors, is in its relative infancy, and the research possesses disparate methodologies and variables of interest. The aims of the current review is therefore to evaluate and summarise the existing body of evidence relating to speed of play in gambling, as well as discuss how this evidence can be used to inform harm minimisation approaches aimed at facilitating self-control during gambling. Eleven studies were selected for review based on the inclusion criteria, comprising nine experimental and two qualitative studies (one self-report focus group study and one observational study). There was a consistent finding across studies that games with faster speeds of play were preferred and rated as more exciting for all gamblers, ranging from non-problem to problem gamblers. Of concern, was the repeated finding that fast games are particularly appealing to those suffering with a gambling problem. Behavioural results were more inconsistent across studies, though the general trend supports the notion that games with faster speeds of play encourage more wagers, longer game play, and caused players, particularly problem gamblers, to experience difficulty in ceasing gambling. The implications of these findings for gambling policy, harm minimisation approaches, and future research are discussed.

Just in few years Italy has become the major legal gambling market in Europe. The economic crisis which hit the country at the end of the first decade of the new millennium has often been used by policy makers as a public justification for the legalization of different types of games, motivated just by the necessity of collecting new tax revenues in an emergency situation. At the same time there has been an increase in the number of gambling addicts. Consequently, if on the one hand the Italian state earns money, on the other expenses have to be met for the rehabilitation treatment of pathological gamblers inside SERDs (Social service agency for pathological addiction). The 450.000 slot machines installed inside bars, tobacconists and arcades have changed the aspect of some neighborhoods in Italian towns, where new actors have appeared: managers, arcade employees and gamblers. The latter ones, when gambling, detach themselves from the world and daily life by entering into the "machine zone" (Dow Shüll, 2012) behind the darkened windows of arcades because gambling, though enjoying a favorable legislation, is still socially partly stigmatized. This work is the result of research based on interviews to gamblers, and ethnographic observation in legal gambling places; it aims to reflect on the conflictual interaction between different discourses related to the role of the state in regulating issues regarding the ethic and economic spheres but also public health, above all in a period of economic crisis.

Background and aims: In recent years online gambling has become a potential risk for young people. The purpose of this study was to analyse patterns of gambling activities and their association with behavioural risk factors and protective factors. Data and Method: A demographically balanced sample of Finnish respondents aged 15-25 years (N ¼ 1200) filled out an online survey in March-April 2017. Principal component analysis was used to reduce the variables on gambling activities to smaller sets of components, and regression analysis was used to analyse whether behavioural risk factors and protective factors were associated with the gambling patterns found. Results: Two main components were found: online-and skill-based competent gambling and chance-based entertainment gambling. Competent gambling had statistically significant associations with a variety of behavioural problems and risks, including psychological distress, lower social support, lower delay of gratification, hazardous drinking, regular drug use, compulsive Internet use, and problem gambling. Entertainment gambling was associated with lower delay

Background: Over the past two decades, problem gambling has become a public health issue and research from many countries indicates that a small but significant minority of individuals are problem gamblers. In Norway, the prevalence of problem gambling among adults is estimated to be just less than 1%. To help minimize the harm from gambling, the Norwegian government's gambling operator (Norsk Tipping) has introduced several responsible gambling initiatives to help protect players from developing gambling problems (e.g., limit-setting tools, voluntary self-exclusion, personalized feedback, etc.). Aim: The aim of this study was to determine whether the receiving of personalized feedback exceeding 80% of a personally set monetary personal limit had an effect on subsequent playing behavior compared to those gamblers who did not receive personalized feedback. Methods: Out of 54,002 players, a total of 7,884 players (14.5%) received at least one piece of feedback that they had exceeded 80% of their personal global monthly loss limit between January and March 2017. Results: Using a matched-pairs design, results showed that those gamblers receiving personalized feedback in relation to limit-setting showed significant reductions in the amount of money gambled. Conclusion: The findings of this study will be of great value to many stakeholder groups including researchers in the gambling studies field, the gambling industry, regulators, and policymakers.

The paper expands on the self-governance model of personhood (SGP), an account based in cognitive science on how autonomous persons regulate aspects of their brains and behaviour. This model has arisen in the work of a number of authors over the past twenty years, but has recently been consolidated and memetically named by Ismarl (2016). According to the SPG, persons are the governors of human bodies and of their extended psychological emanations. The person does not manage, or try to manage, everything that goes on in the body, or most of the fine-grained details of every action that a body performs intentionally. The person instead regulates the body's actions so as to maintain coherence among them and keep them aligned with, or at least not subversive of, meaningful narratives told by the person to herself and, in fragments and allusions, to others. The paper explores the boundary conditions of the SGP by considering two varieties of what emerge under the framework as cases of diminished personhood: gambling addicts in extreme states of dependency, and elephants under the conjecture that their sophisticated communication supports some representation their social norms as norms. The reflections along the boundary lead to emphasis on the dynamic nature of the SGP, and on the relatively 'light' load of inboard resources required for basic personhood, provided that adequate external cognitive scaffolding (as per Clark 1997) is available. 1. The self-governance model of personhood A natural philosophical device for exposing fresh contours in a concept of interest is to examine cases near its boundaries. This is the methodology that leads me to put elephants and addicts together in reflective montage. The concept of interest is that of personhood. The view of personhood that I will presuppose rather than defend is one I have sketched in previous work (Ross

This paper aims to analyze an anthropological consultancy assignment conducted within a project focused on addictions. In this specific case the purpose of the article is to shed the light on the main problems and the opportunities offered by an ethno-anthropological research commissioned by a non-academic entity. The paper builds on the work of the "Pathological Addiction Operative Unit" of Siena Local Health Authority, which employed an anthropological consultant to research pathological gambling. In this context the anthropologist has to interact with professionals with different disciplinary backgrounds, mainly biomedical practitioners. These, for the first time in their professional life, deal with an anthropologist who uses a very different research methodology and theoretical basis. More specifically this paper focuses on the time-consuming nature of the ethnographic research with respect to the needs of results required by the "Pathological Addiction Operative Unit". Furthermore, the possible negotiation strategies with the client are discussed. Finally, this article presents general considerations on the potential role and opportunities for anthropological research in the biomedical field, nowadays in Italy. Introduzione Il gioco d'azzardo in Italia negli ultimi anni è cresciuto in maniera significativa, grazie alla progressiva immissione sul mercato di nuovi giochi legali. Con l'aumento dell'offerta (soprattutto per quello che concerne slot machine, lotterie istantanee e scommesse sportive), il gioco è diventato sempre più invasivo nelle vite degli italiani, con la conseguente crescita del numero delle persone che hanno sviluppato forme di dipendenza patologica. Dagli anni '80 il Gioco d'azzardo patologico (GAP) entra ufficialmente nel Diagnostic Statistic Manual dell'American Psychiatric Association fra le malattie mentali, con la descrizione di criteri diagnostici analoghi a quelli previsti per i disturbi da uso di sostanze, anche se in questo caso la sostanza psicoattiva è sostituita dal comportamento patologico. In Italia le Aziende Sanitarie Locali (ASL) attraverso i

Background: Risky behaviors have been related to emotional regulation and attachment, which may constitute risk factors for developing an addictive behavior. However, there may also be differences between substance and non-substance-related addictions. Aims: This study aimed to examine the relationship of emotional regulation and attachment, with substance (alcohol and drug abuse), and non-substance-related addictions (gambling disorder, video game addiction, and problematic Internet use) in adolescents and emerging adults. The study also aimed to examine gender differences for such predictors. Methods: The sample comprised 472 students aged 13–21 years recruited from high schools and vocational education centers. Results: Findings demonstrated that emotion regulation was predictive of all addictive behaviors assessed in this study (alcohol and drug abuse, gambling disorder, video game addiction, and problematic Internet use), whereas attachment predicted non-substance-related addictions (gambling disorder, video game addiction, and problematic Internet use). In addition, gender differences were found, with females scoring significantly higher in maternal and peer attachment, whereas males scored significantly higher in gambling disorder and video game addiction. Conclusion: The findings may be useful for preventive and clinical interventions conducted with youth regarding addictive behaviors.

Background: Cognitive processes are important factors in the aetiology of pathological gambling and they are always important aspect of all gambling interventions. Among other things, the gamblers' decision-making process and persistence in gambling is under the influence of their perception of the importance of knowledge/skills versus luck in different gambling activities. In this study, we examine cognitive distortions of pathological gamblers and their perceptions on the significance of luck versus knowledge/skills in different games of chance. Effects of age and length of treatment are also examined. Subjects and methods: A total of 65 pathological gamblers at the gambling addicts' club in Zagreb were included in the study. Cognitive distortions were measured using a modified version of the Gambling related cognitive distortions scale (Ricijaš et al. 2011). Participant thoughts on the role of luck versus knowledge/skills in games of chance were measured with a questionnaire especially designed for this study. All instruments were self-assessment questionnaires and anonymously filled out during a group sessions. Results: In general, results showed moderate cognitive distortions in terms of gambling beliefs, but significant perception of the importance of knowledge/skills for some games, especially sports betting and card games. Younger patients and patients in treatment for longer period have lower illusion of control. Length of treatment also seem to effect gambling-related superstition beliefs and incorrect understanding of probability, as well as importance of knowledge/skills for success in sports betting and card games. Conclusions: The results of this study lead to the indirect conclusion that length of treatment is a positive factor, which likely influences gamblers' cognitive distortions. This conclusion certainly requires additional examination using longitudinal studies, which would provide a better overview of whether these differences are in fact due to the length of treatment and also to confirm its value for future abstinence from gambling activities.

Fans watching live sport events, both mediated or in stadia, have witnessed an increase in sports betting products. Most of these products feature in-play betting, that is, the ability to bet on a game once it has started while watching it. In-play betting has raised many concerns among responsible gambling advocates due to its perceived relationship with problem gambling behaviour. This study explored the association between in-play betting and problem gambling. More specifically, the study examined how motives for consuming sport and how involved sports fans were in watching sport affected their gambling. Also, adjacent risk behaviours to in-play betting (such as consuming junk food and alcohol) during live sports betting were examined. Using a survey comprising 659 sports bettors from Spain, the study found that compared to participants not engaging in in-play betting, in-play bettors reported higher (i) problem gambling severity, (ii) sport watching involvement , (iii) consumption of sport to escape from everyday preoccupations, and