A Calgary researcher finds that online gambling is giving easier access to future addictions, and now you do not even have to set foot in a casino.

Gambling disorders are being catered through computers, smartphones and other electronic devices. Online games of chance find new victims that could before not even be reached, says Dr. David Hodgins, who heads the University of Calgarys addictive behaviours laboratory.

Its a real different landscape now. Its a moving target, said Hodgins, whose study of problem gambling has been published in the medical journal, The Lancet.

Alberta does not allow online gambling yet in contrast to other provinces. British Columbia and the Maritime provinces are allowing it already and Ontario and Quebec are following suit.

Alberta is taking a wait-and-see attitude, which I think is sensible, said Hodgins.

Calgary sees 500 new clients every month at their addictions counselling service and 50 of them are problem gamblers says Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission. For the last 10 years that number has not really changed and remained an almost constant according to Hodgins. Yet with the availability of online gambling there it will be sure to make the number of problem gamblers climb.

Anyone can access it on the Internet. You cant limit it to under 18, said Taylor Attrell, an AADAC counsellor.

Not only gambling is an online addiction you also have pornography and video games.

There are many reports of people having a huge dependency on Warcraft. When you think of the Internet, you need to be concerned about addictive behaviour around Internet gaming. There are many reports of people having a huge dependency around that, he said.

The Internet is a wonderful tool, but its wide open to misuse. Theres no control, they have access to that in privacy. A sign someone is using it in secret is a very common characteristic of addiction.

There is a voluntary self-exclusion program over at casinos in Alberta. Problem gamblers trying to kick the habit can submit an application to the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission, voluntarily agreeing to be prohibited from entering casinos and VLT lounges for six months up to a maximum of three years.

The commission is administring that program and it is enforced by the casino security staff. If they break the agreement then the violators can be charged under the Gaming and Liquor Act. Now with online casinos access this is not enforceable.

If theyve entered into voluntary self-exclusion, theyve limited their access to gambling, but then the Internet is wide open. It can be really tempting to them.

There is hardly any understanding for gambling addiction. However, Hodgins said gambling disorders are often found in conjunction with other mental health and substance-abuse disorders. As they do not know the underlying causes they need further understanding.

Most of our progress in recognizing and understanding gambling disorders has been made in the past 25 years, said Hodgins.

Our knowledge continues to evolve in parallel with a burgeoning availability of gambling opportunities. Internet gambling, for example, is providing aroundthe-clock home access to several types of gambling activities to an increasing number of people around the world.

If you are a pathological gambler then it is four times more likely you will also get alcohol addiction and six times more likely to incorporate drugs into the addiction. This is in addition to a four time increase of having or getting some kind of mood disorder. Only one in ten problem gamblers seek treatment due to shame, denial and a desire, Hodgins said. Public service advertising about addiction would be a good first step, he said. Gamblers Anonymous and other interventions arent always successful.

While substantial progress has already been made, the increased visibility and awareness into gambling disorders is likely to encourage more innovative research in the field and hopefully better treatment, said Hodgins.

 

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