Compulsive Gambling

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 Compulsive Gambling

Gambling entails thrill-seeking, human compulsive behavior that induces a person to

participate in its activities (Grant, Odlaug & Chamberlain, 2017). Many people partake in

gambling activities that are not compulsive. However, gambling may quickly overrun the life of

an individual and subdue them to a horrible loss. Gamblers take risky actions in the hopes that

they will achieve the desired outcome. It may entail playing a game or betting for money. People

mainly engage in gambling through casinos and online gambling. Gambling can be addictive,

and compulsive gambling may have detrimental effects (Grant, Odlaug & Chamberlain, 2017).

At its worst, it may lead an individual into crime, which then places them at loggerheads with the

criminal justice system. This paper explores the characteristics of compulsive gambling, the

recent studies that have been conducted on this issue, the correlation between this disorder and

crime, and how it interacts with the criminal justice system.

Characteristics and Recent Research on Compulsive Gambling

Gambling disorders are categorized as non-substance behavioral addictions within the

Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders group of DSM-5 (Grant, Odlaug & Chamberlain,

2017). Compulsive gambling is characterized by a repetitive pattern of excessive gambling that

results in adverse effects and impaired financial, personal, familial, study/employment

functioning, and legal and social costs. Epidemiological studies have reported increased

suicidality rates, familial and marital discord, affective disorders, substance use, domestic

violence, bankruptcy, and commission of criminal acts among the people who meet the

diagnostic criteria on screening instruments (Hartmann & Blaszczynski, 2018). According to

Delfabbro (2010), the United States spends around $325 per capita annually on gambling.

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 Gambling addiction also comes with social costs, including depression, reduced productivity,

bankruptcy, breakdown of relationships, crime, and suicides.

Commercial gambling products are configured to confer a statistical advantage to their

operators. As such, gamblers are invariably exposed to persistent losses. As a result, regardless of

occasional wins, the losses do accumulate and create rising debt levels. A study by Turner et al.

(2017) established that, regardless of a person’s financial position or income, the motivation to

chase losses results in increased bet sizes and subsequent severe financial stresses. After

depleting their sources of legitimate funds and accumulating debts that exceed their repayment

capacity, many individuals may resort to fraud or theft as a viable option to keep their habitual

behavior going hoping that they will get a significant win to solve their financial situation.

Compulsive Gambling and Crime

Perrone, Jansons and Morrison (2013) noted a functional relationship between gambling

disorders and crime. The desire to obtain money for gambling may directly contribute to the

commission of a crime. The need to meet the already available funds’ deficits due to the financial

obligations is yet another motivator for gambling-enhanced crimes. Such actions represent the

gamblers’ attempts to recover the losses from continuous gambling and avoid detecting the

accrued debts mainly by the significant others. The link between compulsive gambling and crime

may be coincidental, co-symptomatic, or instrumental (Perrone, Jansons & Morrison, 2013). The

relationship can be coincidental in that there is no systematic link between them. It may be co-

symptomatic with the common underlying factors accounting for gambling and offending. The

relationship may be instrumental, meaning there is no causal connection between them. Because

of their motivation, gambling-related crimes are primarily non-violent and may entail theft,

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 larceny, fraud, and selling of drugs (Turner et al., 2009). There are, however, isolated cases when

these crimes may be violent. Violent crimes may include armed robbery and burglary.

Interaction with the Criminal Justice System

When talking about gambling issues, one may not think of its relationship with the

criminal justice system. However, gambling addicts may turn to crime to source money to

finance the debts they accrue from gambling or to fund their gambling activities. Today, many

people within the wider population are going through the criminal justice system as a result of

their gambling activities. Many of these people also possess such vulnerable characteristics as

poor mental health, substance abuse, and impulsivity. For others, it could be their drug or alcohol

use that inspires both compulsive gambling and criminality in them. The criminal justice system

attempts to identify the individuals struggling with gambling to help reduce gambling-related

harm and lower the possibility that they will offend or re-offend.

Conclusion

Gambling is a human compulsive behavior that induces a person to take part in its

activities. Compulsive gambling is characterized by a repetitive pattern of excessive gambling

that results in adverse effects and impaired financial, personal, familial, study/employment

functioning, and legal and social costs. It may lead an individual into crime hence collision with

the criminal justice system. Most gambling-related crimes are non-violent and may entail theft,

robbery, fraud, and selling of drugs. Other crimes like armed robbery and burglary are usually

violent. The criminal justice system puts efforts to identify the individuals struggling with

gambling addiction to help reduce gambling-related harm and lower the possibility of engaging

in criminal activities.

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 References

Delfabbro, P. H. (2010). Exploring the myths around gambling. Gambling Awareness Week,

Melbourne Town Hall, Melbourne.

Grant, J. E., Odlaug, B. L., & Chamberlain, S. R. (2017). Gambling disorder, DSM-5 criteria and

symptom severity. Comprehensive psychiatry, 75, 1-5.

Hartmann, M., & Blaszczynski, A. (2018). The longitudinal relationships between psychiatric

disorders and gambling disorders. International Journal of Mental Health and

Addiction, 16(1), 16-44.

Perrone, S., Jansons, D., & Morrison, L. (2013). Problem gambling and the criminal justice

system. Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation.

Turner, N. E., McAvoy, S., Ferentzy, P., Matheson, F. I., Myers, C., Jindani, F., ... & Malat, J.

(2017). Addressing the issue of problem gambling in the criminal justice system: a series

of case studies. Journal of Gambling Issues, 35, 1-27.

Turner, N. E., Preston, D. L., Saunders, C., McAvoy, S., & Jain, U. (2009). The relationship of

problem gambling to criminal behavior in a sample of Canadian male federal

offenders. Journal of Gambling Studies, 25(2), 153-169.

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