Dangerous Games

I was interested to read Joshua Kurlantzick’s rather one-sided article on the rapid rise of casinos worldwide ("Raising the Stakes," May/June 2007). He devotes scant attention to the potential negative social impacts of legalized gambling and deregulation. I support responsible gambling, but in countries all around the world, greater accessibility to gambling increases both the number of regular gamblers and the number of problem gamblers. Of course, not everyone is susceptible to problem gambling. But at a societal level, more gambling opportunities mean more problems.

The types of games played also influence the development of gambling problems. Games that are fast and allow for continual betting, those that involve an element of skill, and those that create the illusion of having almost won — in other words, exactly the types of slot and table games found in casinos — are especially worrying. Slot machines cause the greatest problems worldwide; they’re also the fastest-growing sector of the gaming economy, currently accounting for some 70 percent of revenues.

Problem gambling threatens family, employment, personal, and recreational pursuits at varying levels, with the potential for pathological behavior in extreme cases. Although the prevalence of problem gambling differs from country to country, problem gamblers constitute about 1 to 2 percent of the general population in most nations. And irresponsible gambling often converges with other behavioral and psychological disorders, such as anxiety, depression, guilt, and suicidal tendencies, which can exacerbate or be exacerbated by problem gambling. There are also the obvious financial consequences.

Although the vast majority of the population is unlikely to suffer from problem gambling, governments all around the world must seriously consider the negative social impact of increased gambling opportunities on the most vulnerable members of the community. These are serious problems that developing countries in particular can ill afford.

-Mark Griffiths
Professor of Gambling Studies
International Gaming Research Unit
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham, England

Joshua Kurlantzick replies:

Mark Griffiths makes important points about responsible gambling. I do not deny that problem gambling is, and will be, a serious problem, especially for developing countries that are expanding their gambling sectors. I also agree that the spread of gambling will potentially increase the number of problem gamblers. To this end, I note that governments that successfully introduce gambling must also limit access to those rapid-play machines — games that allow for continual betting — that concern Griffiths. I also note that nations should use a portion of the profits from gambling to treat compulsive gamblers. I cite South Africa as an example, not only because it has profited from gambling but also because it devotes some of the profits to treating problem gambling.