Gambling as an Addictive Behaviour

"If thinking about addiction is going to change, the study of excessive gambling is likely to be one of the richest sources of new ideas." (Jim Orford)

In this book the authors present the most recent and evolving research into gambling, showing the psychological variables that govern the erosion or maintenance of self-control over gambling behaviour. These studies provide an empirical basis for a model of impaired control of gambling. Impaired control, in its broadest sense, is considered to be the defining psychological construct of all the addictive behaviours and occupies a central position in conceptualising the addictive aspects of gambling.

• Focuses on impaired control in ordinary regular gamblers rather than just on pathological gamblers • Presents the new findings about the psychological processes that lead to impaired self-control • Challenges the current harm-prevention policy of ‘responsible gambling’

Foreword Jim Orford; 1. The research context; 2. Research into impaired control of gambling behaviour: definition and measurement: traditional psychometric and mathematical psychology approaches; 3. Impaired control and its relationship to other variables implicated in the development of pathological gambling; 4. Models of impaired self-control of gambling; 5. Implications for treatment approaches to problem gambling arising from the model of impaired control; 6. Implications for harm minimisation in the management of problem gambling: making sense of ‘responsible gambling’; 7. A case study of \'responsible gambling\' strategies within a single jurisdiction: Victoria, Australia; 8. Conclusions; Index.

\' … a good read … this book is likely to be of value to those with an interest in gambling research and policy.\' British Journal of Psychiatry