Problem gambling

Pathological gambling or compulsive gambling, colloquially referred to as gambling is characterized by the inability of a person concerned to resist the impulse to gamble or bet, even if it threatens to lead to serious consequences in the personal, family or professional context, or those after has drawn up. Men are three frequently affected than women. In Germany there is 100000-290000 concerned.

Pathological gambling is (along with trichotillomania, kleptomania, pyromania, and but without betting) classified in the ICD -10 classification under the abnormal habits and disorders of impulse control. The excessive play shall not be counted to during manic episodes and in the antisocial personality disorder, where it is viewed as a symptom of the basic problem. In English-speaking region or DSM -IV is spoken of " pathological " or " compulsive gambling" or often "problem gambling".

• 4.1 In Germany
• 4.2 In Austria
• 4.3 In Switzerland
• 4.4 In Finland

• 5.1 For gambling in the legal sense
• 5.2 In the field of intellectual game

• 6.1 Legal consequences 6.1.1 Germany
• 6.1.2 USA

Symptoms

Frequent or repeated episodic games is concerning with a pronounced mental employment " promising " game techniques or ways to raise finance - the necessary " initial capital " - connected. Attempts to resist the Game drive to fail repeatedly, playing itself is in front of others ( family members such as therapists ) concealed, which often leads to serious financial consequences, but ultimately often for breaking relations, also because the party concerned relies on repeatedly, others ( family members, friends, old acquaintances ) would provide him with the necessary means " one last time " or settle the debts incurred.

The games themselves serves to mitigate problems or negative moods ( anxiety, depression, guilt ). Higher and higher amounts are used to maintain tension and excitement.

Stages of a player's career

A playing career is divided ideally into three sections, which are called profit, loss and despair phase.

Gain phase

• Occasional games
• Positive feelings before and during the game
• Unrealistic optimism
• Development of wishful thinking
• Always set larger amounts

Loss phase

• Downplaying the losses
• Swagger with gains
• Development of illusion losses are covered by profits
• More frequent game alone
• More frequent thinking of the game
• First major losses
• Concealment of losses and lies about losses
• Neglect of family and friends
• Employment with the game during working hours
• Recording of debts and loans
• Inability to resist the game
• Loss of family and friends

Despair phase

• Legal and illegal fund-raising campaigns
• Tardiness in the debt repayment
• Changes in the structure of personality: irritability, confusion, restlessness, insomnia
• Complete social withdrawal
• Complete alienation from family and friends
• Loss of social status and prestige
• Exclusive use of time and money on the game
• Repeated days of dedicated play
• Remorse and panic reactions
• Hatred of others ( especially winning ) players
• Hopelessness, suicidal thoughts or attempt -

Treatment

The therapy requires both psychotherapy ( multimodal psychotherapy) measures as well as assistance for debt settlement. It is recommended to attend a support group, such as where the Gamblers Anonymous.

The Central Institute of Mental Health (ZI ) in Mannheim, opened in January 2009, an outpatient clinic for game addicts. This is funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. In Austria patients and their families find the Institute Gambling & dependence comprehensive assistance. The Institute, headquartered in Salzburg was founded in 2002 and is funded entirely by donations and consulting contracts. Advice is free and anonymous on request.

In a recent study could with the drug naltrexone 40 percent of the participants at least forego a month playing in the placebo group, there were, however, only scarce eleven percent.

Dissemination

In Germany

The total number of pathological gamblers in Germany was determined in a total of eight surveys were four of them by the Federal Centre for Health Education ( BZgA) causes: 100,000 (BZgA 2007), 103.000, 242.000 (BZgA 2009), 290.000 and 193.000, which prevalence rates of 0.19 % to 0.56 % in the studied age groups ( 14, 16, or 18 to 64 or 65 years) corresponds. As of 2011, prevalence rates 0.49% (BZgA 2011) were in three studies of 0.23 % ( TNS Emnid ), and 0.82 % ( BZgA 2013) determined.

• The 2013 determined by the BZgA prevalence increase is due to an over previous studies modified method of sample selection, which now includes participants without a landline. For the formerly practiced sampling, the prevalence would have been 0.38 %.

• A distribution to the various forms of gambling is specified in the study, which is the second-mentioned number is based. Then the 103,000 pathological gamblers spread " equally on sports betting, casino games and slot machines in arcades (each about 25-30.000 ) and by far on lottery games ( 12,000 ) ." This is 2.2 -fold over-represented compared to their measured by the gross income market shares pathological gamblers playing online games ( online sports betting, card games ) 5.5 -fold and at casinos offerings, while at the lottery and gaming machines it by the factor are 0.3 and 0.8 underrepresented.

• A breakdown of the expenses pathological gambler makes the TNS Emnid study: ( poker is played according to the study " above average " on the Internet, that is, on the part of non-German online casinos ) 20.7% for poker, 16.2% for casino offers ( without poker ), 15.4% for slot machines in arcades and restaurants, 13.5% for lotto and lotteries. However, an average gambler takes a pathological gambler part in an average of five different forms of play, only two.

• Details on the size of the stakes pathological gambler makes the study, which is based on the fourth- mentioned number ( 290,000 ). Thus, a pathological gambler is a monthly average total of € 121.40 for gambling, while only € 31.40 are on a player with little or no clearance problems.

In Austria

Two studies were conducted in 2011 to 2009 in Austria, for pathological gamblers showed prevalence rates of 0.66 % and 0.71%.

In Switzerland

According to a survey conducted in April 2009 study by the Swiss Federal Gaming Commission, the proportion of pathological gamblers in Switzerland is 0.5%. Illustrative is noted in the report that "despite change of tenders (opening of 19 casinos, development in the Internet sector, disappearance of gaming machines in bars and restaurants, etc. ) " to 2007, the regular use of gambling have not changed significantly in the period from 2002.

In Finland

In Finland, where the state gambling monopoly covers all claims, including, for example, established in pubs slot machines, 2008, the proportion of pathological gambler in the age groups 15 to 74 years, 2% (2006 and 2007 was as high as 3%).

Laws to protect the players in Germany

For gambling in the legal sense

The protection of the players is ( State Treaty on Gambling - GST ) by a treaty on gambling in Germany controlled by the federal states have signed and entered into force on 1 January 2008. The treaty follows the requirements of the Federal Constitutional Court. Accordingly, the state gambling monopoly can be justified only by a consistent and credible fulfillment of state addiction prevention.

In the area of ​​commercial game

In the area of ​​commercial prepared slot machines, which are not legally is gambling, the player protection is regulated by the provisions of the Commercial Code and the Gaming Ordinance. There are made for the installation of amusement machines in pubs and game halls specifications. There is governed by, among other things:

• The maximum number of gaming machines per installation site,
• Requirements for use (eg against serving alcohol in arcades ),
• Control of maximum profit, utilization, and time interval between them (duration of a " game" ) are permitted, for example, in 5 sec € 0.20 application and 2 € profit.
• Limit of the average loss per hour at 80 €.
• Examination of the question, the machine parameters by the Physikalisch- Technische Bundesanstalt in the context of a design approval.

In addition, the content of different gambling halls and implementing laws on gambling Treaty Amendment ( GlüÄndStV ) were decided in the years 2011 and 2012 at the country level. This cover additional requirements for the installation of amusement machines in arcades, such as the prohibition on supply of food and beverages, curfews, a ban on outdoor advertising and minimum distances to other gambling halls and facilities that are mainly visited by children and adolescents.

Consequences and complications

The game addicts often deals with gambling and with "improved" performance techniques. It is trying to raise money for gambling, which may lead to theft, fraud and over-indebtedness. In extreme cases, career and family are neglected because the gambling rules everyday life.

Legal consequences

Germany

In criminal proceedings, the existence of such a behavioral addiction - with regard to the criminal responsibility - then be considered if the crime committed to the continuation of gambling serve. More recently, the Federal Court has formulated the conditions restrictive, but at the same time clarifies the possibilities of integration of the disease in the scheme of § 20 of the German Criminal Code ( Insanity ):

" A significant reduction in the control capability is only exceptionally be given the pathological gaming, when the addiction led to severe changes in personality or has suffered the perpetrators of procurement actions from withdrawal symptoms ." In assessing this question, it was important to " the extent to which the overall appearance of the offender has mental changes of personality, pathological conditions or - as other mental abnormality -. Their severity morbid mental disorders are equivalent ".

To clarify this question, the trial court must consult an expert in these cases.

In civil law comes between player and game vendor managed a so-called game contract. However, if a match suspension was ordered or agreed (the latter, for example, at the request of the player itself, not to admit him because of risk of addiction to the game ), the game provider (eg, casino ) has sufficiently certain to be checked before removal of this barrier and to prove that the to unlock the player's protection does not preclude from themselves, therefore there is no more gaming related, and the player is to a controlled game capable.

USA

For the United States showed a literature review of Williams from 2005, that one-third of inmates meet the criteria for pathological gambling and of these half their offenses committed in order to maintain this can.

Pathological gambling in literature and film

Pathological gambling is a common motif in literature and film. A literary processing can be found eg in Dostoevsky's novel The Player (1866 ) and Peter Carey's novel Oscar and Lucinda (1988; filmed as Oscar and Lucinda ). Leonid Zypkin describes in his novel, published in 1982 A Summer in Baden -Baden Dostoevsky's gambling at the roulette table in Baden -Baden during the trip to Germany with his second wife Anna in 1867.

The film examples include Destiny Cube (1929 ), The Blonde Sinner (1962) and the only game in town (1970).