Violent Behavior Tied to Gambling Study Finds: Nearly Half Used Weapons
- 3025 took part in the study appearing in the journal Addiction
- 45 percent of problem gamblers, and 28 percent of ‘casual gamblers’ reported some form of physical fight in the past five years
- Only 19 percent of non-gamblers reported being violent
- Gambling addicts more likely to use a weapon during violent act
A new UK study appearing in the journal Addiction has found that men who gamble are more likely to have regular violent outbursts.
From Pychcentral.com:
Researchers found that gambling in any capacity — pathological, problem, or so-called casual gambling — was associated with significantly increased risk of violence, including domestic abuse.
Some 3,025 men took part in the study. The participants were asked if they had ever engaged in violent behavior and whether such violence was perpetrated when they were high on drugs or in a drunken state.
The survey also asked if they had ever hit a child, suffered from mental illness, whether they took regular medication, or exhibited impulsive behavior.
The individuals were then asked if they had ever gambled. Eighty percent of the participants admitted to taking part in some sort of gambling activity during their lifetime.
Just over one-half of pathological gamblers, 45 percent of problem gamblers, and 28 percent of ‘casual gamblers’ reported some form of physical fight in the past five years.
Only 19 percent of non-gamblers reported being violent.
Gambling was also associated with an increased likelihood of weapons being used during a violent act, with more than a quarter in the pathological category, 18 percent of problem gamblers, and seven percent of non-problem gamblers reporting weapon usage.
Lead author Dr. Amanda Roberts, from the University of Lincoln’s School of Psychology says: “Our study examined a nationally representative sample of males and confirmed strong links between problematic gambling and violent behaviors, and also showed links with non-problem gambling. The results reinforce the view that public health efforts to prevent problem gambling should include education around violence, and that there could be value in integrating those efforts with alcohol and drug abuse programs.
“Given the strong associations identified, there is some justification for establishing a standard battery of screens for gambling, alcohol, drug, and violence issues in a range of mental health and addictions settings.”
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
