Two of Harvard University’s most esteemed researchers, Howard J. Shaffer and Ryan Martin, recently conducted a study into problem gambling and findings were released in a paper entitled “Disordered Gambling: Etiology, Trajectory and Clinical Considerations” which was published in the Annual Review of Clinical Psychology.

The findings of the study indicate that prevalence of problem gambling is on the decline over time and that online gambling does not in fact lead to problem gambling.

Obviously in light of the massive media coverage online gambling gets in terms of continued legislative debates surround its legality, with proponents often citing “problem gambling perpetuation that cannot be controlled” as online gambling’s main evil, this was a lot for everyone to swallow.

The Chicago Tribune carried the follow up interview with Shaffer to discuss his findings in further detail which revealed that while there has been exponential growth in gambling both online and at land based venues, the prevalence of gambling problems is showing a decreasing rate from 0.7% to 0.6%. Shaffer explained that for the majority of the U.S population, gambling is an enjoyable yet controlled pastime. He also firmly negated the anti-online gambling view held by major politicians and lobbyists based on the fact that it presents a higher risk of creating problem gamblers and he has the statistics to prove it, commenting that “People gambling online change their rates of gambling from more to less in weeks, we never would have predicted that. The extent of online gambling for the majority is remarkably moderate.”

The conclusions of Shaffer & Martin’s study can be summarised as follows:

• A meagre 1% of the world’s gambling population has played online.
• There is no substantiating evidence that being exposed to online gambling sites increases a player’s risk of problem gambling and addiction.
• 0.6% of U.S based gamblers may be classified as problem gamblers.
• 75% of this group have addictions to things other than gambling and these addictions preceded their gambling addictions, thus these people have existing addiction profiles.
• Within this 75% group, 75% are abuse alcohol, 60% are addicted to smoking and 38% abuse drugs.

While in stark opposition to political views propagated by the media, these findings are not altogether new and many studies commissioned by esteemed organisations like the UK Gambling Commission have seen similar results that re-enforce these conclusions.

What can be drawn from this study and the numerous others that preceded though is the fact that addictions of any kind are a real disability for the sufferer, often with serious and tragic consequences within their lives and the lives of those close to them, however online gambling does not automatically amount to problem gambling and it is definitely not the uncontrollable threat that it is often portrayed to be. So enjoy yourself the next time you visit an