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Gambling in moderation is a socially acceptable behavior and over 60% of the Swedish population gambles every year. It has been seen that slot machines are one of the most addictive and problematic forms of gambling and contribute highly to an addictive behavior. It is unclear why some individuals intensify their gambling behavior over time to extreme levels while others do not. Initial positive response of a drug or as in this case a gambling behavior, most likely influences the likelihood of continuing use in non-addicted individuals. Therefore, we wanted to investigate if recreational gamblers show an altered subjective response to an online gambling challenge, e.g. to casino gambling. The present study was designed to examine the subjective effects after an acute gambling challenge, in healthy recreational gamblers compared with non-gamblers. Eighty-two subjects participated in the study. They were challenged with an acute online slot machine gambling challenge and self-report questionnaires of mood and blood pressure were taken before and after gambling. The gamblers, and more specifically the high recreational gamblers, reported increased stimulative effects after the gambling challenge in comparison to the non-gamblers. Findings suggests that gamblers experience significantly higher arousal effects to an acute online slot machine challenge. This response may be a uniquely predictive behavior for increased risk of gambling addiction.

Objective: This paper examines substance and behavioral addictions among American Indian and Alaska Natives (AIAN) to identify the structural and psychosocial risk and cultural protective factors that are associated with substance use and behavioral addictions. Methods: Five databases were used to search for peer reviewed articles through December 2021 that examined substance and behavioral addictions among AIANs. Results: The literature search identified 69 articles. Numerous risk factors (i.e., life stressors, severe trauma, family history of alcohol use) and protective factors (i.e., ethnic identity, family support) influence multiple substance (i.e., commercial tobacco, alcohol, opioid, stimulants) and behavioral (e.g., gambling) addictions. Conclusions: There is a dearth of research on behavioral addictions among AIANs. Unique risk factors in AIAN communities such as historical trauma and socioeconomic challenges have interfered with traditional cultural resilience factors and have increased the risk of behavioral addictions. Future research on resilience factors and effective prevention and treatment interventions could help AIANs avoid behavioral addictions.

В статье рассматриваются вопросы позитивной профилактики девиантного поведения детей и молодежи. Представлены результаты исследования, уделяется внимание разработке проекта в условиях театрально-психологической гостиной, направленного на психопрофилактику зависимостей в молодежной среде, включенности педагога, психолога в работу с подростками посредством театральных постановок, отвечающих на вызовы современности, The article deals with the issues of positive prevention of deviant behavior of children and youth. The results of the study are presented, attention is paid to the development of a project in the conditions of a theatrical and psychological living room, aimed at the psychoprophylaxis of addictions in the youth environment, the involvement of a teacher, a psychologist in working with adolescents through theatrical performances that respond to the challenges of our time.

Bakgrund: Personer med spelproblem har betydligt oftare suicidtankar, suicidplaner och suicidförsök än den allmänna befolkningen. Spelproblem är ett folkhälsoproblem då det kan ge allvarliga sociala, hälsomässiga och ekonomiska konsekvenser för individen, för närstående och för samhället i stort. Syftet med den kvalitativa studien är att öka kunskapen om spelberoende samt få fördjupad förståelse för de spelfria spelberoendes upplevelser om deras väg till tillfrisknande. Metoden jag har använt mig av är kvalitativt inriktad forskning till följd av att jag vill förstå problemspelares upplevelser och syn på deras livsvärld och på så sätt få detaljrika berättelser. Resultatet av studien är att åtta kvalitativa forskningsintervjuer har genomförts med åtta spelfria spelberoende från tre ideella föreningar i tre olika städer i landet. Intervjumaterialet har därefter analyserats utifrån två teoretiska verktyg; Känsla av sammanhang (KASAM) och stigma. Slutsatsen av studien är att intervjupersonerna hade upplevt personlighetsförändringar där lögn, manipulationer och stjäla pengar blev deras vardag. De levde i sin bubbla för att de kände skam och skuld över att berätta för sina närstående om spelberoendet som orsakade förödande negativa konsekvenser för deras psykiska hälsa, sociala relationer och ekonomi. Vägen mot tillfrisknandet har varit i samband med kapitulationen och stödet från anhöriga men framförallt från självhjälpsgrupperna som har varit avgörande för upprätthållandet av återhållsamheten. Background: People with gambling problems have significantly more frequent suicidal thoughts, plans and suicide attempts than the general population. Gambling problems are a public health problem as it can have serious social, health and economic consequences for the individual, for relatives and for society as a whole. The purpose of the qualitative study is to increase knowledge about gambling addiction and gain an in-depth understanding of the former gambling addicts´ perceptions and experiences about their path to recovery. The method I have used is qualitative research as a result of the fact that I want to understand problem players' experiences and views of their world of life and thus get detailed stories. The result of the study is that eight qualitative research interviews were conducted with eight former gambling addicts from three non-profit support groups in three different cities in the country. The interview material was then analyzed based on two theoretical tools; Sense of coherence (SOC) and stigma. The conclusion of the study is that the interviewees had experienced personality changes where lying, manipulation and stealing money became their everyday life. They lived in their bubble because they felt ashamed and guilty about telling their loved ones about gambling addiction that caused devastating negative consequences for their mental health, social relationships and finances. The path to recovery has been in connection with the capitulation and support from relatives, but above all from the self-help groups that have been crucial for maintaining restraint.

Este trabajo analiza el medio de comunicación Cadena SER y su tratamiento informativo en relación al auge de adicciones al juego, producidos por el crecimiento de la industria de las casas de apuestas en España. La investigación ha sido llevada a cabo durante todo el 2021, siendo este el año donde sucede el hito histórico de la entrada en vigor que regula la publicidad de apuestas en todo el país, especialmente en ámbitos deportivos. Dicha ley afecta a los medios de comunicación de forma que les impide anunciar juegos de azar durante la franja horaria de una a cinco de la madrugada. La fecha de la normativa concreta es el 31 de agosto y esta capacita una división para observar el antes y después de ese mismo año poniendo el foco en posibles diferencias. Los resultados obtenidos han evidenciado la poca calidad informativa con la que han sido tratados asuntos sociales importantes, como la ludopatía. Careciendo de pocas fuentes expertas en la materia y haciendo poco preventivas las informaciones. El dato más destacable revela que en ningún momento del año es mencionada ninguna casa de apuesta en un hecho noticioso relacionado con adicciones o ludopatía. Sin embargo, en cuanto a las posibles diferencias entre las dos etapas del año, apenas se han hallado diferencias descaradas, aunque se podría decir que se encuentran mejoras en ciertos aspectos. También, hay que resaltar que la publicidad se sigue emitiendo en horarios limitados y continúa habiendo ingresos por parte de estas empresas. This paper analyses Cadena SER and its informative treatment in relation to the rise of gambling addictions, produced by the growth of the gambling industry in Spain. The research has been carried out throughout 2021, the year in which the historic milestone of the entry into force of the law regulating betting advertising throughout the country, especially in the field of sports, took place. This law affects the media in a way that prevents them from advertising gambling during the time slot from one to five o'clock in the morning. The date of the specific regulation is 31 August and this enables a division to observe the before and after of the same year, focusing on possible differences. The results obtained have shown the poor quality of information on important social issues, such as problem gambling. There is a lack of expert sources and the information is not very preventive. The most remarkable fact reveals that at no time during the year is any gambling house mentioned in a news event related to addictions or gambling addiction. However, as far as possible differences between the two stages of the year are concerned, there are hardly any obvious differences, although it could be said that there are improvements in certain aspects. It should also be noted that advertising continues to be broadcast in limited time slots and there continues to be revenue for these companies.

La ludopatia és l'addicció patològica als jocs d'atzar i es considera una malaltia caracteritzada pel fracàs crònic i progressiu. Un 1 % de la societat de l'estat espanyol la pateix. Aquest article té el propòsit d'esbrinar el comportament dels usuaris per tal de detectar a totes aquelles persones que poden estar patint ludopatia de forma inconscient. Aquest projecte comença mostrant diferents models de classificació de jocs fent ús de la descripció i instruccions de cada joc. Seguidament, es mostraran diverses maneres de predir la quantitat de diners que un usuari es gastarà al següent mes. Amb aquest procés, experts seran capaços d'identificar si els usuaris estaran creant un patró desenvolupant així una addicció.. Gambling addiction is a pathological addiction to gambling and is considered a disease characterized by chronic and progressive failure. 1 % of Spanish society suffers from it. This article aims to find out the behavior of users in order to detect all those people who may be unconsciously suffering from gambling . This project begins by showing different models of game classification using the description and instructions of each game. In addition, will be presented multiple ways to predict how much money a user will spend next month. With this process, experts will be able to identify if users are creating a pattern thus developing an addiction. La ludopatía es la adicción patológica a los juegos de azar y se considera una enfermedad caracterizada por el fracaso crónico y progresivo. Un 1% de la sociedad del estado español la sufre. Este artículo tiene el propósito de averiguar el comportamiento de los usuarios para detectar a todas aquellas personas que pueden estar sufriendo ludopatía de forma inconsciente. Este proyecto comienza mostrando distintos modelos de clasificación de juegos haciendo uso de la descripción e instrucciones de cada juego. Seguidamente, se mostrarán varias formas de predecir la cantidad de dinero que un usuario se gastará al siguiente mes. Con este proceso, expertos serán capaces de identificar si los usuarios estarán creando un patrón desarrollando así una adicción

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine gambling addiction in terms of some demographic variables.Method: The data of the study were collected electronically through Google Form. Survey model, one of the quantitative research methods, was preferred in the study. The study group of the research consists of 400 male individuals living in Osmaniye neighborhood of Bakırköy district of Istanbul province, who play online games of chance from various internet sites and selected by convenient sampling method. Personal Information Form and South Oaks Gambling Addiction Scale prepared by the researcher were used to collect the research data.Results: In the study, a significant difference was found in South Oaks Gambling Screening Test scale scores according to marital status, perception of family relationships, education level of individuals, and perception of themselves as lucky. No significant differences were found in the South Oaks Gambling Screening Test scale scores according to the number of siblings, income levels, number of children, age at the beginning of gambling, education levels of the mothers of the individuals, education levels of the fathers of the individuals, alcohol use status of the individuals, smoking status of the individuals, and psychological social support status of the individuals.Conclusion: It is thought that problematic gambling behavior in individuals may reach dangerous dimensions due to the increasing popularity of gambling in the society and the easy access to gambling with the developing information systems and inadequate control., Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı kumar bağımlığını bazı demografik değişkenler açısından incelemektir.Yöntem: Araştırmanın verileri Google Form aracılığıyla elektronik ortamda toplanmıştır. Çalışmada, nicel araştırma yöntemlerinden tarama modeli tercih edilmiştir. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu İstanbul ili Bakırköy ilçesi Osmaniye mahallesinde yaşayan, çeşitli internet sitelerinden çevrimiçi bir şekilde şans oyunu oynayan ve uygun örnekleme yöntemi ile seçilen 400 erkek bireyden oluşmaktadır. Araştırma verilerini toplama amacıyla araştırmacı tarafından hazırlanan Kişisel Bilgi Formu ile South Oaks Kumar Bağımlılığı Ölçeği kullanılmıştır.Bulgular: Yapılan çalışmada South Oaks Kumar Tarama Testi ölçeği puanları bireylerin medeni durumlarına, aile ilişkilerini algılama düzeylerine, bireylerin eğitim düzeylerine, bireylerin kendilerini şanslı algılama durumlarına göre anlamlı farklılık belirlenmiştir. , South Oaks Kumar Tarama Testi ölçeği puanlarında, bireylerin kardeş sayılarına, gelir düzeylerine, sahip olduğu çocuk sayılarına, bireylerin kumara başlama yaşlarına, bireylerin annelerinin eğitim düzeylerine, bireylerin babalarının eğitim düzeylerine, bireylerin alkol kullanma durumlarını, bireylerin sigara kullanma durumlarına, bireylerin psikolojik sosyal destek alma durumlarına göre anlamlı farklılıklar tespit edilmemiştir.Sonuç: Bireylerdeki problemli kumar oynama davranışının toplum içerisinde popülaritesinin artması ve gelişen bilişim sistemleri ile birlikte kumara erişimin kolay ve denetiminde yetersiz olması sebebiyle tehlikeli boyutlara ulaşabileceği düşünülmektedir.

When the Fun Stops, Stop, is a prominent ‘responsible gambling’ campaign in the UK, originally funded and delivered by the industry-initiated and funded Senet Group. Since the Senet Group’s dissolution in 2020, the campaign has been overseen by the Betting and Gambling Council (BGC), the main gambling industry trade body. There has been no prior analysis of the activities, ideas and framing adopted by the Senet Group, who claimed to be acting as an industry ‘watchdog’ and oversaw what they characterised as a major public education campaign. We collated written and image-based material related to the Senet Group and its When the Fun Stops, Stop campaign from multiple sources. Guided by Entman’s four functions of framing, we analysed the Senet Group’s framing of the issues it sought to address, particularly harmful gambling, as well as its causes, and the solutions, focusing on the group’s main activity: the delivery of the When the Fun Stops, Stop campaign. We also critically appraised an evaluation of the campaign funded by the Senet Group, using the findings to interrogate the stated claims about the campaign’s effectiveness. The analysis showed that the Senet Group’s framing of the problem, its causes, and proposed responses resemble those adopted by other industries and industry-funded groups. This involves portraying any harms caused by their products as limited to an atypical minority, rejecting upstream determinants of harm, and promoting individually-targeted voluntary measures, all contrary to the evidence of what works in health promotion, and what would characterise a public health approach. Neither the existing evidence base nor the evidence presented by the Senet Group support their claims about the campaign’s effectiveness. These findings add to concerns about industry-funded campaigns in other areas. To minimise conflicts of interest, interventions intended to address gambling-related harms, such as public education campaigns, should be evidence-based and developed, implemented and evaluated completely independent of the industry and industry-funded organisations.

Cilj je rada prikazati fenomen ovisnosti o kocki kroz analizu promjene percepcije, privida, zamjedbe i fikcije u podlozi čega, pretpostavkom i posljedicom, stoje intramentalni i ekstramentalni procesi dostupni korekciji. Definirajući ovisnost kroz dvije dominantne varijable – teorijsku i praktičnu, koje se u širokom kontekstu mogu definirati kroz fiziološku i psihološku determiniranost osobe – suzili smo teoretski prostor za razumijevanje onog zdravog u čovjeku čiji se smisao usidrio u polju ovisnosti. Obrađujući duboku općenitost (samoodržanje) svakog bića, što podrazumijeva zadovoljenje primarnih nagonskih potreba, a istodobno zatomljujući specifičnosti vlastite osobe, slobodne individue, u izboru vlastitih želja i žudnja, onemogućili smo postavljanje pitanja smisla tog čovjeka. U tom ovisničkom prstenu, zatvorenom krugu vraćanja istoga kroz krivo izabrano sredstvo ugode, ponekad se gube jednostavni koncepti i moduli prepoznavanja rješenja. Stoga se ovim radom propituje jedan od modela koji bi se trebao inkorporirati u sustav tretmana ovisnosti i stvoriti te pozicionirati i treću, jednako važnu, a do sada nezastupljenu varijablu – varijablu smisla u tretmanu i razumijevanja kompleksnog pojma ovisnosti (u prvom redu kocke, klađenja i drugih hazarderskih igara na sreću, ali i ostalih sredstava ovisnosti) u zapadnoj civilizaciji kroz različita sredstva ugode., This paper aims to present the gambling addiction phenomenon through the analysis of the change of perception, illusions, observation and fiction on which basis, with the assumption and the consequence, are standing intramental and extramental processes available for correction. By defining addiction through two dominant variables – theoretical and practical, which can be defined in a broad context through the physiological and psychological determinants of a person – we narrowed the theoretical space for understanding the healthy in a human being whose meaning was anchored in the field of the addiction. By elaborating the deep generality (self-preservation) of every being, which implies the fulfillment of the primary urgent needs, and at the same time suppressing of the specifics of our own person, free individual, in choosing our own desires and cravings, we have made it impossible to ask the question of this human being’s sense. In this addictive ring, a closed circle of returning of the same through the wrong choice of comfort means, sometimes simple concepts and solution recognition modules are lost. Therefore, this paper discusses one of the models that should be incorporated into the addiction treatment system and create and position the third, equally important, and by now unrecognized variable – a variable of meaning in the treatment and understanding of the complex concept of addiction (primarily gambling, bets and other daredevil games of chance, but also other addictive resources) in Western civilization through various means of comfort.

Magistrska naloga z naslovom »Ekonomska analiza negativnih eksternalij neodgovornega igranja na srečo v izbranih evropskih državah« obravnava problematiko prekomernega igranja na srečo v štirih izbranih evropskih državah: Združenem kraljestvu, Franciji, Nemčiji in Sloveniji. Zaradi velikega potenciala za razvoj odvisnosti, nastanka goljufij, pranja denarja in drugih povezanih kaznivih dejanj so bile igre na srečo tipično prepovedane ali strogo omejene, prav tako pa so bile tipično povezane z visokimi moralnimi tveganji. Danes se z vidika nadzora tega področja soočamo z novimi izzivi, ki so posledica razvoja novih tehnologij in večanja ponudbe spletnih iger na srečo. V teoretičnem delu je prikazan sociološki in zgodovinski razvoj iger na srečo, pregled kliničnega in psihološkega ozadja problematike in ekonomske racionalnosti potrošnikov na trgu iger na srečo. V nadaljevanju so predstavljeni regulatorni okviri iger na srečo na ravni EU-ja in v posameznih izbranih državah, na podlagi statističnih podatkov pa je prikazana razširjenosti problematičnega igranja na srečo ter ocene družbenih stroškov, ki jih le-to povzroča. V empiričnem delu so predstavljeni rezultati ankete, ki je bila opravljena z namenom ugotovitve aktualne razširjenosti problematičnega igranja na srečo, raziskovanja igralnih navad ter stanja splošne informiranosti glede odgovornega igranja v Sloveniji na ravni povprečnega posameznika. Magistrska naloga poskuša prikazati pristope različnih držav pri regulaciji področja iger na srečo, raziskovalno dejavnost, relevantne institucije, prevencijo in odpravljanje posledic problematičnega igranja na srečo. Poleg tega pa na podlagi zbranih podatkov v izbranih državah ocenjuje tudi resnost in aktualnost problematike danes. Master’s thesis titled »Economic analysis of the negative externalities of irresponsible gambling in selected European countries« addresses the topic of irresponsible gambling in four selected European countries: The United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Slovenia. Due to the fact that gambling poses considerable addiction hazard, enables the occurrence of fraud, money laundering, and other related criminal offences, gambling has typically been banned or severely restricted, furthermore it has always been associated with high moral hazard. Today, new challenges in regulating this field arise due to the development of new technologies and the growing on-line gambling offers. The theoretical part represents the sociological and historical development of gambling, an overview of its clinical and psychological background, and the economic rationality of the consumers in the gambling market. The EU regulatory framework of gambling and those of individual selected countries are presented further on. Based on collected statistical data, the prevalence of problem gambling and the estimated social cost it causes are shown. The results of a survey conducted to determine the current prevalence of problem gambling, gambling habits and the state of general information on responsible gambling in Slovenia at the level of an average individual are shown in the empirical part. The master’s thesis tries to show different approaches in the regulation, research on this topic, relevant institutions, prevention, and how individual countries tackle the consequences of problem gambling. Additionally, an assessment of the gravity and topicality of the issue today is made, based on data collected in selected countries.

Mobile gambling differs from land-based and traditional forms of gambling in that the opportunity to place bets and engage with casinos is constantly present and easily accessible. Instead of going to a physical bookmaker or casino, mobile gambling is done quickly and swiftly, anytime, anywhere, with a few taps on a mobile device. Previous studies reveal mobile gambling has managed to reach new audiences especially amongst younger people. Gambling harms can have severe adverse effects on individuals, families and society. However, for a subgroup of highly involved individuals, gambling can be considered a harmonious passion that permits frequent gambling without elevating individual’s risks of experience problem gambling manifestations. Combining the Uses and Gratifications (U&G) and Dualistic Model of Passion (DMP) frameworks, the present study aims to determine if and how the different gratifications sought from mobile gambling are susceptible to explaining non-problematic versus problematic patterns in highly involved gamblers. Data were collected over two waves from a global sample of mobile gamblers (N = 327). Results emphasize that the motivational underpinnings of mobile gambling (as measured by the U&G) differ in obsessive versus harmonious passion. Obsessive passion is associated with poor mood and problematic gambling. In contrast, harmonious passion for mobile gambling is associated with positive mood but is unrelated to problematic gambling. Based on these findings, and given that problematic gambling is an internationally relevant public health issue (the prevalence of problem gambling is estimated to range from 0.1% to 5.8% in different countries), we suggest interventions focusing on specific uses and gratifications associated with an obsessive passion for mobile gambling may be effective in reducing problematic usage patterns. peer-reviewed

Kockanje, kao ponašanje prije svega usmjereno prema zabavi i razonodi, rizično je zbog potencijalnog razvoja štetnih psihosocijalnih posljedica, odnosno razvoja simptoma ovisnosti o kockanju. One uključuju cijeli spektar problema vezanih uz zdravlje (fizičko i mentalno), odnose (obiteljske, prijateljske, u zajednici) te resurse (zaposlenje, financije i kriminalitet). Cilj ovog istraživanja je izračunati ekonomske i društvene troškove ovisnosti o kockanju u Republici Hrvatskoj, sa svrhom osiguravanja znanstveno utemeljenih pokazatelja za poticanje pozitivnih regulatornih izmjena kojima bi se osiguralo balansirano tržište između profitabilnih i rizičnih elemenata djelatnosti igara na sreću. U radu se polazi od rezultata znanstvenih istraživanja prevalencije ovisnosti o kockanju u odrasloj populaciji hrvatskih građana i službenih podataka o prihodima u državni proračun temeljem igara na sreću. Za izračun društvenih i ekonomskih troškova korištene su dvije najčešće korištene metodologije: National Opinion Research Centre – NORC i Australian Productivity Commission – APC. Istraživanje je koristilo originalne i strože kriterije prevalencije ovisnosti o kockanju, a neovisno o korištenoj metodologiji izračuna, rezultati pokazuju da društveni troškovi ovisnosti o kockanju u Hrvatskoj čine između 34% i 77% ukupnih godišnjih prihoda od igara na sreću. Rezultati su interpretirani u kontekstu općih smjernica za unaprjeđivanje politika odgovornog priređivanja igara na sreću, a s ciljem smanjivanja vjerojatnosti razvoja štetnih psihosocijalnih posljedica., Gambling, as a behavior primarily aimed at entertainment and leisure, is risky due to the potential development of harmful psychosocial consequences, i.e. the development of gambling addiction symptoms. These include the full range of health (physical and mental), social (family, friends, community), and economic (employment, finances, and crime) adverse consequences. The aim of this research is to calculate the economic and social costs of gambling addiction in the Republic of Croatia in order to provide science-based indicators to encourage positive regulatory changes that would ensure a balanced market between profitable and risky elements of the gambling industry. The research starts from the scientific research on the prevalence of gambling addiction in the adult Croatian population and the official data on revenues in the state budget from all gambling activities. Two of the most commonly used methodologies were used to calculate the social and economic costs: National Opinion Research Centre - NORC and Australian Productivity Commission - APC. The research uses original and strict criteria for the prevalence of gambling addiction. Regardless of the methodology used, the results show that the social costs of gambling addiction in Croatia account for between 34% and 77% of the total annual gambling revenue. The results were interpreted in the context of general guidelines for improving the policy of responsible gambling, with the aim of reducing the likelihood of developing harmful psychosocial consequences in society.

Gambling Disorder (GD) has recently been reclassified from an impulse-control disorder to a behavioural addiction and, as in other addictive disorders, the dopaminergic reward system is involved. According to neuroimaging studies, alterations within the striatal dopaminergic signalling can occur in GD. However, the findings to date are controversial and there has been no agreement yet on how the reward system is affected on a molecular basis. Within the last 20 years, there has been growing evidence for a higher risk to develop GD in response to certain dopaminergic medication. Especially the dopamine agonists pramipexole and ropinirole, and the dopamine modulator aripiprazole seem to increase the likelihood for GD. The goal of this study was to examine the association between a prescription for either of the three pharmaceuticals and a GD diagnosis in a large cross-sectional study of the Swedish population. Compared to patients with any other dopaminergic drug prescription (38.7% with GD), the diagnosis was more common in patients with a dopamine agonist prescription (69.8% with GD), resulting in an odds ratio of 3.2. A similar association was found between aripiprazole prescriptions and GD diagnoses, which were analysed within the subgroup of all patients with schizophrenia or a schizotypal, delusional, or another non-mood psychotic disorder. An aripiprazole prescription increased the likelihood of GD (88.8%) in comparison to patients without an aripiprazole prescription (71.2%) with an odds ratio of 3.4. This study contributes to the increasingly reliable evidence for an association between several dopaminergic drugs and a higher risk for developing GD. Therefore, one future research goal should be a better understanding of the neurobiology in GD to be able to design more selective dopaminergic medication with less severe side effects. Additionally, this knowledge could enable the development of pharmacotherapy in GD and other addictive disorders.

The proliferation of on-site betting shops has received enormous public attention, becoming one of the most alarming health policy issues in contemporary cities. However, there is little evidence on whether its growing presence nearby vulnerable populations produce social harm beyond its known adverse individual effects. This study provides new evidence on the negative societal effects of betting houses. Our research design takes advantage of a new wave of openings in Madrid (Spain), which created a sudden increase in the supply of on-site gambling. Using a differences-in-differences design, we find that new betting houses decline nearby high schools’ educational performance, especially in public schools in less advantaged areas. This effect is neither trivial nor diminishing with time. This evidence suggests that betting houses increase inequality of educational opportunities. The ubiquity of betting houses around vulnerable populations in multiple regions drives us to think that these findings have relevant policy implications for many countries currently designing policies tackling the increase of problem gambling.

Introducción. ¿Es posible dejar de jugar? Esta es una pregunta que cada día se hacen muchas personas cuando su situación de juego les pone entre la espada y la pared, haciéndoles pensar si existe una salida real a su problema. En la actualidad, las posibilidades de tratamiento y prevención del juego patológico son claras y patentes, aunque debemos de tener en cuenta tres cuestiones básicas: la necesidad de hacer una correcta identificación del problema, una consideración profesional del caso y su remisión a los dispositivos especializados para su tratamiento. Objetivos. Identificar las situaciones en las que un adicto o adicta al juego es capaz de plantearse dejar de jugar y por tanto iniciar el proceso de rehabilitación. Conocer qué implicaciones tiene esa decisión a nivel individual y familiar y que vienen a determinar el proceso de rehabilitación. Metodología. Se ha optado por una perspectiva metodológica que se sirva de estrategias que permitan conocer el fenómeno de la adicción al juego de mano de los propios afectados. De entre las técnicas posibles, se ha optado por la Historia de Vida y la Entrevista en Profundidad. Resultados. De manera general hemos avistado que, tarde o temprano, el ludópata se ve obligado tener que confesar la adicción a su familia, ya que su situación de juego se hace insostenible. De igual modo, hemos podido ver que, afrontar el problema debe ir más allá del loable propósito de encararlo de forma individual, ya que esto no suele funcionar, y que es necesario, tanto la ayuda familiar, como la profesional para poder llevar a cabo el proceso de rehabilitación con una cierta garantía de poder superar la adicción. Conclusiones. Es fácil advertir que para dejar de jugar tienen que operarse un gran cambio en el pensamiento del ludópata, es decir, tomarse en serio el querer dejar de jugar y partir de ahí solicitar la colaboración de los profesionales (entre ellos el Trabajador Social); ayuda que debe ser complementada con el apoyo familiar, quedando ambos determinados como los principales factores a tener en cuanta en los procesos de recuperación., Introduction. Is it possible to stop playing? This is a question that many people ask themselves every day when their gaming situation puts them between a rock and a hard place, making them wonder if there is a real way out of their problem. At present, the possibilities of treatment and prevention of pathological gambling are clear and patent, although we must take into account three basic questions: the need to make a correct identification of the problem, a professional consideration of the case and its referral to specialized devices for your treatment. Objectives. Identify the situations in which a gambling addict is able to consider stopping gambling and therefore start the rehabilitation process. Knowing what implications this decision has at the individual and family level and what come to determine the rehabilitation process. Methodology. A methodological perspective has been chosen that uses strategies that allow us to know the phenomenon of addiction to gambling from the affected people themselves. Among the possible techniques, the Life Story and the In-Depth Interview have been chosen. Results. In general, we have observed that, sooner or later, the gambler is forced to confess the addiction to his family, since his gambling situation becomes untenable. In the same way, we have been able to see that, facing the problem must go beyond the laudable purpose of facing it individually, since this does not usually work, and that both family and professional help are necessary to be able to carry out the rehabilitation process with a certain guarantee of being able to overcome the addiction. Conclusions. It is easy to see that in order to stop gambling, a great change has to be made in the gambler's thinking, that is, to take seriously wanting to stop gambling and from there request the collaboration of professionals (including the Social Worker); help that must be complemented with family support, both being determined as the main factors to take into account in the recovery processes.