By Nancy Jiang ’23
Staff Writer
Recently, a University of Massachusetts Amherst research team presented groundbreaking research on the social and economic impacts of gambling in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Gambling Impact Cohort study is the first major gambling study to spend over six years on the same individuals in order to analyze the development of their gambling behavior.
Considering the frequency of gambling and the impact it has on individuals, this study breaks down gambling behavior into four categories depending on psychological, social and biological factors: non-gamblers, recreational gamblers, at-risk gamblers and problem gamblers, in order of those with the least dangerous behavior to the most. People who are problem gamblers should seek professional help from psychotherapists.
When people think of gambling, they often think of gamblers struggling with addiction. However, the researchers wanted to know if it is possible to gamble without forming a gambling addiction. Researchers were also interested in the factors that predict future gambling and problem gambling and the differences between problem gamblers who seek help and those who do not.
One of the questions researchers investigated was the impact of introducing casinos in Massachusetts on the number of problem gamblers. Before Massachusetts began allowing casinos to operate, the money that the state could have generated from casinos flowed into nearby states with legal casino-style gambling, and policymakers wanted to know if the potential profits from casinos offset the risk to gamblers. One of the study’s lead investigators, Dr. Robert Williams, called the state’s success in bringing back dollars previously spent in out-of-state casinos to in-state casinos “good news.” Additionally, the increase in casinos has “had no negative impact” on the amount of people that enter the lottery.
Still, addiction to gambling greatly impacts the lives of gamblers. One of the biggest reasons gambling continues to be studied is to look for the reasons addiction is caused and develop a way to prevent it.
Although there is no golden rule of spotting the exact reason for one’s problem-gambling behavior, the study summarizes several possible risk factors. The first factor is the environment. From 2013-14 to 2019, the percentage of problem gamblers in MA has increased from 2.3 percent to 3.7 percent, with a positive correlation of emerging social media advertisements and the opening of MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor.
Previous related experiences of individuals also play a large role. According to the study, nearly 20 percent of the at-risk gamblers become problem gamblers within this study’s six-year window. Other factors include being low-income, being male, having experience with substance abuse and facing mental health challenges.
Experts believe that the state government should suppress the increasing number of problem gamblers by addressing the factors listed above. Some examples include screening potential problem gamblers with specific demographics, limiting related advertisements and encouraging those at risk to seek help. According to the study, 9.3 percent of those surveyed denied their gambling problems despite having a score that puts them in the problem gambler category..