Scientists have come up with a new theory on what causes gamblers to get addicted to casino games.

Whether we’re talking about alcoholism, drug abuse or gambling, all forms of addiction are linked to biological alterations in the brain. For many years, scientists have studied these issues, coming up with several theories explaining the various chemical reactions that cause people to lose control of their habits and fall prey to addiction.

According to online gambling news, a recent study suggests that the brain’s opioid systems may respond differently in pathological gamblers, influencing their control, motivation, emotional behavior, as well as the way they respond to pain or stress.

The study was presented this weekend, at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Congress in Berlin.

MedicalDaily: Gambling Addicts’ Brains Don’t Have The Same Opioid Systems As Others

The study was conducted on 14 pathological gamblers and 15 healthy volunteers, whose opioid receptor levels were measures by researchers with positron emission tomography scans.

At first, the scans showed no difference between the two groups, but when the subjects were given an amphetamine tablet and researchers scanned their brains again, the pill caused a high known as an endorphin rush, revealing that gamblers weren’t able to release as many endorphins as healthy subjects. Participants then answered a questionnaire which revealed that gamblers experienced a lower feeling of euphoria.

Lead researcher Dr. Inge Mick explained: “From our work, we can say two things. Firstly, the brains of pathological gamblers respond differently to this stimulation than the brains of healthy volunteers. And secondly, it seems that pathological gamblers just don’t get the same feeling of euphoria as do healthy volunteers.”

“This may go some way to explaining why the gambling becomes an addiction,” Mick concluded.

Gambling is very popular among US citizens. Reports have shown that about 2 to 3% of the country’s population is addicted. The population spends up to $5 billion on casino games every year, although gambling laws ban sports betting and online casinos in most parts of the US.

BBC News: Gambling addiction linked to brain reward system

A recent study concluded that the “high” or feeling of euphoria that comes from addictive behavior is less obvious in the brains of problem gamblers. This means that, for them, being a lucky punter is not enough to get an “endorphin rush”, so they have to search harder and play more in order to get a kick out of it.

Human brains have a natural opioid system which controls pain, reward, as well as addictive behavior. London and Cambridge researchers scanned the brains of 30 volunteers – including problem gamblers – in order to find out more about how their reward systems respond.

The small study involved 14 problem gamblers and 15 healthy volunteers, and used scans to measure the level of endorphins released under the stimulation of an amphetamine tablet. Lead researcher Dr Inge Mick, from Imperial College London, explained that gambling addicts have to work harder in order to get the same feeling of euphoria as the average person.

The way the opioid system responds could be different in alcohol or cocaine addiction, she added, but the findings could help researchers come up with treatments for problem gamblers. Around 300,000 UK players – less than 1% of the population – are suffering from this health problem. They are treated with drugs such as naltrexone and nalmefene.

Dr Mark Griffiths, professor of gambling studies at Nottingham Trent University, said: “This is an interesting study which backs up what we already know from previous research. Gambling is a behavioral addiction which is influenced by biological, psychological and social factors.”

MedicalXpress: Pathological gambling runs in families

Researchers at the University of Iowa have confirmed that pathological gambling runs in the family. According to the study, first-degree relatives of gambling addicts are eight times more likely to develop this problem than people who don’t have this sort of issue in their family.

Donald W. Black, MD, professor of psychiatry in the UI Carver College of Medicine explained: “Our work clearly shows that pathological gambling runs in families at a rate higher than for many other behavioral and psychiatric disorders.

“I think clinicians and health care providers should be alerted to the fact that if they see a person with pathological gambling, that person is highly likely to have a close relative with similar or the same problem. That is a teaching moment and they should probably encourage the patient to let their relatives know that help is available.”

The study involved 95 pathological gamblers and 91 control subjects from Iowa, matched for age, sex, and level of education. Researchers also studied their first-degree relatives, totaling another 1,075 participants – parents, siblings, and children.

According to the results of the research, 11% of the gambling relatives suffered from pathological gambling themselves; the health issue was present in only 1% of the control relatives.

“People have always thought pathological gambling ran in families – anecdotal evidence certainly suggested it. But when you finally do a study like this, which is the largest of its kind, and come up with figures like this, it is quite striking,” says Black, who was lead author of the study.

Between 0.5 and 1.5% adults living in the US suffer from gambling addiction at some point during their lives.

Scientists have come up with a new theory on what causes gamblers to get addicted to casino games.

Whether we’re talking about alcoholism, drug abuse or gambling, all forms of addiction are linked to biological alterations in the brain. For many years, scientists have studied these issues, coming up with several theories explaining the various chemical reactions that cause people to lose control of their habits and fall prey to addiction.

According to online gambling news, a recent study suggests that the brain’s opioid systems may respond differently in pathological gamblers, influencing their control, motivation, emotional behavior, as well as the way they respond to pain or stress.

The study was presented this weekend, at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Congress in Berlin.

MedicalDaily: Gambling Addicts’ Brains Don’t Have The Same Opioid Systems As Others

The study was conducted on 14 pathological gamblers and 15 healthy volunteers, whose opioid receptor levels were measures by researchers with positron emission tomography scans.

At first, the scans showed no difference between the two groups, but when the subjects were given an amphetamine tablet and researchers scanned their brains again, the pill caused a high known as an endorphin rush, revealing that gamblers weren’t able to release as many endorphins as healthy subjects. Participants then answered a questionnaire which revealed that gamblers experienced a lower feeling of euphoria.

Lead researcher Dr. Inge Mick explained: “From our work, we can say two things. Firstly, the brains of pathological gamblers respond differently to this stimulation than the brains of healthy volunteers. And secondly, it seems that pathological gamblers just don’t get the same feeling of euphoria as do healthy volunteers.”

“This may go some way to explaining why the gambling becomes an addiction,” Mick concluded.

Gambling is very popular among US citizens. Reports have shown that about 2 to 3% of the country’s population is addicted. The population spends up to $5 billion on casino games every year, although gambling laws ban sports betting and online casinos in most parts of the US.

BBC News: Gambling addiction linked to brain reward system

A recent study concluded that the “high” or feeling of euphoria that comes from addictive behavior is less obvious in the brains of problem gamblers. This means that, for them, being a lucky punter is not enough to get an “endorphin rush”, so they have to search harder and play more in order to get a kick out of it.

Human brains have a natural opioid system which controls pain, reward, as well as addictive behavior. London and Cambridge researchers scanned the brains of 30 volunteers – including problem gamblers – in order to find out more about how their reward systems respond.

The small study involved 14 problem gamblers and 15 healthy volunteers, and used scans to measure the level of endorphins released under the stimulation of an amphetamine tablet. Lead researcher Dr Inge Mick, from Imperial College London, explained that gambling addicts have to work harder in order to get the same feeling of euphoria as the average person.

The way the opioid system responds could be different in alcohol or cocaine addiction, she added, but the findings could help researchers come up with treatments for problem gamblers. Around 300,000 UK players – less than 1% of the population – are suffering from this health problem. They are treated with drugs such as naltrexone and nalmefene.

Dr Mark Griffiths, professor of gambling studies at Nottingham Trent University, said: “This is an interesting study which backs up what we already know from previous research. Gambling is a behavioral addiction which is influenced by biological, psychological and social factors.”

MedicalXpress: Pathological gambling runs in families

Researchers at the University of Iowa have confirmed that pathological gambling runs in the family. According to the study, first-degree relatives of gambling addicts are eight times more likely to develop this problem than people who don’t have this sort of issue in their family.

Donald W. Black, MD, professor of psychiatry in the UI Carver College of Medicine explained: “Our work clearly shows that pathological gambling runs in families at a rate higher than for many other behavioral and psychiatric disorders.

“I think clinicians and health care providers should be alerted to the fact that if they see a person with pathological gambling, that person is highly likely to have a close relative with similar or the same problem. That is a teaching moment and they should probably encourage the patient to let their relatives know that help is available.”

The study involved 95 pathological gamblers and 91 control subjects from Iowa, matched for age, sex, and level of education. Researchers also studied their first-degree relatives, totaling another 1,075 participants – parents, siblings, and children.

According to the results of the research, 11% of the gambling relatives suffered from pathological gambling themselves; the health issue was present in only 1% of the control relatives.

“People have always thought pathological gambling ran in families – anecdotal evidence certainly suggested it. But when you finally do a study like this, which is the largest of its kind, and come up with figures like this, it is quite striking,” says Black, who was lead author of the study.

Between 0.5 and 1.5% adults living in the US suffer from gambling addiction at some point during their lives.

In efforts to maintain a more transparent approach with their gaming practices, some of the biggest bookmakers in Britain believe it is in their best interest to establish a supervisory watchdog. This newly formed group will aim to keep them in line with responsible gambling and other relevant standards that the industry calls for.

The Guardian: Bookmakers sign up to voluntary watchdog

With the current industry demands to create a higher standard of gaming and increase efforts to engage in responsible gambling, several high-profile firms are looking into setting up a watchdog. William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral and Paddy Power are all among the gaming providers that want to implement the new group to oversee their practices.

They have come up with this plan in order to help them with avoid statutory measures for offering “free money” on many of their gaming machines and in betting shops. All of these big firms have agreed to remove all advertisements for touch-screen roulette machines from their respective shops starting from next month.

Additionally, they will also install responsible gambling messages that will be visible across a fifth of their shops’ space. Advertisement that promote “free bets” and “free money” for players to claim will not be aired before 9pm.

Latest gambling news reports that the new overseeing association will be called the Senet Group. Among their many responsibilities will be to fund educational advertising campaigns on problems that are associated with gambling. The group will also make sure to alter their TV commercials to contain more messages that are oriented towards responsible gambling.

Latest gambling news reports that Silver is determined many states that are currently experiencing financial difficulties will want to follow the model set by Nevada. The gaming state allows sports betting and is showing a steady growth.

Financial Times: Britain’s biggest bookmakers to create gambling watchdog

In order to follow through on tougher gaming standards that are being imposed by officials, four of the biggest bookmakers in Britain will create a new overseeing body. Problem gambling has become a heated debate in the industry, so establishing a board should help them curtail issues associated with that.

The self-regulatory body will be titled the Senet group (named after a board game in ancient Egypt), and its purpose will be to help maintains the standards that are sought by the industry today. The group will have the capacity to “name and shame” and also impose fines for any companies that don’t follow through on the missions and objectives set by it.

Other big name gaming providers like Bet365 and BetFred have also been invited to participate and sign-up for the new supervisory entity. The planned date for its launch is currently believed to be in January after several important steps pass completion.

Chief executive of Gala Coral, Carl Leaver, stated, “Actions speak louder than words. That’s why the Senet Group will be given the independence, budget and purpose to hold the betting industry to account.”

Recently, government official have expressed concern about the increased number of betting shops and the effect that they have on Britain’s society. This has seen them launch initiates to reduce problem gambling which is heavily linked to gambling advertisements and high-stakes betting machines that are provided by many betting shops.

Express & Star: Bookies back responsible gambling

William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral and Paddy Power have all come together to form a new overseeing entity that is intended to help them maintain responsible gambling practices. Many corners of the country believe that gambling providers should be held accountable for problems that may arise due to intense gambling pursuits.

Therefore, the new body titled the Senet Group will be tasked with implementing strict guidelines and measures for all the gambling providers to follow. The key goals that have been put forward by the firms involve the voluntary ban on advertising various gambling offers such as “free bets” and “free money” before 9 pm.

Betting shops will also remove all advertisements of gaming machines from all their windows. Additionally, they will convert a fifth of their shop window advertisement space into messages that will bear responsible gambling points, according to gambling news.

The aim is to protect “vulnerable” gamblers from spending all of their money, while the new group will also have the power to “name and shame” and impose fines for any provider that doesn’t follow the regulations.

Although currently there are four founding companies looking to establish a watchdog, others have also been encouraged to join. Chief executive of Ladbrokes, Richard Glynn, commented, “Gambling has long been a leisure pursuit and part of the cultural fabric of the UK, but we are alive to the concerns of the public to keep gambling a responsible and fun activity.”

PoliticsHome: Four bookmakers set up watchdog to keep themselves in check

A total of four gaming providers have come up with a plant to set up an overseeing body that will make sure all the companies are running socially responsible operations. William Hill, Ladbrokes, Gala Coral and Paddy Power have all agreed to start the new Senet group to keep them in line with the guidelines demanded by government officials and the public.

All of the big four companies are already member of the Association of British Bookmakers, and the new group will help them maintain leverage over BetFred, which the largest non-member of the Association.

The Gambling Commission was established by the government to oversee and make sure all practices are scrupulous and responsible towards the society at large. However, up until it has not done much with its powers but instead has managed to receive criticism from some corners of the public for not doing any effective work.

No fines or penalties like loss of license have been issued to providers for breaching regulations on gambling. The Commission has not been able to discipline the perpetrators for not following the rules which has propelled the government and the public to seek a better regulating body to ensure all runs according to the guidelines.

In efforts to maintain a more transparent approach with their gaming practices, some of the biggest bookmakers in Britain believe it is in their best interest to establish a supervisory watchdog. This newly formed group will aim to keep them in line with responsible gambling and other relevant standards that the industry calls for.

The Guardian: Bookmakers sign up to voluntary watchdog

With the current industry demands to create a higher standard of gaming and increase efforts to engage in responsible gambling, several high-profile firms are looking into setting up a watchdog. William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral and Paddy Power are all among the gaming providers that want to implement the new group to oversee their practices.

They have come up with this plan in order to help them with avoid statutory measures for offering “free money” on many of their gaming machines and in betting shops. All of these big firms have agreed to remove all advertisements for touch-screen roulette machines from their respective shops starting from next month.

Additionally, they will also install responsible gambling messages that will be visible across a fifth of their shops’ space. Advertisement that promote “free bets” and “free money” for players to claim will not be aired before 9pm.

Latest gambling news reports that the new overseeing association will be called the Senet Group. Among their many responsibilities will be to fund educational advertising campaigns on problems that are associated with gambling. The group will also make sure to alter their TV commercials to contain more messages that are oriented towards responsible gambling.

Latest gambling news reports that Silver is determined many states that are currently experiencing financial difficulties will want to follow the model set by Nevada. The gaming state allows sports betting and is showing a steady growth.

Financial Times: Britain’s biggest bookmakers to create gambling watchdog

In order to follow through on tougher gaming standards that are being imposed by officials, four of the biggest bookmakers in Britain will create a new overseeing body. Problem gambling has become a heated debate in the industry, so establishing a board should help them curtail issues associated with that.

The self-regulatory body will be titled the Senet group (named after a board game in ancient Egypt), and its purpose will be to help maintains the standards that are sought by the industry today. The group will have the capacity to “name and shame” and also impose fines for any companies that don’t follow through on the missions and objectives set by it.

Other big name gaming providers like Bet365 and BetFred have also been invited to participate and sign-up for the new supervisory entity. The planned date for its launch is currently believed to be in January after several important steps pass completion.

Chief executive of Gala Coral, Carl Leaver, stated, “Actions speak louder than words. That’s why the Senet Group will be given the independence, budget and purpose to hold the betting industry to account.”

Recently, government official have expressed concern about the increased number of betting shops and the effect that they have on Britain’s society. This has seen them launch initiates to reduce problem gambling which is heavily linked to gambling advertisements and high-stakes betting machines that are provided by many betting shops.

Express & Star: Bookies back responsible gambling

William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral and Paddy Power have all come together to form a new overseeing entity that is intended to help them maintain responsible gambling practices. Many corners of the country believe that gambling providers should be held accountable for problems that may arise due to intense gambling pursuits.

Therefore, the new body titled the Senet Group will be tasked with implementing strict guidelines and measures for all the gambling providers to follow. The key goals that have been put forward by the firms involve the voluntary ban on advertising various gambling offers such as “free bets” and “free money” before 9 pm.

Betting shops will also remove all advertisements of gaming machines from all their windows. Additionally, they will convert a fifth of their shop window advertisement space into messages that will bear responsible gambling points, according to gambling news.

The aim is to protect “vulnerable” gamblers from spending all of their money, while the new group will also have the power to “name and shame” and impose fines for any provider that doesn’t follow the regulations.

Although currently there are four founding companies looking to establish a watchdog, others have also been encouraged to join. Chief executive of Ladbrokes, Richard Glynn, commented, “Gambling has long been a leisure pursuit and part of the cultural fabric of the UK, but we are alive to the concerns of the public to keep gambling a responsible and fun activity.”

PoliticsHome: Four bookmakers set up watchdog to keep themselves in check

A total of four gaming providers have come up with a plant to set up an overseeing body that will make sure all the companies are running socially responsible operations. William Hill, Ladbrokes, Gala Coral and Paddy Power have all agreed to start the new Senet group to keep them in line with the guidelines demanded by government officials and the public.

All of the big four companies are already member of the Association of British Bookmakers, and the new group will help them maintain leverage over BetFred, which the largest non-member of the Association.

The Gambling Commission was established by the government to oversee and make sure all practices are scrupulous and responsible towards the society at large. However, up until it has not done much with its powers but instead has managed to receive criticism from some corners of the public for not doing any effective work.

No fines or penalties like loss of license have been issued to providers for breaching regulations on gambling. The Commission has not been able to discipline the perpetrators for not following the rules which has propelled the government and the public to seek a better regulating body to ensure all runs according to the guidelines.

The results of a recent study on gambling addiction are causing people to worry about the imminent legalization of casinos in Japan. According to the survey, almost 5% of Japanese adults are already problem gamblers, despite casino games being forbidden in the country.

The latest gambling news have revealed that, compared to the majority of other nations, this rate is five times bigger.Instead of popular games such as roulette, slot machines, or even blackjack, Japan’s favorite is pachinko. There are a number of pachinko parlors across the country, and they are all extremely popular.

In addition, the study showed a rising trend in Internet and alcohol addiction among Japanese adults. The survey was headed by Susumu Higuchi, a leading expert on addiction. Higuchi is worried that legalizing casinos would make things worse. “If something new becomes available, addiction will only rise,” he told reporters.

Yahoo News: Gambling, IT, booze addictions rife in Japan: studyThe study brought to light one of the most worrying gambling facts, that 5% of adults living in Japan have lost control over their gambling habits. What separates the Japanese from other developed, industrialized nations is the low public awareness regarding the dangers of gambling addiction.

A campaigner who has a significant amount of experience in the field said that while others prefer to talk openly about this issue and try to prevent it or to at least reduce its negative impact, things are different in Japan, where no one wants to confront the reality of problem gambling.

According to researchers, roughly 5.36 million people in Japan are most probably pathological gamblers. That number represents 4.8% of the country’s adult population, all of them players who cannot resist the impulse to spend their money on wagers.

While casinos are still illegal at the moment, there are a number of pachinko parlors and other gambling establishments to choose from.

Wall Street Journal: Five Million Japanese Have Gambling Problem, Says Ministry Study

According to a group of researchers working under the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, around 5.36 million people living in Japan could be suffering from a pathological gambling problem. The number represents 4.8% of the country’s adult population.

The study was funded by the ministry and the team of researchers was led by Susumu Higuchi of the Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center. In 2013, 4,153 randomly chosen adults living in Japan participated in the survey that found 8.7% of men and 1.8% of women show signs that they could be addicted to gambling.

Everyone participating in the survey was told to describe their gambling habits. They were asked to talk about activities such as betting on horse racing, online casino games, slot machines, boat racing, as well as pachinko. The latter is a very popular pinball-like game which can be played in parlors across the country.

The report also revealed that, compared to other developed countries, Japan had a higher percentage of pathological gamblers.

The Asahi Shimbun: Millions of Japanese hooked on gambling, survey shows

Recent news have revealed that an estimated 5.36 million Japanese adults – representing 4.5% of the nation’s adult population – are suspected of being addicted to gambling. About 4.38 million adult males and 980,000 female adults are habitual gamblers. The results are similar to those found in 2008, at the time of the last study.

The researchers asked subjects to answer “yes” or “no” to a number of questions or affirmations such as “I have gambled more than what I initially intended to do”. Those who answered “yes” to most of them are suspected of being pathological gamblers, as their replies indicate they cannot resist the temptation of playing for money.

Compared to other countries where similar studies have been carried out, the ratio for both men and women was particularly high in Japan. For example, in Switzerland only 0.5% of the total adult population was suspected of having a gambling problem; in the Us state of Louisiana, the percentage was a bit higher, at 1.58%, while in Hong Kong it reached 1.8%. Still, none of these come close to Japan’s 4.8%.

Susumu Higuchi, one of the researchers involved in the study told reporters: “On a global basis, Japan has one of the highest ratios of pathological gamblers as gambling devices such as pachinko and slot machine games are ubiquitous.”

Now the media believes that the study could impact the administration’s plan for economic growth, which includes proposals to allow casino resorts in certain parts of Japan.

The results of a recent study on gambling addiction are causing people to worry about the imminent legalization of casinos in Japan. According to the survey, almost 5% of Japanese adults are already problem gamblers, despite casino games being forbidden in the country.

The latest gambling news have revealed that, compared to the majority of other nations, this rate is five times bigger.Instead of popular games such as roulette, slot machines, or even blackjack, Japan’s favorite is pachinko. There are a number of pachinko parlors across the country, and they are all extremely popular.

In addition, the study showed a rising trend in Internet and alcohol addiction among Japanese adults. The survey was headed by Susumu Higuchi, a leading expert on addiction. Higuchi is worried that legalizing casinos would make things worse. “If something new becomes available, addiction will only rise,” he told reporters.

Yahoo News: Gambling, IT, booze addictions rife in Japan: studyThe study brought to light one of the most worrying gambling facts, that 5% of adults living in Japan have lost control over their gambling habits. What separates the Japanese from other developed, industrialized nations is the low public awareness regarding the dangers of gambling addiction.

A campaigner who has a significant amount of experience in the field said that while others prefer to talk openly about this issue and try to prevent it or to at least reduce its negative impact, things are different in Japan, where no one wants to confront the reality of problem gambling.

According to researchers, roughly 5.36 million people in Japan are most probably pathological gamblers. That number represents 4.8% of the country’s adult population, all of them players who cannot resist the impulse to spend their money on wagers.

While casinos are still illegal at the moment, there are a number of pachinko parlors and other gambling establishments to choose from.

Wall Street Journal: Five Million Japanese Have Gambling Problem, Says Ministry Study

According to a group of researchers working under the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, around 5.36 million people living in Japan could be suffering from a pathological gambling problem. The number represents 4.8% of the country’s adult population.

The study was funded by the ministry and the team of researchers was led by Susumu Higuchi of the Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center. In 2013, 4,153 randomly chosen adults living in Japan participated in the survey that found 8.7% of men and 1.8% of women show signs that they could be addicted to gambling.

Everyone participating in the survey was told to describe their gambling habits. They were asked to talk about activities such as betting on horse racing, online casino games, slot machines, boat racing, as well as pachinko. The latter is a very popular pinball-like game which can be played in parlors across the country.

The report also revealed that, compared to other developed countries, Japan had a higher percentage of pathological gamblers.

The Asahi Shimbun: Millions of Japanese hooked on gambling, survey shows

Recent news have revealed that an estimated 5.36 million Japanese adults – representing 4.5% of the nation’s adult population – are suspected of being addicted to gambling. About 4.38 million adult males and 980,000 female adults are habitual gamblers. The results are similar to those found in 2008, at the time of the last study.

The researchers asked subjects to answer “yes” or “no” to a number of questions or affirmations such as “I have gambled more than what I initially intended to do”. Those who answered “yes” to most of them are suspected of being pathological gamblers, as their replies indicate they cannot resist the temptation of playing for money.

Compared to other countries where similar studies have been carried out, the ratio for both men and women was particularly high in Japan. For example, in Switzerland only 0.5% of the total adult population was suspected of having a gambling problem; in the Us state of Louisiana, the percentage was a bit higher, at 1.58%, while in Hong Kong it reached 1.8%. Still, none of these come close to Japan’s 4.8%.

Susumu Higuchi, one of the researchers involved in the study told reporters: “On a global basis, Japan has one of the highest ratios of pathological gamblers as gambling devices such as pachinko and slot machine games are ubiquitous.”

Now the media believes that the study could impact the administration’s plan for economic growth, which includes proposals to allow casino resorts in certain parts of Japan.