Responsible Gaming

Pathological gambling is a mental illness that has great affinity with the group of obsessive and compulsive problems and above all with the behaviours of abuse and dependence.

Pathological players do not present somatic characteristics, of age, of sex or social class that makes them recognizable. These individuals are unable to stop playing large sums of money at casinos (even on internet) on the horses, or on sporting bets. The more they lose the more they source the next bet. They rely on others to provide money while putting at risk their own patrimony and then even everyone else if they are given the possibility to do so. Nevertheless, from the psychological point of view, the gambler is more frequently an individual with a narcissistic personality who is dependent and impulsive. Gambling is generally experienced as an exciting activity and it is very difficult to stop once started. Often after the first phase characterized by thrilling wins, the tendency is to chase other wins increasing the frequency of bets and stakes. When the losses begin to appear, the gambler puts the blame on bad luck and tends to increase the risk factor with the hope of being able to obtain higher wins. The losses, at this point, overcome by a great number the winnings, and then the (?chasing? ones losses) phase begins, which is on attempt to recover the lost money with a stroke of luck. At this stage the game is seen as the only possibility of redemption and recovery.

Addiction to gambling is a chronic illness and therefore, treatment by trained and certified counsellors is necessary. The object of the cure must be first of all abstinence from the compulsive behaviour of the gambler and subsequently the attainment of a condition of sobriety that is a change of life style, permitting the gambler to become stronger towards possible relapses.

The tendency of a dependent person is that of denying or minimizing the problem and who believes that it is possible to stop from one day to the other. The first assignment of an expert counsellor is to begin a series of motivational interviews. The following step should be the stipule of a therapeutic contract between the patient, the family and therapist, that consists in eventual hospitalization, the preparation of a therapeutic program (individual interviews, psychotherapeutic and psycho educational groups, psychopharmacologic therapy) and planning of the re-entry from the important role and must always be helped to learn and gain knowledge of this important and hateful illness and, above all, take part in the therapeutic management of the patient.