Science the Key to Effective Policy for Gambling Disorders

With regulators worldwide striving to determine the most effective strategies for prevention and treatment of gambling disorders, a team of Harvard researchers has developed a concept that could help drive those policy decisions: science.

At a presentation of the American Gaming Association's (AGA) Responsible Gaming Lecture Series - hosted in April by the Michigan Gaming Association in cooperation with the Detroit chapter of the Casino Management Association(CMA) - Richard LaBrie, Ed.D., associate director of research and data analysis at Harvard Medical School's Division on Addictions, introduced the idea of research-driven gambling regulations, suggesting that scientific methods should leverage gambling policy.

"Gambling regulations today are rarely formulated by reviewing empirical evidence and practical experience," LaBrie said. "Political ideologies, media coverage, prevailing public opinion and a host of other circumstantial factors mainly drive the development of gambling-related policy. As a result, we hypothesize that gambling laws are largely inefficient in terms of implementation and enforcement. A scientific approach to gambling regulation would yield more effective, efficient and fair laws."

This hypothesis was confirmed by a preliminary evaluation of existing state regulations, which found that most regulations focused on gambling activities and the consequences of gambling rather than on initial prevention.

The Institute for the Study of Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders, led by Howard J. Shaffer, Ph.D., has launched the Science of Gambling Regulation project to identify, examine and analyze all statutes pertaining to the regulation of gambling institutions and systems around the world. LaBrie will provide a project update during a conference session Sept. 16 at Global Gaming Expo (G2E). To learn more about this program or other sessions addressing responsible gaming, visit the G2E Web site.

The AGA Responsible Gaming Lecture Series debuted last year as a component of the Responsible Gaming National Education Campaign. It is intended as an additional tool for training casino employees, regulators, clinicians, researchers and others interested in learning about disordered gambling. To purchase monographs or videos of this or past lectures, visit the AGA store.

Monographs and videos are available from the following lectures:
- Robert Ladouceur, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Universite Laval, Quebec, Canada 
Topic: "Understanding Gambling and Problem Gambling: A Step in the Right Direction"
- Ernie Allen, President and CEO, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 
Topic: "Keeping Children Safe: Challenges for the Gaming Industry"
- Howard J. Shaffer, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director, Division on Addictions, Harvard Medical School 
Topic: "A Public Health Perspective on Gambling: The Four Principles"
- Richard LaBrie, Ed.D., and Howard J. Shaffer, Ph.D., Division on Addictions, Harvard Medical School 
Topic: "Toward a Science of Gambling Regulation: A Concept Statement"