Korn And Howard J. Shaffer: Article Analysis

The article titled “Gambling and the Health of the Public: Adopting a Public Health Perspective,” by David A. Korn and Howard J. Shaffer, was published in the Journal of Gambling Studies in 1999. In this article, gambling is described as a part of the domain of addictive behaviours. It is defined as “a disorder characterized by a continuous or periodic feeling of loss of control over gambling, preoccupation with gambling, preoccupation with gambling and money with which to gamble, irrational thinking about odds and winning, and continuation of gambling despite adverse consequences to self, family, and work.” The legalization of gambling within North America has opened the flood gates to problems ranging from psychological, financial, family
It seemed like gambling was a symptom of another disorder like depression or anxiety; where the gambler chose this form of recreation as an escape from the negative feelings they were experiencing day in and day out. The DSM IV lists this disorder as “pathological gambling” where 5 out of 10 criteria must be satisfied in order to make this diagnosis. This criteria is listed as follows: “a preoccupation with gambling, needing to gamble with increasing amounts of money to achieve excitement, restlessness or irritability when attempting to cut down or stop, gambles as a way of escaping problems, after losing money returns another day to get even, lies to others to conceal involvement, commits illegal acts to finance gambling, jeopardizes relationships and career, relies on others to bail them out, and finally has repeated unsuccessful attempts to cut back or stop gambling.” (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). (Korn & Shaffer). This diagnostic makes it clear that this is a disorder that requires further action and accountability by the government to ensure that this form of entertainment does not result in destructive behaviour and a breakdown of the family unit. Many casinos have programs now where a person attempting to quit gambling can sign themself out so that they will not be permitted back in the next time they attempt to return. The issue with this program is that they are
Casinos in particular are portrayed theme parks for adults. Commercials display casinos as a night out with friends that promises more fun than any other choice of entertainment. It provides direction to those seeking an experience that will take them away from the boredom of their hum drum lives. Most of these commercials end with a quick note of “please gamble responsibly.” This message is stuck in at the end of these commercials where the message is easily lost and has no impact. Bill boards for casinos on local highways direct drivers to exit for entertainment. If there is a socially responsible message, it would be lost by the driver on the bottom of the sign where it would be impossible for anyone to view. The amount of money generated by these avenues for gambling is enough for the government to turn a blind eye to the social consequences that it can have on one’s life. You will never see a sign that says “stop here if you want to lose all of your money.” It is the dream of attaining wealth and the promise of joy that continues to fund these