Georgetown Independent

Issue date: 4/30/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Jenna Weiner and Meredith Ponder

For some students, gambling means nothing more than the occasional poker game or March Madness bracket. But for others, the stakes are much higher.

"I gamble to make money, not for fun," says Greg*, a Georgetown senior who has asked to remain anonymous. "I see the balancing act between playing cards and everything else in my life as the same type of trade-off someone has to make between a 9 to 5 job and the rest of their life."

Greg reports betting between $5,000 and $100,000 on any given day, with his biggest win in a single day reaching as high as $195,000. With visits to Las Vegas or Atlantic City once or twice a month during the school year, Greg bets mostly on casino poker games and blackjack. Though he gambled 45-50 days last year and not at all this month, he played two to three times per week last summer. Despite having lost up to $95,000 at a time, he says that gambling "has had a large, positive impact" on his finances.

James*, a Georgetown junior who has also asked to remain anonymous, has a different story. "I haven't gambled much at all since Georgetown was upset in the NCAA Tournament, so in the last month or so I'd say I've gambled two or three times," he says. "I only began gambling in December, but over the course of the past three or four months, I've probably wagered on 30 to 50 individual games."

Concentrating mostly on sports betting, James has never wagered more than $25 at a time. "If there are fun or appealing wagers that involve players or teams that I don't know much about, I'll bet as little as $2 to $4," he says. As opposed to Greg's staggering wins and losses, the most that James has ever won in one day is $40 and the most he's ever lost in one day is $25.

According to the National Center for Responsible Gaming, behavior like Greg's or even James's is not typical--only 6% of students gamble more than a few times per month. A recent study by the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders also found the rate of weekly gambling among college students to be 2.6% (compared to a 2.25% rate in the adult population).

Yet the research on gambling is about 20 years behind the research for other addictions, according to Christine Reilly, Executive Director of the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders, making it difficult to assemble an accurate picture of gambling, both problematic and recreational. So what's the real story? Is college gambling a hidden epidemic or an over-exaggerated pastime?

The Facts

Though the gambling rates of college students may not be drastically higher than those of the adult population, the National Council on Problem Gambling found that the earlier gambling behaviors begin, the more likely that person is to develop a problem. In fact, most adult problem gamblers began gambling during their teenage years, according to the National Center for Responsible Gaming.

The study found that only half of male students and one-third of female students reported any gambling activity, that male students are twice as likely to gamble weekly as female students and that more males met the criteria for pathological gambling. Student athletes and sports fans are also at a much higher risk than regular students, with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) reporting that 69% of male student athletes and 48% of female student athletes gamble.

"I think that gambling is almost entirely a male activity," says James, "and I'd estimate that almost every male has participated in some form of gambling at some point in their life, even if it is merely a casual game of poker with a couple of friends."

The study reports that the lottery is the most popular type of gambling among students. Perhaps due to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act--passed by Congress in the fall of 2006--internet gambling among college students has declined from a weekly rate of 5.8% (in 2006) to a current rate of 1.5%.

But don't forget the ever-popular sports betting -the National Council on Problem Gambling reports that 30% of the nation's 18 million college students are expected to gamble on sports this year.

Georgetown Gambling

Considering its recent success in basketball, and, according to James, "the fact that Georgetown students tend to have deeper pockets than kids at other colleges," how does Georgetown gambling stack up?

"I have actually had contact with very little gambling at Georgetown," Greg says. "Aside from small stakes poker games (like $5 dollars to buy in) and betting on March Madness I have not seen it at all."

Comparing Georgetown gambling to that of other schools is no easy endeavor, as there are no statistics on gambling at Georgetown or at any other schools specifically. What we do know, however, is that Georgetown gamblers are not alone.

"New Orleans has a big casino near the French Quarter called Harrah's; it's definitely a big draw for Tulane students," says Sean McSweeney, a Tulane University junior. "I know one kid who lost $2,000 there in one night. Everyone who is 21 or older or has a decent fake [ID] has been there and lost at least a little cash at some point… It's definitely a great way for rich kids to throw away their parents' money."

Mike Foley, a Boston University junior, reports, "I know that my freshman year there was a pretty big group of guys who played poker on a regular basis in my dorm. I think they used to play for some big money too, $100 buy-ins sometimes."

While similar behavior can be found at Georgetown, sports betting seems to be where Georgetown excels. "Betting on sports is definitely prevalent in my extended group of friends," says James. "I'd say I know a dozen kids who have placed at least one bet in the past couple of months. People get caught up in the excitement and hype that surrounds a sporting event, either local or national, and they get an impulse to gamble. After a couple of people place a bet, others can't seem to help but place a bet of their own. Gambling adds an element of excitement to sporting events that people might otherwise have little reason to care about."

Though sports betting is a year-long activity, its peak at Georgetown is undoubtedly during March Madness. The NCAA college basketball tournament usually sees a total of $6 billion of illegally wagered bets, closely following the Super Bowl (which generates about $8.5 billion), according to USA TODAY sports analyst Danny Sheridan. In particular, Final Four games generate up to $2.25 billion in illegal betting. With Georgetown's success in March Madness growing by the year, does this translate into more gambling by Georgetown students?

James says yes. "I think that the success of Georgetown's basketball team has elevated the interest of Georgetown students in college basketball, and this has probably contributed to some type of an increase in sports betting at Georgetown."

"In a sport like college basketball, where there are over 300 teams, my friends and I tend to feel like we have a bit of an edge when it comes to betting on Georgetown basketball," James adds, "because we watch every game in its entirety, compulsively read articles and message board postings on the team, and get a feel for the mood and state of the players when we see them on campus on a daily basis."

Greg also attests to the presence of March Madness gambling. "Just about everybody I know puts up a few dollars to be in a pool," he says, "but I have rarely heard of the buy-in exceeding $50."

Though the statistics are few, the anecdotes are many, begging the question: what is it about college that leads to more gambling?

Why College Students?

According to Professor Yulia Chentsova-Dutton, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Georgetown, the main reasons for excessive gambling are poor impulse control and an inability to cope with stress.

"The ADHD crowd is hitting colleges right now," she explains, "which could indicate problems with impulsivity." In addition, she notes that college students are particularly at risk because this generation of college students seems more stressed out than ever, and problematic gambling often involves stress combined with an inability to deal with that stress.

The National Center for Responsible Gaming found similar risk factors. Problem gamblers, in contrast to people who do not gamble or who only gamble socially, scored highest on the questions that indicated unhealthy methods of coping with stress, according to the Center's report on college gambling.

Gambling has also been found to have extremely high rates of co-occurrence with substance abuse, a long-standing problem with college students.

"Students are in a new phase of life," the report explains, "and many are living away from home and authority figures for the first time. Other factors such as new opportunities to engage in some behaviors and the college culture also contribute to greater risk taking."

James has a different explanation. "When it comes to sports betting, poker and other online casino games, I think that time is the biggest factor," he says. "The general population doesn't have the time that college students have to sift through box scores and statistics or sit and play casino games for hours on end. Also I think the lack of real responsibility for college students is also a factor-grown adults with families to support don't have the ability or leeway to gamble with money that others, and not just themselves, depend on."

Problematic Gambling - Risks and Features

The American Psychiatric Association defines problematic gambling as persistent gambling behavior that involves loss of control of gambling, gradual worsening of the disorder and continuation despite negative consequences.

This continuation despite negative consequences is a key feature of the impulsivity problems described above. Chenstova-Dutton reports that many problematic gamblers experienced poor impulse control as early as childhood years, such as blurting out in class, not being able to stand in lines and difficulty postponing gratification.

Similar to impulsivity, a common feature of problematic gambling is a dysfunctional reward system. "These students are driven by rewards, especially the anticipation of the reward," says Chenstova-Dutton. Research also shows that intermittent rewards (as seen in gambling) provide the most powerful behavior conditioning.

Dr. Philip Meilman, Director of Georgetown Counseling and Psychiatric Service (CAPS), explains that addictive behavior such as gambling is "reinforcing in the short run," because it may create a "numbing effect that creates a psychic respite from stress, anxiety, rage or depression."

Chentsova-Dutton agrees, saying that gambling behavior persists because it is rewarded and pleasurable, and "there are always some problems that it solves for the person." In college students, as discussed above, that problem is usually stress.

In addition to those risk factors, there has been recent evidence that problematic gambling may be hereditary. This can be seen in gambling's co-occurrence with substance abuse problems, and also in its high co-occurrence rates with other mental health issues. Christine Reilly reports that other mental health diagnoses precede problematic gambling behaviors 75% of the time, indicating a genetic component of the condition. Especially considering the fact that most people who gamble do not develop addictions, this statistic indicates that problematic gambling is a feature of genetic influence, not of gambling alone.

There is a strong case for the genetic theory, Reilly claims, as evidenced by family history research and the recent discovery that gambling addicts have similar neurobiology.

According to the National Center for Responsible Gaming, more risk factors include parental gambling history and early delinquincy.

Another key issue is the social aspect of gambling and the antisocial nature of problematic gambling. Reilly says that perceiving gambling as entertainment or as a social activity may be a protective factor against developing gambling problems, as it is less likely to involve intense behavior and more likely to involve setting a budget. Meilman describes addictions such as gambling as "disorders of relationship," in which the behavior becomes the central focus of the person's life, to the detriment of almost all other relationships.

The basic problem, according to Reilly, is knowing "how much is too much."

Treatment

Unfortunately, very few problem gamblers seek treatment. Meilman reports that CAPS sees students for gambling addictions "very infrequently, and the same has been the case at other college counseling centers where I have worked."

Reilly describes this unwillingness to seek treatment as typical of addictions, probably due to the associated stigma, to a lack of awareness of treatment options or to a lack of money or insurance as a result of gambling.

However, studies indicate that gambling addictions do not follow what is called the "slippery slope" pattern seen in many addictions, in which the behavior will only get worse until treated. In fact, recent studies indicate that approximately one-third of problem gamblers successfully treat themselves, usually with guidebooks and self-help manuals.

Regarding formal treatment, the National Center for Responsible Gaming reports that "a treatment standard for gambling disorders remains on the horizon. Until then, clinicians should consider a "cocktail" approach that involves various combinations of drug therapy, psychotherapy, counseling, fellowships (e.g., Gamblers Anonymous), financial education and self-help interventions."

Reilly agrees, adding that although there is a scarcity of treatment outcome research, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) seems promising. CBT treatment usually involves cognitive correction, social skills training, problem solving and relapse prevention, and seems to be particularly beneficial because of gambling's high association with depression.

Reilly notes that only 22% of colleges in a recent study have any policy on gambling. Because schools with thought-out alcohol policies report lower binge-drinking rates, she speculates that more gambling policies could lead to reduced rates of student gambling.

Chentsova-Dutton, however, disagrees. "I don't know if prohibitions will help," she says. Because addicts have problems perceiving and integrating danger cues, more punishment will not necessarily help. "It's like trying to use a traffic light with someone who is colorblind," she says. "Instead, we should focus on creating different rewards for them," such as substituting gambling rewards for healthier ones, or having the punishment consist of withdrawing the reward. "You have to work within the reward system," she explains.

Final Word

Though we cannot say for sure where Greg's or James's behavior lies on the spectrum of gambling at Georgetown, or even of college gambling in general, we can say that not all students who gamble are at risk for an addiction.

James claims that "at the very most, a tough loss might put me in a bad mood for ten or fifteen minutes, but I never put enough money on the line for a loss to significantly affect the way I feel or live my life," while Greg, whose bets are much higher, still thinks gambling has had a "large, positive impact" on his life.

The question is--how much is too much? The dangerous line between pastime and addiction is hazy and elusive, at best.

* Name has been changed to protect privacy.

Weiner is Editor in Chief and an English junior.

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