Rapid Onset of Pathological Gambling in Machine Gamblers: A Replication

Abstract

This paper presents data describing the latency of the onset of pathological gambling (PG) in a large sample (N = 180) of men and women seeking treatment at the Rhode Island Gambling Treatment Program (RIGTP). The current study replicates the findings of Breen and Zimmerman (2002), and confirms that involvement with computerized gambling devices, such as video slots and video poker, is associated with a significantly faster onset of PG in both men and women who focus on those devices, compared to the latency of PG onset in patients who focus on other, more “traditional” forms of gambling. In addition, data are presented that suggest a linear association between the latency of PG onset and the contextual continuity of different forms of gambling. Forms of gambling that are more rapid, continuous, and repetitive are associated with a significantly faster onset of PG.