Amy Levey202/682-6119[email protected]
January 16, 2001Release No. 01-03
APA Issues Internet Gambling Advisory
Washington, D.C. - The American Psychiatric Association today issued a mental health advisory on Internet gambling and addiction.
In the advisory (http://www.psych.org/news_stand/mediaadvisory.cfm), which was distributed to university news services and other media outlets primarily targeting young people, APA's Committee on Treatment Services for Addicted Patients said there has been an explosive growth of gambling opportunities in recent years, including Internet gambling aimed at children and teens. The Committee is part of the APA Council on Addiction Psychiatry.
The advisory noted that Internet gambling can be more hazardous than other forms of gambling because there are few -- if any -- regulations to assure the fairness of games, or establish the responsibility of game operators, most of whom operate outside the United States. "An unscrupulous operator can merely close down a site or move its base to another country if challenged," according to the advisory. And unlike gambling activities that are subject to state and federal regulation, there is no control on the hours of availability, age of participants or type of games offered.
Pathological gambling is often characterized as an addiction-like disorder, with the affected person addicted to the excitement they get from gambling activities. It is sometimes accompanied by other disorders such as substance abuse or depression.
"We are concerned about the dangers of gambling for young people, and especially about the uncontrolled nature of gambling on the Internet," said Sheila Blume, M.D., chair of the APA Committee on Treatment Services for Addicted Patients. Blume added that the risk of problem gambling will be heightened by the upcoming Super Bowl and college basketball season, both traditionally heavy gambling periods.
The American Psychiatric Association is the national medical specialty society whose 40,000 physician members specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental illnesses and substance use disorders.
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