7/31/2019 Gambling Research Reveals - Issue 5, Volume 7 - June / July 2008

1/4

gambling

research

reveals

T Alrta Gaig Rarc

Ititut i a crtiu

t Uivriti Alrta,

Calgar, a Ltrig.

It priar purp i

t upprt a prt

rarc it gaig a

galig i t prvic.*

ourmission

T igifcatl iprv

Alrta kwlg

w galig act cit

1

Building research capacityin the feld o gambling in AlbertaAs the Institute nears its 10th year o existence, this issue presents a snapshot o

recent gambling-related research activity at the University o Alberta, University o

Calgary and University o Lethbridge. Each partner university has designated a nodecoordinator to serve as a liaison between its aculty and the Institute. Coordinators

provide a researcher perspective to the Institute Board, media representatives and other

stakeholders on a wide range o gambling-related issues. Another important unction

o these coordinators is to serve as the principal program planner, on a rotational basis,

o the Institutes annual conerence. The position o Institute Librarian and Inorma-

tion Specialist provides another o the important capacity-building unctions in the

promotion and dissemination o credible and authoritative gambling-related research

inormation.

Remembering the origins o the Institute

In 1998, a key recommendation made at the Gaming Summit public consultationon gambling held in Medicine Hat was that Albertas public policy should be devel-

oped within the context o independent, academic research. The provincial governments

innovative response to this particular recommendation was to provide unding support

to Albertas three research-based universities (University o Alberta, University o

Calgary, and the University o Lethbridge) to jointly establish a university-based gam-

bling research institute. In November 1999, an historic unding agreement was signed

that ocially created a research consortium called the Alberta Gaming Research Insti-

tute which was to be administered and governed by the three universities themselves.

From the outset, through unding support to theInstitute universities, the Institute

encouraged researchers to establish and/or to migrate their research programs towards

the various research domains o this emerging eld. Special signicance was also given

to research projects that were interdisciplinary, collaborative, or being undertaken by

researchers new to the eld. At its inception, there were only three researchers at these

universities ully engaged in gambling-related research. Moreover, worldwide there was a

dearth o gambling-specic research activity. Foresight on the part o the original planners

to work on building the range, scope, and volume o high quality, internationally recog-

nized research through ocusing eort on the strengths o each o the partner universi-

ties has indeed paid o. The estimated number o aculty researchers at the Institute

universities has grown exponentially since the establishment o the Institute. Togeth-

er with their collaborative partners rom other jurisdictions and organizations, new

researchers (including graduate and doctoral students and research assistants) now

number well over 100!

VoLUme 7 / IssUe 5

JUne / JULy 2008

7/31/2019 Gambling Research Reveals - Issue 5, Volume 7 - June / July 2008

2/4

2

From the InstituteLibrary...

by Rhys Stevens

Canadian Gaming News

The Alberta GamingResearch InstituteLibrary has made availablea reely accessible onlinearchive o 140 issues othe Canadian Gaming News(1994-2007) industrypublication. The archivecan be searched by key-word or browsed by issue

and is accessible romhttp://www.uleth.ca/lib/digitized_Collections/cgn.asp.

Canadian Gaming Newsholds the distinction obeing Canadas frst gam-ing publication and, ormost o its lie, the coun-trys only gaming publica-tion. It is the only source

that has recorded thebirth and growth o thisindustry. Permission todigitize this content wasobtained by the AlbertaGaming Research Instituterom Canadian GamingNews creator Ivan Sack.Content is being hostedby the University oLethbridge Library.

Gambling research at the U o AlbertabyDr. Garry Smith

Gambling-related research at the University o Alberta over the past year has ocused on

social science and public policy topics, however with the hiring o Economics o Gambling

Chair, Dr. Brad Humphreys, the University o Alberta will soon be a leader in economics o

gambling research. AGRI unded studies currently underway include the gambling patterns

and behaviors o certain ethnic groups (Chinese immigrants in Calgary and Alberta First

Nation bands in Hobbema) to determine the role that gambling plays in their societies

and the impact it has on those communities. Other studies include the extent to which

amateur sports groups are reliant on gambling unds and the benets and drawbacks o

this arrangement as well as gambling amongst prison populations (the nature and scope

o prison gambling and how it is dealt with by prison authorities).

Two University o Alberta Faculty members (Dr. Don Schopfocher and Dr. Garry Smith) are

part o the Leisure, Liestyle, Liecycle Surveya ve year longitudinal study o Albertans

gambling habits and characteristics. Year Two data collection has just been completed,so there will soon be scholarly articles emerging rom the mountain o data that is being

amassed.

The University o Alberta hosted the recent 7th annual conerence: Gambling in Society:

A Question of Balance which dealt with such leading edge public policy issues as consum-

er protection, accountability and social responsibility, the need or cost/benet studies

o legal gambling, the status o On-line gambling and the mass medias role in covering

gambling stories. Presenters included both the Ontario and British Columbia Ombudsman

and internationally recognized gambling studies scholars rom Canada, the United States,

New Zealand and Great Britain.

[For urther inormation on the conerencea summary is posted on the Institute

website and the previous issue (April/May 2008, v.7 #4) o Gambling research reveals...is dedicated to coverage o the conerence presentations]

Chair in the Economics o Gaming,Department o Economics, U o AlbertabyDr. Brad Humphreys

In the 2008 Winter term, I taught a graduate course on the economics o gaming or the

rst time. This is the only ull-term graduate level course on the economics o gaming

in the world. Course topics include: economic theories o gambling, an overview o the

economics o betting markets, racetrack betting, sports betting markets, the hot handand gambling, the avorite-long shot bias, lotteries, the economic impact o gaming, and

gaming in a cost-benet context. Seven graduate students were enrolled in the course, and

there has already been one capstone research paper proposal submitted on the economics

o gaming rom students enrolled in this course.

In terms o research and graduate training, as a co-principal investigator (together with

Dr. Rob Williams, U o Lethbridge), we obtained nal unding approval rom the Alberta

Gaming Research Institute and began preliminary work on a major grant project examining

the socioeconomic impact o gaming in Alberta. I am in the process o nishing editorial

work, as guest editor, o a special issue o the International Journal of Sport Finance on

7/31/2019 Gambling Research Reveals - Issue 5, Volume 7 - June / July 2008

3/4

3

Sports Gambling. It will contain our papers on sports gambling, and is to be published

in August 2008. Finally, in conjunction with the University o Alberta and the Department

o Economics, I have obtained unding or a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in the Economics o

Gaming. This position will be lled by a new PhD in economics who will work under my

supervision to begin a long-term research program related to the economics o gaming,and will be an invaluable tool or building research capacity in his area. Initial unding

is available or two years, the position has already been advertised, and I anticipate it

will be lled by August 2008.

Gambling research atthe U o LethbridgebyDr. Rob Williams

There are approximately 11 aculty members rom 7 dierent disciplines currently doing

gambling-related research at the University o Lethbridge. In Neuroscience, Dr. Mathew Tata

is using neuroimaging to better understand the neurological basis o pathological gambling.In Psychology, Dr. Martin Lalumiere and Sandeep Mishra are conducting laboratory inves-

tigations studying the relationships between gambling, risk-taking, and decision-making.

In Sociology, Dr. Rob Wood (along with Dr. Robert Williams) is studying Internet gamblers

to better understand the nature and risks involved in this orm o gambling. Dr. Bill Ramp,

also rom Sociology, is using archival research to understand the current conceptualization

o gambling in modern society. In Health Sciences, Dr. Robert Williams is spearheading a

province-wide analysis o the social and economic impacts o gambling. As part o this

team, Dr. Yale Belanger, rom Native American Studies, is specically looking at the impact

o gambling on First Nation communities. Dr. Williams is also involved in a couple o large

scale longitudinal studies o gamblers in Ontario and Alberta that should shed light on

the etiology o problem gambling. Dr. Gary Nixon, a member o the Addiction Counsel-

ling aculty, is looking at the underlying meaning o gambling to pathological gamblers.

Dr. Bonnie Lee, also part o the Addiction Counselling aculty, has a research program that

investigates the ecacy o congruence couple therapy or problem gambling. In Education,

Dr. Noella Piquette-Tomei is doing research into group therapy or women problem gamblers.

Ms. Bev West, in Health Sciences, has recently completed a pilot study investigating the

eectiveness o vouchers or the treatment o problem gambling. Dr. Ruth Grant Kalischuk, in

Nursing, has recently completed a study o the impact o problem gambling on amilies.

Gambling research at the U o CalgarybyDr. David Hodgins

At the Addictive Behaviours Lab in the Department o Psychology at University o Calgary,we are developing brie treatment approaches using a motivational approach. Our brie

treatment development work has three underlying assumptions: First, we know that many

people recover rom substance abuse and other addictions without the help o ormal treat-

ment. For example, it is clear that the most common pathway out o an alcohol problem

or Canadians is sel-recovery. We assume that this is also true or people with gambling

problems, although we know that people will oten not initiate the process o changing

until they have suered signicant problems or a signicant period o time.

Second, we also know that very ew problem gamblers, as ew as three percent, will attend

ormal treatment. Third, we also know rom studies o sel-recovered gamblers, that the

New Institute LiaisonLibrarians

As o August 1, 2008 GrantKayler o the John A. WeirMemorial Law Library will taover rom Maureen Beristainas the Institute library liaisor the University o AlbertaResearchers are encouragedcontact Grant (780-492-353with suggestions or librarygaming collection purchaseand or assistance withreerence-related questions.

We also wish to introduce

and extend a warm welcomeLaura Koltutsky, the new AGliaison librarian at the U oCalgary. Laura commenced hresponsibilities as the SociaWork and Psychology librariin early July. As a componeo this role, she will overseeacquisition and reerenceservices or the gambling-related research collection.Laura can be contacted bye-mail (ljkoltut@ucalgary.cor phone (403-210-6381).

In addition to serving astheU o Lethbridges liaisonlibrarian with the Institute,Rhys Stevens continues toserve as the principal inortion provider or general andresearcher queries. He is alsresponsible or maintainingand developing the Institute

website; writing and editingo the bi-monthly newsletteproducing special topic bib-liographies, and developingand providing access to themulti-aceted gambling-relaresearch collection. You areinvited to contact Rhys bye-mail (rhys.stevens@uleth.or phone (403-329-5176).

7/31/2019 Gambling Research Reveals - Issue 5, Volume 7 - June / July 2008

4/4

4

ALbeRTA GAmInG ReseARChInsTITUTe boARd o dIReCToRs

Dr. Nady el-Guebaly, Chair,University of Calgary

Dr. Jo-Anne Fiske, Universityof Lethbridge

Dr. Andre Plourde,University of Alberta

Dr. Chris Hosgood,University of Lethbridge

Mrs. Sheila Murphy, PublicMember

Dr. Erin Gibbs Van Brunschot,University of Calgary

Dr. Renee Elio,University of Alberta

exeCUTIVe dIReCToR

Vickii Williams(vickii.williams@ualberta.ca)

node CooRdInAToRs

University of Alberta:Dr. Garry Smith(garry.j.smith@ualberta.ca)

University of Calgary:Dr. David Hodgins(dhodgins@ucalgary.ca)

University of Lethbridge:Dr. Robert Williams(robert.williams@uleth.ca)

InsTITUTe LIbRARIAn

Rhys Stevens(rhys.stevens@uleth.ca)

Your comments and queries are welcomeeither by e-mail: abgaming@ualberta.ca

phone: 780.492.2856

Vickii Williams Writers/EditorsGarry SmithRob WilliamsBrad HumphreysDavid Hodgins

Rhys Stevens

Epigrafx Design/Layout

Media queries 780.492.2856

* The Institute is unded by the Albertagovernment through the Alberta LotteryFund.

ISSN 1499-2639 (Print) AGRI 2008

ISSN 1499-2647 (Online)

change strategies that they use (e.g., avoiding cues to gamble, sel-instruction) are similar

to those used by individuals attending treatment.

The challenge in helping greater numbers o problem gamblers than currently attend

ormal treatment is to oster the early use o these strategies without requiring that

the individual attend a program. Our strategy has been twooldwe have incorporatedpractical inormation about recovery strategies into a brie sel-help workbook and we

have provided individuals interested in using a sel-help approach with brief telephone

supportthat ocuses on their motivation to implement the change strategies.

We have conducted one clinical trial o this brie intervention and are currently conduct-

ing ollow-up assessments or a second nationwide evaluation. In our ongoing trial we

are used newspaper and television ads to recruit problem gamblers who want to recover

on their own. The purpose o the study is to determine more specically what type o

individual with which type o gambling problem is best helped by promoting natural

recovery[DCH1].

The AGRI unded research at the University o Calgary refects the wide diversity o

perspectives on gambling. David Crockord and colleagues are conducting neuroimag-ing studies exploring the brain regions involved in gambling. Daniel Lai, in contrast,

is examining cultural infuences in gambling. Tom Strong is examining the role o

language in gambling in recovery. Over the past ew years, research has been conducted in

almost every acultyMedicine, Social Science, Social Work, Education, Engineering and

Business. This interdisciplinary approach to gambling is also refected in the wide ocus

o the Leisure, Liestyle, Liecycle Surveya ve year longitudinal study o Albertans

gambling habits and characteristics. Dr. David Casey, the Project Coordinator, and

Drs. El-Guebaly and Hodgins rom the University o Calgary along with colleagues rom

the Universities o Alberta and Lethbridge are spearheading this exciting project.

A number o the research grants at the University o Calgary are unding doctoral graduate

student research. Supporting graduate students is one way to develop capacity withinAlberta to address gambling issues rom a evidence-based perspective. At U o Calgary,

Alice Holub is looking at the role o dierent aspects o impulsivity in gambling problems.

Does quick decision making, ailure to anticipate the uture or distractibility play a role

in gambling decisions? Will Shead is also looking at motivations to gambling, but rom an

emotional perspective. How do gamblers who gamble to enhance positive emotions dier

rom those who gambling to relieve negative emotions? Nicole Peden is working to develop

a treatment or amily members o problem gamblers to help them deal eectively with

the gambling issue.

For more inormation on any o the Institute unded research projects and capacity-building

activities at the Institute universities, please visit www.abgaminginstitute.ualberta.ca