Seek help for gambling disorder

THE EDITOR, Madam:

On June 2, an article published in THE STAR, ‘Gambling addict begs to be rehabilitated’, highlighted a court matter in which a gentleman was being prosecuted for theft of a phone which was sold and the proceeds used to fuel his gambling addiction. I assume that there are many others like him in Jamaica.

I would like to take the opportunity to encourage us to invest in treatment approaches for those who may develop gambling-related problems. A gambling disorder falls under the category of an addiction and has been clearly established as a disease with specific criteria for diagnosis as well as course of treatment. Worldwide, the data reveals that gambling disorders within populations range from one to six per cent, depending on the continent, culture and gambling opportunities. These rates, though apparently low, still have far-reaching effects as, for every person with a gambling-related issue, there are at least eight to 10 family members affected, including children.

As the programme manager of the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC)-funded Treatment and Research of Gambling Disorders and Responsible Gaming Programme, I am encouraging the powers that be to begin to explore the possibilities of a gambling-treatment court system. This is just as we have drug treatment courts in Jamaica. The action, if the cycle is to stop, must be rehabilitative and not punitive. Gambling treatment courts have been established as far back as 2001 in the United States and serve as an effective tool for promoting the notion of therapeutic jurisprudence. These courts were established out of the increase in the number of gambling opportunities, combined with an increase in the number of persons with gambling-related issues. If the cycle of excessive gambling isn’t short circuited, the individual, after serving time in jail, will continue the gambling addiction. Clearly, the data shows that most people who gamble do not have a problem. However, for those who do, we must provide the cutting-edge treatment processes that will yield the most positive outcomes.

We at RISE, through the BGLC, have had to engage in treatment with persons who have matters before the court that have come about as a result of their addiction to gambling and subsequent stealing. Unless the gambling addiction is arrested, the cycle of problems with the law will continue. As Jamaica moves forward with the expansion of the gaming industry, we must continue to ensure that we create a safe, responsible and sensitive environment for gaming to exist, and for those vulnerable to a gambling disorder to get help.

RICHARD HENRY

RISE Life Management Services

Kingston