scholarly journals Gambling-Related Employee Embezzlement: A Study of Swedish Newspaper Reports

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per Binde
Keyword(s):  
Problem Gambling ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Economic Crime ◽  
Mutual Support ◽  
Severe Problem ◽  
Media Study ◽  
Milieu De Travail ◽  
Problem Gamblers ◽  
True Prevalence ◽  
Bank Managers

It is well-known that severe problem gambling may lead to economic crime. This study explored a particular type of such criminality: embezzlement committed by problem gamblers in the workplace. The aim was to gain knowledge about the extent of such criminality in Sweden and the sums of money involved. The method used was a media study of newspaper reports, complemented with information about help-seeking problem gamblers obtained in interviews with therapists specializing in problem gambling and with peer counsellors in mutual support societies of problem gamblers. The results showed that gambling-related embezzlement occurs in all branches of the economy where employees have access to money. The sums embezzled can be huge and the crimes sustained over several years. However, this varies across professional categories, with bank managers embezzling larger sums of money than others, and for longer, before being detected. Although Swedish newspapers report on average about one case a month of gambling-related employee embezzlement, the true prevalence is likely to be at least 10 times higher. More efforts should be made to prevent embezzlement and other gambling-related harms in the workplace.On sait que le jeu problématique grave peut mener à la criminalité économique. Cette étude porte sur un aspect particulier de ce type de criminalité, soit le détournement commis par des joueurs problématiques dans leur milieu de travail. Elle vise à établir l’étendue de cette criminalité en Suède et les sommes d’argent en cause. À cette fin, on a effectué une analyse média des articles de journaux ainsi que des renseignements sur les joueurs problématiques ayant demandé de l’aide recueillis dans des entrevues avec des thérapeutes spécialisés en jeu problématique et avec des pairs-conseillers de groupes de soutien pour les joueurs problématiques. Il a été constaté que le détournement lié au jeu problématique se produit dans tous les secteurs de l’économie où les employés ont accès à l’argent. Les sommes détournées peuvent être considérables et les crimes, se perpétrer sur plusieurs années. La situation varie toutefois selon la catégorie des professions, les directeurs de banque détournant des sommes plus élevées que les autres, et pendant de plus longues périodes, avant d’être découverts. Bien que les journaux suédois ne rapportent en moyenne qu’un cas de détournement par un employé joueur pathologique par mois, cette étude laisse entendre que la prévalence réelle est probablement dix fois plus élevée. Il est conclu que plus d’efforts doivent être faits pour prévenir le détournement et les autres dommages liés au jeu dans le milieu de travail. 

scholarly journals Gambling-Related Employee Embezzlement: A Study of Swedish Newspaper Reports

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per Binde
Keyword(s):  
Problem Gambling ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Economic Crime ◽  
Mutual Support ◽  
Severe Problem ◽  
Media Study ◽  
Milieu De Travail ◽  
Problem Gamblers ◽  
True Prevalence ◽  
Bank Managers

It is well-known that severe problem gambling may lead to economic crime. This study explored a particular type of such criminality: embezzlement committed by problem gamblers in the workplace. The aim was to gain knowledge about the extent of such criminality in Sweden and the sums of money involved. The method used was a media study of newspaper reports, complemented with information about help-seeking problem gamblers obtained in interviews with therapists specializing in problem gambling and with peer counsellors in mutual support societies of problem gamblers. The results showed that gambling-related embezzlement occurs in all branches of the economy where employees have access to money. The sums embezzled can be huge and the crimes sustained over several years. However, this varies across professional categories, with bank managers embezzling larger sums of money than others, and for longer, before being detected. Although Swedish newspapers report on average about one case a month of gambling-related employee embezzlement, the true prevalence is likely to be at least 10 times higher. More efforts should be made to prevent embezzlement and other gambling-related harms in the workplace.On sait que le jeu problématique grave peut mener à la criminalité économique. Cette étude porte sur un aspect particulier de ce type de criminalité, soit le détournement commis par des joueurs problématiques dans leur milieu de travail. Elle vise à établir l’étendue de cette criminalité en Suède et les sommes d’argent en cause. À cette fin, on a effectué une analyse média des articles de journaux ainsi que des renseignements sur les joueurs problématiques ayant demandé de l’aide recueillis dans des entrevues avec des thérapeutes spécialisés en jeu problématique et avec des pairs-conseillers de groupes de soutien pour les joueurs problématiques. Il a été constaté que le détournement lié au jeu problématique se produit dans tous les secteurs de l’économie où les employés ont accès à l’argent. Les sommes détournées peuvent être considérables et les crimes, se perpétrer sur plusieurs années. La situation varie toutefois selon la catégorie des professions, les directeurs de banque détournant des sommes plus élevées que les autres, et pendant de plus longues périodes, avant d’être découverts. Bien que les journaux suédois ne rapportent en moyenne qu’un cas de détournement par un employé joueur pathologique par mois, cette étude laisse entendre que la prévalence réelle est probablement dix fois plus élevée. Il est conclu que plus d’efforts doivent être faits pour prévenir le détournement et les autres dommages liés au jeu dans le milieu de travail. 

Change and continuity in a help-seeking problem gambling population: A five-year record*

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alun C. Jackson ◽  
Shane A. Thomas ◽  
Tangerine A. Holt ◽  
Neil Thomason
Keyword(s):  
Problem Gambling ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Major Element ◽  
Client Characteristics ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Problem Gamblers ◽  
Counselling Services ◽  
Minimum Data ◽  
Increasing Trend ◽  
Seeking Help

This paper provides an overview of some trends among problem gamblers seeking help through the BreakEven/Gambler's Help problem gambling counselling services in Victoria, Australia, between July 1995 and June 2000. Data presented are drawn from details collected on clients at registration, assessment, and all other client contacts to form a Problem Gambling Services minimum data set (MDS). Analysis of the MDS shows a number of noteworthy trends towards continuity or change. A major element of continuity is the ability of the service to attract women, who constitute around 50% of the clients for the period. Major changes include the increasing trend towards presentation of clients at an earlier stage in their "career" as problem gamblers. Also identified is persistence or change in client characteristics, such as gender differences in gambling activity and problem type and level. In addition, a range of other factors are explored, such as level of debt and its associated characteristics, the characteristics of people committing crimes to finance their gambling, and the differences between people presenting for counselling and problem gamblers in the community.

Only problem gamblers spend less money when loot boxes are removed from a game: A before and after study of Heroes of the Storm

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Zendle
Keyword(s):  
Video Games ◽  
Problem Gambling ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Real World ◽  
Complex Pattern ◽  
Problem Gamblers ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Gambling Severity ◽  
Reliable Correlation ◽  
Before And After Study

Loot boxes are items in video games that may be paid for with real-world money, but which contain randomised contents. There is a reliable correlation between loot box spending and problem gambling severity: The more money gamers spend on loot boxes, the more severe their problem gambling tends to be. However, it is unclear whether this link represents a case in which loot box spending causes problem gambling; a case in which the gambling-like nature of loot boxes cause problem gamblers to spend more money; or whether it simply represents a case in which there is a general dysregulation in in-game spending amongst problem gamblers, nonspecific to loot boxes.The multiplayer video game Heroes of the Storm recently removed loot boxes. In order to better understand links between loot boxes and problem gambling, we conducted an analysis of players of Heroes of the Storm (n=112) both before and after the removal of loot boxes.There were a complex pattern of results. In general, when loot boxes were removed from Heroes of the Storm, problem gamblers appeared to spend significantly less money in-game in contrast to other groups. These results suggest that the presence of loot boxes in a game may lead to problem gamblers spending more money in-game. It therefore seems possible that links between loot box spending and problem gambling are not due to a general dysregulation in in-game spending amongst problem gamblers, but rather are to do with specific features of loot boxes themselves.

Binge Eating and Problem Gambling are Associated with Common and Distinct Deficits in Emotion Regulation among Community Women: Results from a Prospective Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Farstad ◽  
Kristin M. von Ranson
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Binge Eating ◽  
Problem Gambling ◽  
Prospective Study ◽  
Emotion Dysregulation ◽  
Behavioral Addiction ◽  
Negative Urgency ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Severe Problem

To elucidate similarities and differences between binge eating and a behavioral addiction, this prospective study compared facets of emotion regulation that were associated with problem gambling, the only formally recognized behavioral addiction, and binge eating. Community-based women (N = 202) who engaged in at-risk binge eating (n = 79), at-risk gambling (n = 36), or both (n = 87) completed four online assessments over six months. Baseline and six-month surveys assessed self-reported emotion dysregulation (using the DERS and UPPS-P), binge eating (using the EDE-Q), and gambling (using the PGSI); abbreviated two- and four-month surveys assessed only binge eating and gambling. Binge eating and problem gambling were both associated with emotion dysregulation, and greater positive urgency was correlated with more severe problem gambling but less frequent binge eating. Negative urgency explained no unique variance in binge eating or problem gambling changes over time, once other facets of emotion dysregulation (i.e., positive urgency and facets assessed by the DERS) were included. Thus, previous cross-sectional research may have overestimated the association of negative urgency with both binge eating and problem gambling. Overall, these findings suggest that binge eating and problem gambling are associated with common as well as distinct emotion regulation deficits.

scholarly journals Gambling and Problem Gambling in Canada in 2018: Prevalence and Changes Since 2002: Le Jeu et le Jeu Problématique au Canada en 2018 : Prévalence et Changements Depuis 2002

2020 ◽  
pp. 070674372098008
Author(s):  
Robert J. Williams ◽  
Carrie A. Leonard ◽  
Yale D. Belanger ◽  
Darren R. Christensen ◽  
Nady el-Guebaly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Problem Gambling ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Health Survey ◽  
Canadian Community Health Survey ◽  
Problem Gamblers ◽  
Type Of Gambling ◽  
Community Health Survey ◽  
Electronic Gambling ◽  
Time Periods ◽  
Electronic Gambling Machine

Objective: The purpose of this study was to provide an updated profile of gambling and problem gambling in Canada and to examine how the rates and pattern of participation compare to 2002. Method: An assessment of gambling and problem gambling was included in the 2018 Canadian Community Health Survey and administered to 24,982 individuals aged 15 and older. The present analyses selected for adults (18+). Results: A total of 66.2% of people reported engaging in some type of gambling in 2018, primarily lottery and/or raffle tickets, the only type in which the majority of Canadians participate. There are some significant interprovincial differences, with perhaps the most important one being the higher rate of electronic gambling machine (EGM) participation in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The overall pattern of gambling in 2018 is very similar to 2002, although participation is generally much lower in 2018, particularly for EGMs and bingo. Only 0.6% of the population were identified as problem gamblers in 2018, with an additional 2.7% being at-risk gamblers. There is no significant interprovincial variation in problem gambling rates. The interprovincial pattern of problem gambling in 2018 is also very similar to what was found in 2002 with the main difference being a 45% decrease in the overall prevalence of problem gambling. Conclusions: Gambling and problem gambling have both decreased in Canada from 2002 to 2018 although the provincial patterns are quite similar between the 2 time periods. Several mechanisms have likely collectively contributed to these declines. Decreases have also been reported in several other Western countries in recent years and have occurred despite the expansion of legal gambling opportunities, suggesting a degree of inoculation or adaptation in the population.

scholarly journals A Genealogical Analysis of the Medical Model of Problem Gambling

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-107
Author(s):  
Sean Wilcox
Keyword(s):  
Problem Gambling ◽  
Social Control ◽  
Medical Model ◽  
Cumulative Effect ◽  
Problem Gamblers ◽  
Language Problem ◽  
Genealogical Analysis ◽  
New Form ◽  
Regulatory Decisions ◽  
Confessional Discourse

By applying Foucault’s genealogical approach, this article understands the ascension of the medical model of problem gambling as a happenstance and contingent effect of a new form of social control (biopower). The investigation reveals the cumulative effect of some of the heterogeneous components surrounding the medical model’s creation: discourses; institutions; laws; regulatory decisions; administrative measures; scientific proposition, and philanthropic, moral, and philosophical arguments. In the process, it becomes apparent that the medical model is an effect of a form of control that is embedded in the population itself as a norm and follows the schemata of confessional discourse. This power is disciplining individual bodies and regulating populations towards normality by making problem gamblers critically examine themselves and discursively reveal the results. However, the present subjectivity for problem gamblers (i.e., how they understand themselves and how they are understood by those who would improve them) is an effect of the type of power contained in the confession as well. A certain form of subjectivity is created by admitting ‘I am powerless over gambling.’ While the language problem gamblers use to describe themselves is a mere effect of power, it nevertheless determines how they think of themselves and their relationship with gambling.

scholarly journals Characteristics of Gamblers Who Use the French National Problem Gambling Helpline and Real-Time Chat Facility: Longitudinal Observational Study

10.2196/13388 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. e13388
Author(s):  
Stéphane Darbeda ◽  
Henri-Jean Aubin ◽  
Michel Lejoyeux ◽  
Amandine Luquiens
Keyword(s):  
Problem Gambling ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Logistic Models ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Casino Gambling ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Web Based ◽  
History Of

Background Problem gambling is a growing public health issue that is characterized by low rates of face-to-face help seeking. Helplines and real-time chat services could reduce shortfalls in treatment. Objective This study aimed to (1) describe the characteristics of gamblers contacting a government-funded help service, (2) study the evolution of their characteristics over time, (3) evaluate the differences between subgroups (ie, gender, media used for gambling, and media used to contact the service), and (4) explore factors influencing referral to care. Methods From January 2011 to December 2015, a government-funded gambling helpline and real-time chat website in France received 9474 contacts from gamblers. Counselors filled in a form for each contact, collecting demographics, gambling characteristics, and referrals. Time-series analyses were performed. Univariate logistic models were used to assess differences across subgroups. A multivariate analysis was conducted to determine the variables related to an actual referral. Results Gamblers were predominantly men (7017/9474, 74.07%); the average age was 41 years (SD 14). Compared with the men, the women were older (mean 50.7 years, SD 14.0 vs mean 37.9 years, SD 13.0, respectively; P<.001), were more often solely offline gamblers (1922/2457, 78.23% vs 4386/7017, 62.51%, respectively; P<.001), and had different gambling patterns. Compared with helpline contacts, real-time chat contacts were more often men (124/150, 82.7% vs 3643/4881, 74.64%, respectively; P=.04), younger (mean 32.8 years, SD 12.9 vs mean 41.3 years, SD 14.3, respectively; P<.001), more often poker gamblers (41/150, 27.3% vs 592/4881, 12.13%, respectively; P<.001), and more often web-based gamblers (83/150, 55.3% vs 1462/4881, 29.95%, respectively; P<.001). Referral was positively associated with betting (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.46, 95% CI 1.27-1.67; P<.001), casino gambling (aOR 1.38, 95% CI 1.21-1.57; P<.001), scratch cards (aOR 1.83, 95% CI 1.58-2.12; P<.001), poker gambling (aOR 1.35, 95% CI 1.14-1.61; P<.001), lottery (aOR 1.27, 95% CI 1.03-1.56; P=.03), weekly gambling (aOR 1.73, 95% CI 1.40-2.15; P<.001), request for referral (aOR 17.76, 95% CI 14.92-21.13; P<.001), and a history of suicide attempts (aOR 2.13, 95% CI 1.51-3.02; P<.001), and it was negatively associated with web-based gambling (aOR 0.86, 95% CI 0.75-0.98; P=.030) and refusal to be referred (aOR 0.35, 95% CI 0.26-0.49; P<.001). Conclusions The governmental helpline and chat contacts included a broad range of sociodemographic profiles. Compared with the helpline, real-time chat exchanges reached a younger population of web-based gamblers, which was the target population. The development of the gambling helpline and help online website is a considerable challenge for the future.

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