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The Frantic Seeking of Credit during Poker Machine Problem Gambling: A Public Health Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Jane Oakes

    (PsychMed, Wellbeing and Recovery Research Institute—WARRI, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia)

  • Rene Pols

    (Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, P.O. Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia)

  • Sharon Lawn

    (College of Medicine and Public Health, Behavioural Health, Flinders University, P.O. Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia)

Abstract

(1) Background: Financial harms associated with problem gambling are substantial and result in suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety and relationship damage, causing distress for problem gamblers and their families. This paper examines Electronic Gaming Machine gamblers’ frantic use of credit during episodes of gambling as a substantial public health burden. (2) Methods: This qualitative study comprised 29 participants purposefully selected who participated in either focus groups or in-depth interviews, which were analysed using thematic, textual analysis. (3) Results: Ready access to credit in the gambling venues enabled problem gamblers to engage in desperate credit transactions to continue to gamble. Many showed frantic, repeated patterns of e-credit withdrawal, which may be typical of gambling while “in the zone”, when it is highly likely that the gamblers are not able to make informed decisions about the use of credit. This pattern of the electronic withdrawal of cash may well be recognisable electronically by financial institutions in real-time, as part of a duty of care potentially owed by banks to their customers. It would provide an opportunity for the identification of people at financial risk due to gambling and systemic intervention to limit the financial harm at a time when financial decision-making is impaired. (4) Conclusions: Although this finding needs further confirmation, there are significant implications for harm minimisation and early intervention for affected PGs. It also raises the issue of the ‘duty of care’ owed to PG customers by financial institutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Jane Oakes & Rene Pols & Sharon Lawn, 2020. "The Frantic Seeking of Credit during Poker Machine Problem Gambling: A Public Health Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-12, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:14:p:5216-:d:386784
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Matthew Browne & Nancy Greer & Vijay Rawat & Matthew Rockloff, 2017. "A population-level metric for gambling-related harm," International Gambling Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(2), pages 163-175, May.
    2. Jane Oakes & Rene Pols & Sharon Lawn, 2019. "The ‘Merry-Go-Round’ of Habitual Relapse: A Qualitative Study of Relapse in Electronic Gaming Machine Problem Gambling," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-15, August.
    3. Thomas B. Swanton & Sally M. Gainsbury & Alex Blaszczynski, 2019. "The role of financial institutions in gambling," International Gambling Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 377-398, September.
    4. Kevin Davis, 2019. "The Hayne Royal Commission and financial sector misbehaviour: Lasting change or temporary fix?," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 30(2), pages 200-221, June.
    5. Boardman, Barry & Perry, John J., 2007. "Access to gambling and declaring personal bankruptcy," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 789-801, October.
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