Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Professional and Pathological Gamblers: Similarities and Differences

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Gambling Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Although much recent research has focused on the gambling practices and psychosocial functioning of pathological gamblers, few investigations have examined the characteristics of professional gamblers. The current project sought to address this gap in the literature by conducting a quantitative comparison of professional and pathological gamblers. Pathological gamblers were recruited and balanced with professional gamblers on demographic variables and preferred gambling activity. A total of 22 professional gamblers and 13 pathological gamblers completed an extensive self-report battery including instruments assessing demographics, gambling behaviors and problems, other psychiatric disorders, current psychosocial functioning, recent stressful events, personality characteristics, and intelligence. Pathological and professional gamblers reported similar rates of gambling frequency and intensity and types of games played. Pathological gamblers endorsed poor psychosocial functioning, whereas professional gamblers reported a rate of psychiatric distress within a normative range. Pathological gamblers also reported lower gambling self-efficacy, greater impulsivity, and more past-year DSM-IV Axis I disorders than professional gamblers. The results of the present study shed light on the unique circumstances of professional gamblers, as well as underscore important differences between such individuals and pathological gamblers that could prove fruitful in future research and intervention and prevention efforts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Afifi, T. O., Cox, B., Martens, P. J., Sareen, J., & Enns, M. W. (2010). Demographic and social variables associated with problem gambling among men and women in Canada. Psychiatry Research, 178, 395–400.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Alessi, S. M., & Petry, N. M. (2003). Pathological gambling severity is associated with impulsivity in a delay discounting procedure. Behavioural Processes, 64, 345–354.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders—fourth edition text revision. Washington, DC: Author.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Baumeister, R. F., Gailliot, M., DeWall, C. N., & Oaten, M. (2006). Self-regulation and personality: How interventions increase regulatory success, and how depletion moderates the effects of traits on behavior. Journal of Personality, 74, 1773–1802.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Biometrics Research Department. (1995). New York State Psychiatric Institute: Structured clinical interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I). 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY.

  • Bjerg, O. (2010). Problem gambling in poker: Money, rationality and control in skill-based social gamble. International Gambling Studies, 10, 239–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burton, S., Netemeyer, R. G., & Andrews, J. C. (2000). Modeling potential psychological risk factors of pathological gambling. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 30, 2058–2078.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chui, J., & Storm, L. (2010). Personality, perceived luck and gambling attitudes as predictors of gambling involvement. Journal of Gambling Studies, 26, 205–227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Council, National. Research. (1999). Pathological gambling: A critical review. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Currie, S. R., Hodgins, D. C., Wang, J. L., el-Guebaly, N., Wynne, H., & Miller, N. V. (2008). Replication of low-risk gambling limits using Canadian provincial gambling prevalence data. Journal of Gambling Studies, 24, 321–335.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Derogatis, L. R. (1993). Brief symptom inventory: Administration, scoring, and procedures manual. Minneapolis: National Computer Systems, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dohrenwend, B. S., Krasnoff, L., Askenasy, A. R., & Dohrenwend, B. P. (1978). Exemplification of method for scaling life events: The PERI life events scale. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 19, 205–229.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Emmons, R. A. (1984). Factor analysis and construct validity of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory. Journal of Personality Assessment, 48, 291–300.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein, D. H., & Preston, K. L. (2010). Day life hour by hour, with and without cocaine: An ecological momentary assessment study. Psychopharmacology (Berl), 211, 223–232.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eysenck, S. B. G., Pearson, P. R., Easting, G., & Allsopp, J. F. (1985). Age norms for impulsiveness, venturesomeness and empathy in adults. Personality and Individual Differences, 6, 613–619.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frisch, M. B., Cornell, J., Villanueva, M., & Retzlaff, P. J. (1992). Clinical validation of the quality of life inventory: A measure of life satisfaction for use in treatment planning and outcome assessment. Psychological Assessment, 4, 92–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gerstein, D. R., Volberg, R. A., Toce, M. T., Harwood, H., & Johnson, R. A. (1999). Gambling impact and behavior study: Report to the national gambling impact study commission. Chicago, IL: National Opinion Research Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goudriaan, A. E., Oosterlaan, J., DeBeurs, E., & Van Den Brink, W. (2008). The role of self-reported impulsivity and reward sensitivity versus neurocognitive measures of disinhibition and decision-making in the prediction of relapse in pathological gamblers. Psychological Medicine, 38, 41–50.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths, M., Parke, J., Wood, R., & Rigbye, J. (2010). Online poker gambling in university students: Further findings from an online survey. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 8, 82–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hatch, S. L., & Dohrenwend, B. P. (2007). Distribution of traumatic and other stressful life events by race/ethnicity, gender, SES and age: A review of the research. American Journal of Community Psychology, 40, 313–332.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hodgins, D. C. (2004). Using the NORC DSM screen for gambling problems as an outcome measure for pathological gambling: Psychometric evaluation. Addictive Behaviors, 29, 1685–1690.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hodgins, D. C., Currie, S. R., & el-Guebaly, N. (2001). Motivational enhancement and self-help treatments for problem gambling. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 69, 50–57.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hodgins, D. C., & Makarchuk, K. (2003). Trusting problem gamblers: Reliability and validity of self-reported gambling behavior. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 17, 244–248.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Iancu, I., Lowengrub, K., Dembinsky, Y., Kolter, M., & Dannon, P. N. (2008). Pathological gambling: An update on neuropathophysiology and pharmacotherapy. CNS Drugs, 22, 123–138.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, R. C., Chui, W. T., Demler, O., Merikangas, K. R., & Walters, E. E. (2005). Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of 12-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62, 617–627.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, R. C., Hwang, I., LaBrie, R., Petukhova, M., Sampson, N. A., Winters, K. C., et al. (2008). DSM-IV pathological gambling in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Psychological Medicine, 38, 1351–1360.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Krueger, T. H. C., Schedlowski, M., & Meyer, G. (2005). Cortisol and heart rate measures during casino gambling in relation to impulsivity. Neuropsychobiology, 52, 206–211.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • May, R. K., Whelan, J. P., Steenbergh, T. A., & Meyers, A. W. (2003). The gambling self-efficacy questionnaire: An initial psychometric evaluation. Journal of Gambling Studies, 19, 339–357.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McGrath, D. S., Stewart, S. H., Klein, R. M., & Barrett, S. P. (2010). Self-generated motives for gambling in two population-based samples of gamblers. International Gambling Studies, 10, 117–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morasco, B. J., Pietrzak, R. H., Blanco, C., Grant, B. F., Hasin, D., & Petry, N. M. (2006). Health problems and medical utilization associated with gambling disorders: Results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on alcohol and related conditions. Psychosomatic Medicine, 68, 976–984.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Myrseth, H., Pallesen, S., Molde, H., Johnsen, B. H., & Lorvik, I. M. (2009). Personality factors as predictors of pathological gambling. Personality and Individual Differences, 47, 933–937.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nower, L., & Blaszczynski, A. (2006). Impulsivity and pathological gambling: A descriptive model. International Gambling Studies, 6, 61–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patton, J. H., Stanford, M. S., & Barratt, E. S. (1995). Factor structure of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 51, 768–774.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Petry, N. M., Stinson, F. S., & Grant, B. F. (2005). Comorbidity of DSM-IV pathological gambling and other psychiatric disorders: Results from the National Epidemiological Survey on alcohol and related conditions. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 66, 564–574.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raskin, R., & Hall, C. S. (1979). A narcissistic personality inventory. Psychological Reports, 45, 590.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Raskin, R., & Hall, C. S. (1981). The Narcissistic Personality Inventory: Alternate form reliability and further evidence of construct validity. Journal of Personality Assessment, 45, 159–162.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reid, R. C., Li, D. S., Lopez, J., Collard, M., Parhami, I., Karim, R., et al. (2011). Exploring facets of personality and escapism in pathological gamblers. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 11, 60–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosecrance, J. (1986). You can’t tell the players without a scorecard: A typology of horse players. Deviant Behavior, 7, 77–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosecrance, J. (1988). Professional horse race gambling: Working without a safety net. Work and Occupations, 15, 220–236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, M. (1989). Society and the adolescent self-image (Revised edition ed.). Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steenbergh, T. A., Meyers, A. W., May, R. K., & Whelan, J. P. (2002). Development and validation of the gamblers’ beliefs questionnaire. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 16, 143–149.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stinchfield, R., & Winters, K. C. (2001). Outcome of Minnesota’s gambling treatment programs. Journal of Gambling Studies, 17, 217–245.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tabachnik, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2007). Using multivariate statistics (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, A. C., Allen, F. L., Phillips, J., & Karantzas, G. (2011). Gaming machine addiction: The role of avoidance, accessibility, and social support. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 25(4), 738–744.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ware, J. E., Jr., Kosinski, M., Turner-Bower, D. M., & Gandek, B. (2002). How to score version 2 of the SF-12 health survey. Lincoln, RI: QualityMetric Incorporated.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weinstock, J., Ledgerwood, D. M., & Petry, N. M. (2007). The association between post-treatment gambling behavior and harm in pathological gamblers. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 21, 185–193.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weinstock, J., Whelan, J. P., & Meyers, A. W. (2004). Behavioral assessment of gambling: An adaptation of the timeline followback method. Psychological Assessment, 16, 72–80.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Welte, J., Barnes, G., Wieczorek, W., Tidwell, M. C., & Parker, J. (2001). Alcohol and gambling pathology among U.S. adults: Prevalence, demographic patterns, and comorbidity. Journal of Alcohol Studies, 62, 706–712.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zachary, R. A. (1986). Shipley Institute of Living Scale: Revised manual. Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zachary, R. A., Paulson, M. J., & Gorsuch, R. L. (1985). Estimating WAIS IQ from the Shipley Institute of Living Scale using continuously adjusted age norms. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 41, 820–831.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zimet, G. D., Dahlem, N. W., Zimet, S. G., & Farley, G. K. (1988). The multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 52, 30–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zimmerman, M., & Mattia, J. L. (2001). The psychiatric diagnostic screening questionnaire: Development, reliability and validity. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 42, 175–189.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zimmerman, M., Sheeran, T., Chelminski, I., & Young, D. (2004). Screening of psychiatric disorders in outpatients with DSM-IV substance use disorders. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 26, 181–188.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank the Patrick and Catherine Weldon Donaghue Medical Research Foundation for providing funding to conduct this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Saint Louis University, Shannon Hall, Room 208, 3511 Laclede Avenue, St. Louis, MO, USA

    Jeremiah Weinstock & Carrie E. Massura

  2. University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA

    Jeremiah Weinstock & Nancy M. Petry

Authors
  1. Jeremiah Weinstock
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Carrie E. Massura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nancy M. Petry
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeremiah Weinstock.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Weinstock, J., Massura, C.E. & Petry, N.M. Professional and Pathological Gamblers: Similarities and Differences. J Gambl Stud 29, 205–216 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-012-9308-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-012-9308-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation