Abstract
This paper presents an analysis of 44 case records of suicide occurring between 1990 and 1997 in the State of Victoria, Australia, in which the State Coroner identified the presence of a putative gambling problem. Analysis of demographic data revealed that the majority of suicidal gamblers were male with a mean age of 40 years with 84% of the sample being either unemployed or from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. The most common method of suicide was carbon monoxide poisoning. A quarter of the victims left a suicide note. Evidence was found indicating that almost a third (31.8%) of cases had previously attempted suicide and one in four had sought some form of mental health assistance for their gambling problem. A number of putative risk factors were identified including comorbid depression, large financial debts and relationship difficulties. The relationship between crime, suicide and gambling and gender differences among suicidal gamblers was also examined. The authors conclude that further research is required to substantiate these initial findings which are based on retrospective accounts and secondary sources of evidence.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Appleby, L. (1992). Suicide in psychiatric patients: Risk and prevention. British Journal of Psychiatry, 161, 749–758.
Bland, R., Neuman, S., Orn, H. & Stebelsky, B. (1993). Epidemiology of pathological gambling in Edmonton. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 38, 108–112.
Blaszczynski, A. & McConaghy, N. (1986). Demographic and clinical data on compulsive gambling. In M. Walker (Ed.) Faces of Gambling. Sydney: National Association for Gambling Studies.
Blaszczynski, A. & McConaghy, N. (1988). SCL-90 Assessed psychopathology in pathological gamblers. Psychological Reports, 62, 547–552.
Blaszczynski, A. & McConaghy, N. (1992). Pathological gambling and criminal behaviour. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology.
Bujold, A, Ladouceur, R., Sylvain, C. & Boisvert, J. (1994). Treatment of pathological gamblers: An experimental study. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 25, 275–282.
Buzan, R. & Weissberg, M. (1992). Suicide: Risk factors and prevention in medical practice. Annual Review of Medicine, 43, 37–46.
Congalton, A.A. (1969). Status and prestige in Australia. Melbourne. Cheshire Publishing.
Custer, R. & Custer, L. Characteristics of the recovered compulsive gambler. Paper presented at the Fourth National Conference on Gambling and Risk Taking, Nevada.
Frank, M., Lester, D. & Wexler, A. (1991). Suicidal behavior among members of Gamblers Anonymous. Journal of Gambling Studies, 7, 249–254.
Goldney, R., Positano, S., Spence, N. & Rosenman, S. (1985). Suicide in association with psychiatric hospitalisation. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 19, 177–183.
Goldstein, R., Black, D., Nasrallah, A. & Winokur, G. (1990). The prediction of suicide: Sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of a multivariate model applied to suicide among 1906 patients with affective disorders. Archives of General Psychiatry, 48, 418–422.
Gonzalez, I., Mercade, P., Ayami, N. & Pastor, C. (1992). Clinical and behavioural evaluation of pathological gambling in Barcelona, Spain. Journal of Gambling Studies, 8, 299–310.
Graham, C. & Burvill, P. (1992). A study of coroner's records of suicide in young people, 1986–88 in Western Australia. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 26, 30–39.
Hendriksson, M., Aro, H., Marttunen, M., Heikkinen, M, Isometsa, E., Kuoppasalmi, K. & Lonnquivist, J. (1993). Mental disorders and comorbidity in suicide. American Journal of Psychiatry, 150, 935–940.
Hillard, J. R. (1995). Predicting suicide. Psychiatric Services, 46, 223–225.
Horodecki, I. (1992). Treatment model of guidance center for gamblers and their relatives in Vienna, Austria. Journal of Gambling Studies, 8, 115–129.
King. E. (1994). Suicide in the mentally ill: An epidemiological sample and implications for clinicians. British Journal of Psychiatry, 165, 658–663.
Kramer, A. (1980). Helping the gambler help him/herself—Gamblers Anonymous and beyond. American Archives of Rehabilitation Therapy, 28, 10–11.
Ladouceur, R., Dube, D. & Bujold, A. (1994). Prevalence of pathological gambling and related problems among college students in the Quebec metropolitan area. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 39, 289–293.
Lesieur, H. (1984). The chase: career of the compulsive gambler. Cambridge: Schenkman Publishing.
Lesieur, H., & Blume, S. (1990). Characteristics of pathological gamblers identified among patients on a psychiatric admissions service. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 41, 1009–1012.
Lesieur, H., Blume, S. & Zoppa, R. (1986). Alcoholism, drug abuse and gambling. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 10, 33–38.
Lesieur, H. & Klein, R. (1985). Prisoners, gambling and crime. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Lester, D. & Jason, D. (1989). Suicides at the casino. Psychological Reports, 64, 337–338.
Linden, R., Pope, H. & Jonas, J. (1996). Pathological gambling and major affective disorder: Preliminary findings. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 47, 201–203.
Lonnquivist, S. J. (1991). Outcome of attempted suicide and psychiatric consultation: risk factors and suicide mortality during a five-year follow-up. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavia, 84, 545–549.
Mark, M.E. & Lesieur, H.R. (1992) A feminist critique of problem gambling research. British Journal of Addictions, 87, 549–565.
McCormick, R., Russo, A., Ramirez, L. & Taber, J. (1984). Affective Disorders among pathological gamblers seeking treatment. American Journal of Psychiatry, 141, 215–218.
Moran, J. (1969). Taking the final risk. Mental Health, Winter, 21–22.
Motto, J., Heilbron, D. & Juster, R. (1985). Development of a clinical instrument to estimate suicide risk. American Journal of Psychiatry, 142, 680–686.
Phillips, D.P., Welty, W.R. & Smith, M.M. (1997). Elevated suicide levels associated with legalized gambling. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior, 27, 373–378.
Pokorny, A. (1983). Prediction of suicide in psychiatric patients. Archives of General Psychiatry, 40, 249–257.
Ramirez, L., McCormick, R., Russo, A. & Taber, J. (1983). Patterns of substance abuse in pathological gamblers undergoing treatment. Addictive Behaviors, 8, 425–428.
Rhimer, Z. (1996). Strategies of suicide prevention: Focus on health care. Journal of Affective Disorders, 39, 83–91.
Roy, A. (1982). Risk factors for suicide in psychiatric patients. Archives General Psychiatry, 39, 1089–1095.
Rudd, M. D. & Joiner, T. (1998) The assessment, management, and treatment of suicidality: toward clinically informed and balanced standards of care. Clinical Psychology, 5, 135–150.
Schwartz, J. & Lindner, A. (1992). Inpatient treatment of male pathological gamblers in Germany. Journal of Gambling Studies, 8, 93–107.
Snowdon, J. (1997). Suicide rates and methods in different age groups: Australian data and perceptions. International Journal of Psychiatry, 12, 253–258.
Sullivan, S. (1994). Why compulsive gamblers are a high suicide risk. Community Mental Health in New Zealand, 8, 40–47.
Tsuang, M, Simpson, J. & Fleming, J. (1992). Epidemiology of suicide. International Review of Psychiatry, 4, 117–129.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Blaszczynski, A., Farrell, E. A Case Series of 44 Completed Gambling-Related Suicides. J Gambl Stud 14, 93–109 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023016224147
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023016224147