Monday, February 05, 2007

Online gambling 24 hours a day. EuroMillions jackpots in the tens of
millions of pounds, and now the UK's first "super-casino" in Manchester.
Never before have there been so many opportunities - and incentives - for
people to become seriously addicted to gambling. According to the British
Medical Association there are an estimated 300,000 'problem gamblers' in the
UK, and the BMA expects this figure to rise with September's introduction of
the Gambling Act 2005, which will lift entry restrictions on casinos and
bingo halls, and permit TV advertising for casinos. Gambling now has the
potential to reach far more than those individuals who are currently classed
as addicts. Research by Morse into the habits of office workers (January
2007), for example, found that one in three of these workers gamble at least
once a week for at least 15 minutes during work time. To help deal with
these issues, Professor Mark Griffiths, co-author of the BMA report, has
called for addiction services to be made available countrywide, and stated
that money is needed for prevention campaigns. Until such time as these
resources are introduced (assuming they ever are), if you are an employer
it's important to be on the lookout for any employees who may be developing
a gambling habit, especially because - as with other forms of addiction -
once established it can be far more difficult to break. 'Unlike drug or
alcohol addiction, there are no obvious physical signs of a compulsive
gambler. Like other addicts, however, they will typically deny any problem
until they hit rock bottom and are desperate for help.' explains Business
Stress Consultant Carole Spiers of The Carole Spiers Group. 'Among the
clearest indications of a serious gambling problem are borrowing money to
gamble or pay off debts; any effort to conceal gambling (as this implies
guilt that there is a problem); and the amount of leisure time devoted to
gambling. Pre-internet, compulsive gamblers might have had poor attendance
records due to their gambling, but it may now be necessary to look for
subtler signs such as only having half their mind on their job; appearing
withdrawn and less of a team player; secrecy; reduced productivity;
irregular time-keeping or general capability issues.'

The importance of dealing with gambling before it takes hold is highlighted
by research showing that by the time most compulsive gamblers seek help,
they are hugely in debt and their family life is a shambles. Around 80%
seriously consider suicide, and up to 20% attempt or succeed in killing
themselves. Three studies of Gamblers Anonymous members and others in
treatment also found that roughly two-thirds admitted to committing crimes
or fraud to finance their gambling; while in another study, 47% of the
Gamblers Anonymous members surveyed admitted to engaging in some form of
insurance fraud, embezzlement or arson.

"What started as a simple bit of fun almost ended up costing me my life,
says one reformed gambler. I couldn't sleep, couldn't pay my bills, was
constantly lying to cover up what I'd been doing, but I simply couldn't
stop. I used to steal money from my wife's purse, and was making her and our
family's life an absolute misery. Fortunately a work colleague spotted that
I had a problem and persuaded me to see a specialist counsellor. If he
hadn't, I might not be here today."

To help employers deal with these issues, Carole Spiers Group operates a
nationwide network of fully trained counsellors, capable of providing
specialist advice on the best ways of tackling gambling addiction. Carole
has also contributed an article on gambling at work to Gambling Trends,
published by Independence Educational Publishers, click link to view
details.

'If you suspect an employee is regularly engaged in internet gambling, use a
performance review to draw attention to any concerns. Prior to this, talk to
the employee about any stressors they are experiencing, as people can gamble
when they see 'no way out', and an early intervention could resolve this,'
concludes Carole Spiers.

'If their work appears to be suffering you should ensure regular appraisals
especially if jobs are not completed on time. If you find someone has been
gambling online during work hours, use an informal warning, followed by a
more formal approach if the problem persists. And in extreme cases,
seriously consider recommending the employee for help with their gambling
addiction.'