Problem gambling continues to remain an elusive addiction that can be difficult to treat. Researchers across Australia and around the world have been working hard to develop treatment methods that are effective and long-lasting. This week, a team from Sydney University have announced a new breakthrough, which uses math to treat problem gamblers.
Dr Fadi Anjoul has developed a program that teaches problem gamblers the truth about pokies and other casino games. By showing them realistic statistics about gaming odds, the research team has been able to reduce their clients’ gambling by up to 90%. This method of treatment is called Cognitive Deconstructional Therapy.
It aims to educate problem gamblers about mathematics that play a crucial role the average casino game, such as probability and randomness. Dr Anjoul was inspired to use this type of therapy, as he encountered many persistent misconceptions about gambling that have been proven to be incorrect.
For example, many pokie players believe that the games are pre-programmed to pay out their prizes, and that prizes are paid out on a schedule. These beliefs tend to influence the way in which players wager, and correcting these misconceptions can lead to more responsible gambling habits. "A belief that the more losing that occurs, the closer you are to winning.
So when you're down you continue to gamble because you think a machine is due to pay,” he says. "And when you're up you continue to gamble because you think it will pay more." In Dr Anjoul’s treatment, he teaches players that there is no rhyme or reason to the way that pokies pay out their prizes.
Cognitive Deconstructional Therapy provides them with a realistic look at how poker machines work, and it has proven to be quite successful thus far.
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