Military Gambling Addiction Twice as High

Military Gambling Addiction Twice as High

by Chad Hills

Veterans have about twice the rate of gambling addiction problems as does the general population. The Veterans Administration Health Services Research & Development funded a study to determine the prevalence of problem and pathological gambling addiction within the U.S. military, and their findings were disturbing. Here are a few items that stood out:

One in 10 veterans has a problem or pathological gambling addiction (2 percent pathological addictions and 8 percent problem addictions to gambling)

Unemployment seemed to play a major role in whether the veteran had gambling addictions, and married veterans were more likely to have gambling addictions (not what psychologists and researchers expected to see, very unusual)

Veterans have about twice the rate of problem/pathological gambling addictions compared to the general, non-military population

Both male and female veterans have almost identical problem and pathological gambling addiction rates (again, this is unusual – not what psychologists and researchers expected to see)

Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety tend to have more gambling addiction problems

Younger veterans (20s) were more likely to be diagnosed as pathological gamblers (from previous data, most veterans with pathological gambling addictions are 35 and older, so this change in age for addiction was unexpected)

Our troops protect this nation and our freedom. Shouldn’t we protect them by not tempting fate through placement of video slot machines, video lottery terminals or other gambling venues on military bases?

Military aggression, job stress, post-assignment stress, being away from loved ones and being placed in very dangerous and hostile environments can make our troops vulnerable to unhealthy methods of emotional escape. Video gambling machines can quickly become an addiction for troops trying to escape troubling emotions.