A lot done but more to do: Problem gambling must be prioritised as the public health crisis it is

Independent
 
A lot done but more to do: Problem gambling must be prioritised as the public health crisis it is
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We do not know the true extent of problem gambling in Ireland. A reasonable estimate suggests up to 250,000 people are affected, with 50,000 severely so.

rrespective of the statistics, some will unfortunately continue to see problem gambling as a character flaw or individual weakness and the consequences of the person’s own responsibility. Such stigmatising views are not backed up by empirical evidence. Successive brain scanning studies, psychological testing and genetic data point toward disordered function of a neurotransmitter, dopamine, in brain areas that control ability to make decisions and measure risk.

In problem gambling, the ability to make rational decisions in relation to gambling is absent and the person subsequently goes on to chase losses in a highly disordered manner.