Dr Kylie King

Counsellor, Gambler’s Help Southern

I think that money certainly can be an enormous factor in initiating and perpetuating gambling problems. However, most of the clients I see (say 80%) usually also have other significant social/psychological problems which often precede problems with gambling. I think that whilst there are certainly a minority of people for which problems with gambling are motivated mostly by a desire to win money, (and therefore the problem recedes quickly once this cognitive distortion is addressed), I believe that for the vast majority of people money is not the most significant motivator. I think this is evidenced most clearly by clients with chronic gambling problems, that do not recede even when cognitive distortions have been addressed. Whilst I believe that the degree to which the desire to win money motivates problem gambling is often under-estimated, I still firmly believe that there are other far more powerful motivating factors.
I think it is also interesting to consider whether in fact cognitive distortions re: winning money are secondary to the gambling problem. By this I mean that distorted thinking about winning may come about AFTER the problematic gambling behaviour has already been established as a way to JUSTIFY the behaviour.

Nigel Turner

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Problem Gambling Service, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Yes and no. Yes, because without the dream of the win, there would be no gambling. No because, winning won't stop the gambling.

Katheryne Monardes

Counsellor, Gambler's Help Southern

I would say that for some people the notion of winning easy money through gambling may sound very appealing. Especially if they equate money with power, this notion can become very attractive for the most disadvantaged groups in our society, especially the low income earners (the elderly, unemployed,etc). They may think if they win lots of $$$ they could be able to regain control over their lives by purchasing peace of mind and instant happiness. Yes, I think that money is one of the key factors in gambling problems when people have these cognitions.

Nial Wotherspoon

Counsellor, Gambler's Help Southern

There can be little doubt about the importance of money in gambling. Clearly money occupies the very core of and gives gambling its meaning. If an individual has no money (cash) the person cannot gamble.
Alex Blazcynski postulates that money is really the key to understanding PG and the motivations behind the behaviours, giving those examples of if it wasn't about money then those that advocate gambling as relief of boredom, social interaction, occupying time, timeout etc. could presumably be content to keep busy with an activity that didn't payout money at all, a game of scrabble, monopoly (pretend money), going to the movies, interacting with people etc. Clearly money is the key in sustaining the behaviour, giving it both it's legitimacy and its wider social acceptance.
However this raises far broader questions regarding the role and importance of money to the individual, the utility of money when you don't have much and what unites all of us in our community. Sadly, if it's not a belief system in regard to life meaning, a moral code to which we aspire or trying to somehow develop ourselves whatever that means, then its all about the acquisition of as much as possible, then it can be all about money.

Dr Henry Lesieur

Rhode Island Gambling Treatment Program, Providence, USA

Money is the engine that drives the gambling and is an important factor. "Key?" You do not need money to gamble. Money has symbolic value.

I would contend that there are three keys: "action," money, and "escape."

Sanja Cosic

Counsellor, Gambler's Help Southern

Money can be a motivator for developing issues with gambling particularly if low income is a factor. Also, it becomes a factor if you lose it whilst you're gambling but having said that I think there are underlying vulnerabilities that affect people's gambling development in the first place which may make them prone to cognitive distortions about the messages the industry gives about "winning" or return / payout to the player. This misleading information can become the cornerstone for a whole series of ideas that distort the reality of what is happening when they play.

Anna Selkrig-Jones

Financial Counsellor, Gambler's Help Southern

I think to begin with most of my clients gamble for the pleasure and for somewhere to go. But then it is evident that they go to gamble to "escape" something that is happening in their life that they can't deal with or to "hide" from a situation or an event that may have taken place in the past. Money becomes important sometimes at a later date because of the amount they are gambling which begins to impede on their lifestyle such as not paying bills e.g. mortgage repayments/rent or utility account and credit card payments.
My example of gambling is that there is a jar full of one's life experiences and gambling is at the top, when you open the jar and remove the gambling problem through counselling then all the other issues are unveiled.

Sue Pinkerton

Psychosynthesis Centre of Australia, Salisbury, Sth. Australia

Gambling on a poker machine is not about the money at least not in the beginning...in the begining gambling is about fun, relaxation, socialization...as the conditioning takes hold, and more and more money is fed into the poker machine, it BECOMES all about the money, it's acquisition, the lack of it, how to earn it, how to get more of it, how to win back what has been lost already. At the lowest point gambling has become ALL about money.

Dr Eric Geffner

Clinical Psychologist, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Yes and no, but in many ways it is mostly no.
If money was the key reason, why would some very wealthy people exhibit gambling problems, some clients I have met are multi-millionaries, they could not possibly win enough money to impact their lives, even if they won a million dollars it would not matter really.However, it seems that the dopamine release associated with a win is the key for them, the experience of winning that makes then feel better.
Where there is a severe shortage of money for a gambler it often is the key reason that they go and try and win enough to pay the bills... and yet they usually do not stop, again, it is a neurological problem that causes the loss of control.

Nina Littman-Sharp

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Problem Gambling Service, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

I don't think any one thing can be THE key factor; that would be an extreme oversimplification. People gamble for so many reasons many of which have nothing to do with money. Money is pretty central because it's the means by which gambling occurs, it's a major trigger, and living in this society, money is central to us all whether we like it or not. But it is by no means the only thing that gambling is about.
Even the money factor is in no way a unitary concept. What does the money mean to that person at that time and place? Freedom, power, a way to keep playing, solace, rent, self-esteem, justice, what? Is it a means to an end or a goal in itself? Money is complex stuff, as are all the other reasons for gambling.

Ray MacNeil

Nova Scotia Department of Health, Canada

Many people will tell you it isn't about money.... that's impossible.

If you look at VLT players that we have surveyed for example, the hard core players are significantly more likely to tell you that the reason they play is to pay a bill or to win big money for some other purpose. Their activity is frequently goal directed in this manner. (ie more goal directed than the casual players).
People like to talk about the 'trance like' state, etc..... and I believe that this happens, but it is about money. If the VLTs were free to play, would people play them? Not for long.... If anything it has everything to do with the money, and nothing to do with the machine.