This case study was prepared by Takako Maeda the former Country Manager of Casino-x. Takako currently alliances with online casino service providers to give a Coaching for gambling disorder. She also gives a speech to online casino companies.
Takako said “Japan used to have a different style of gambling compared to other counties such as horse racing, pachinko, and lottery. But as everyone could reach not only online casino games but also sport betting games, there would be a higher risk to increase the number of gambling disorders”.

 

What is Gambling Disorder?

Gambling disorder involves repeated problematic gambling behavior that causes significant problems or distress.

Nearly 4% of the population has gambling-related problems, and 6% will experience harm from gambling during their lifetime—including financial, legal, relational, and health problems. In addition, individuals with gambling problems have exponentially higher rates of suicide attempts and completions.

In this case study, you will find how to deal with the stress and anxiety associated with gambling disorder and how to support the family.

Case: A stressed wife succeeded in supporting a husband with a gambling disorder under the guidance of a psychiatrist.

Take a depressed 50-year-old Japanese online casino user, for example. He was laid off from work 6 months earlier. Since then, he plays casino games such as poker and online slots up to 8 hours a day in an online casino called Casino-X, known as カジノエックス in Japanese. Japan has no land-based casino at the moment. Yet, he is recommended by his friends, gambles “out of boredom” and enjoys the social atmosphere. Although he is well-off financially, he has lost more than $200,000 in the past year. He now plays at higher-limit tables and chases his bets. He lies to his wife regarding his gambling habits and is on the brink of getting a divorce. He started playing poker as a teenager and had weekly poker games with his friends after work and every weekend.

He has no confidence, lacks motivation, has stopped taking care of himself, and has gained 20 kg in the past year. He has a hard time falling asleep and is sometimes restless in the morning.

During the first session with Taka and his wife, his recent gambling winnings/losses are reviewed, including bank statements that his wife brings in. He is confused about the total amount of losses. He loves online gambling still like to play online poker and slot games, but he does not want a divorce. He agrees to give all his bank cards to his wife, ban himself from online casinos, called customer support to block his account permanently, and works on saving his marriage. The couple is given a self-help workbook and listings for Gamblers Anonymous and Gam-Anon to receive therapy to save their relationship.

Mirtazapine is prescribed to help with depression, and aripiprazole is tapered. By the next session, Take has stopped gambling because he no longer has easy access to money. He has also been attending Gamblers Anonymous several times a week and enjoys their friendliness. He appreciates how attending Gamblers Anonymous has helped diminish his strong urges to play poker.

By the fourth session, he had completed his résumé and started to take care of himself again. His sleep has improved, he regularly attends meetings of Gamblers Anonymous, and he has a sponsor in addition to making a commitment to the group. He is also in the process of completing 12 sessions with the marriage and family therapist. He misses playing poker and slot games but realizes how abstaining has improved his relationship with his wife.

*In this case study, we are specified online casino: Casino-x/カジノエックス due to their hope and we have permission from the company.

Casino-x is an online casino that provides over 1000 slot games as well as many different types of tables games such as poker, blackjack, and roulette. Now there is a system to review each customer’s account on a monthly basis. When they confirm that a player has symptoms of gambling disorder, the account will be closed with the player’s agreement or therapies will be provided.

 

Conclusion

Gambling disorder rarely has a motive for treatment. Rather, oftentimes their family seeks help. Therefore, by supporting the family and improving their health, conflicts within the family will be diminished, and the individual will have the opportunity to reflect on his/her problems, leading to the formation of motivation for treatment. It is extremely important to look at the family as an object of assistance, away from the egotism.

Categories: Health