Assessing the intangible costs of gambling addiction

Presenter: Dimitri Kohler, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland

Abstract

The aim of this study is to estimate the intangible costs of gambling addiction. In fact, most of the previous cost of gambling estimations ignored these. This means that they include the expenses for treating the consequences of gambling addiction and the production loss but omit to consider the loss of quality of life. The result is a significant underestimation of the social burden of gambling. Indeed, the reduced quality of life seems to account for up to 90% of the total cost of pathological gambling (Australian Productivity Commission).

The loss in HRQoL is obtained using the SF-6D which allowed us to obtain a health utility index (QALY). The questionnaire, constructed around the SF-12, was submitted to addicted gamblers and their close relatives. We also gathered information about several common physical and mental co morbidities including: drug abuse, tobacco consumption, alcohol dependence (CAGE questionnaire) and symptoms of depression (PHQ-2 questions). With this information, we tried to obtain the pure effect of pathological gambling on the quality of life without confounding effects due to the co morbidities. Lastly, we asked questions about income and demographics.

Pathological gamblers were recruited in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The respondents were mostly individuals consulting treatment centres for their gambling problems. We also reached gamblers in casinos as well as in bars and restaurants equipped with electronic lottery systems. A representative sample of the general population was used as the control group. We assessed the impact of gambling addiction on the health utility index (QALY) by using a tobit regression after controlling for different co-morbidities. Finally, on the loss of quality of life attributable to gambling addiction, we applied the value of a life year (VOLY), to obtain the intangible costs of gambling addiction.