The University of Buffalo in New York State has been dedicating efforts to better understanding the nature of problem gambling and how it affects individuals. Its latest research conducted by a sociologist associated with the university comes to show that there is a link between the background characteristics of people associated with crime and problem gambling.

Christopher Dennison, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Buffalos College of Arts and Sciences, recently pointed out that one of the latest researches into problem gambling behavior and tendencies has reached a pivotal point. He conducted the research along with Jessica Finkeldey, an assistant professor at the State University of New York at Fredonia, and Gregory Rocheleau, an assistant professor at Ball State University

Its insight will allow us to better understand the people going through gambling addiction and the way their brains work. Criminals and people with an unhealthy relationship with gambling have more in common. Mr. Dennison recently made it clear that the specific characteristic used to predict that a person would eventually develop an unhealthy relationship with gaming could also be used for predicting that a person could become a criminal.

This link comes in handy when previous notions have to be debunked. Up until this point, the problem gambling has been considered the trigger of crime activities. Seeking more money an individual could gamble could lead to crime, or the crime proceeds could easily be laundered with the help of gambling activities. Now, the University of Buffalo has found a link between the two practices connecting them on an entirely new level.

The people showcasing tendencies of problem gambling development in the future are also predisposed to criminal activities. Mr. Dennison pointed out that the general discrepancy between people experiencing gambling addiction and the ones that have never gambled led to a change of perspective and some doubts regarding the cause and effect theory on problem gambling.

Individuals experiencing gambling addiction find themselves unable to think of anything else, gambling takes up a substantial portion of their daily schedule. They also experience preoccupation with the very thought of gaming. Mr. Dennison further clarified that the issue with problem gambling is that it takes over the entire life of the individual experiencing its negative impact.

They fail to keep the time spent gambling within the healthy range, as they use it as a form of escapism from reality and everything bothering them in life. He also made it clear that both problem gambling and criminal activities show similar symptoms. This has been discovered as a groundbreaking new link between the two practices.

Some of the predispositions associated with both crimes and gambling addiction are substance use in the past, socioeconomic status, along with the occasional association with individuals observing delinquency at an earlier stage of their life. The new research Mr. Dennison completed showed that these variables make up a so-called confounding bias. The research could optimize the treatment of both behaviors for improved positive results.

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Similar Predispositions Link Gambling Addiction and Crime, New Research - Casino Reports