Problem gamblers who entered CalGETS outpatient treatment between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018 were asked a series of questions about their family context regarding gambling and substance use problems.
One-fifth of problem gamblers reported having a parent with a gambling problem. 12.4% reported having a sibling with a gambling problem. These percentages are higher than a genetic study of pathological gamblers.
Similar to national reports, one-quarter reported having a parent with a substance use problem. Nearly that many (22.3%) reported having a sibling with a substance use problem.
Sources – Outpatient Gamblers: CalGETS Fiscal Year 2017-18 dataset, prepared for the California Department of Public Health, Office of Problem Gambling by the University of California Los Angeles Gambling Studies Program. At intake, 857 of 876 total provided data on family context. Gambler Genetics: Black, D. W., et al. (2006). A family study of pathological gambling. Psychiatry Research, 141(3), 295-303. Parental Substance Use Problems: National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (2005). Family Matters: Substance Abuse and the American Family, A CASA White Paper.
In California, problem gamblers can receive no-cost treatment through CalGETS. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.