Problem gambling is an addiction just like any other, but this is not a commonly-accepted truth. Most people think that gambling addiction is in an entirely different realm from addictions to smoking, alcohol and drugs.
However, a new study establishes a new connection between these compulsive behaviours – and that link is fast food. It sounds unbelievable, right? How could the innocent act of consuming fast food possibly be related to alcoholism, drug addiction and problem gambling?
Well, a group of researchers at the Central Queensland University in Australia seem to have figured it out.
Initial Goals of the Study
Matthew Browne and his team of researchers set out to determine whether or not gambling could be considered a ‘consuming’ activity.
Unlike drugs and alcohol, gambling is not something that individuals actually consume - and the research team wanted to establish the differences and similarities between the types of addictions that feature items that can be consumed and those that do not.
However, what they ended up discovering was much more interesting than that.
Natural Links Between Problem Gambling and Other Addictions
Firstly, the team discovered that there are some compulsive behaviours that go hand-in-hand with gambling addiction, such as smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. Drinking is something that all casino patrons expect to do while they gamble.
As adult entertainment venues, casinos come equipped with fully-stocked bars and some venues will even offer free drinks to players who continue to gamble. Smoking is also something that just happens to take place in the same place and at the same time as gambling.
So, Where Does Fast Food Come In?
The study consisted of a survey that was answered by more than 1700 individuals. In addition to being asked about their gambling habits, they were also asked to answer questions about their eating habits. For example, the survey questioned how much salt and sugar each respondent consumes.
The answers to these questions shed light on how fast food and problem gambling are related.
Sensation-Seekers
Browne and his research team discovered that the same characteristics that lead people to consume unhealthy foods also influence their decisions when it comes to gambling and drinking. They call it a ‘sensation-seeking’ trait that causes the same individuals who regularly eat at McDonald’s to overindulge in alcohol and make irresponsible decisions while gambling.
Dr. Browne provides an accurate illustration: "If you're playing the pokies and you win, the lights go off and the machine makes noise, and this is similar to the rush you may get with biting into a Big Mac”.
