Problem Gamblers' Prevention And Relief In Developed Countries & Regions And Its Inspiration

The common international criteria divide gambling into three different types: lottery, horse racing and casino gaming. Different from the developed countries and regions, except lottery, Chinese government has banned all kinds of gambling activities, including horse racing and casino. Since the first welfare lottery was issued in 1987, China has experienced a twenty-four years lottery development process, and as a special industry and public interest product, it is still prosperity today. The twenty-four years'history of lottery has made a great contribution to national economic development and social welfare. But the gamblers who are the largest user groups were still neglected by the government and society. Until recent years, the endless stream of crimes related to lottery which has made serious negative impact to the community, it finally attracts much more public opinions and media coverage. And thus it makes the problem gamblers become a widespread concern.The term of problem gambling, or pathological gambling, is always used by the gambling experts and researchers, and has all the governments'attention. In our country, the problem gamblers are such group of people has this characteristic. They indulge in buying lottery tickets; even behave as a compulsive action. In the spirit they show an addictive symptom. Because of individual differences and self-control strength, the problem gamblers will express economic difficulties, life problems, seriously even to affect the family, society, until the turn to crime. Accompanied by the problem gambling, it may also cause series of social problems, such as alcohol, drug abuse, violence, dropping out of school, and makes a bad influence on individuals, families and the society.As started early, the gambling industry in developed countries and regions on problem gambling research has experienced a long history. Canada, United States and Australia are all in the leading position in this field of research. They have relatively completed theory research bases and mature diagnostic evaluation standard systems. This provides theoretical and technical support to achieve the prevention and treatment of problem gamblers. At the same time, various countries and regions also conform to the social needs of guidance and support of government policies, vigorously promote positive gambling policies. Besides this, both social agencies and commercial organizations have established public funds to give financial support. Practice has proved that these strategies and measures have effectively controlled the spread of problem gambling behavior. It makes a great contribution to problem gamblers and their families, and has a positive guiding to the whole society.Looking back on our country, due to the incomplete current government management system, supervision system and not-clear-defined law, the gambling industry goes to the proliferation of private lottery, illegal underground casinos and online gambling. What's more, the lack of legal protection of gambling groups leads to the ignorance of problem of social gambling phenomena, which induces a vicious social problem. Obviously, establishing a prevention and relief system, strengthening the government and society's concern and attention, to providing effective treatments and measures by relevant institutions for those problem gamblers has become an urgent issue of the gaming industry at the moment. Establishment the service system of the problem gamblers in prevention and treatment is conducive to the healthy development of China's lottery market, is conducive to the formation of the correct orientation of social values, is conducive to a harmonious family and society, and also, is conductive to create a good social and cultural atmosphere.This paper mainly uses literature information method, logic analysis method, comparison research method, expert advisory method and deep interview method. It hopes to summarize the advanced theory and practical experience of those well-developed gambling countries and regions, especially from the unique successful prevention and treatment experience in Canada, the United States and Australia, combining the specific situation in our country and problems of the specific circumstances and characteristics of lottery, and then, establish a suitable prevention and treatment mechanism of problem gamblers in our country.This paper finally reaches the following conclusion:1) The prevention and relief to problem gamblers in developed countries and regions have made considerable achievements, especially in the government's administrative intervention, the use of non-government organizations, and the industrial operation. We may get lot of inspiration from them.2) Only to reconstruct the lottery supervision model, strengthen the independence of regulators and distribute the supervision authority longitudinally, can we control administrative costs while improving administrative performance and protecting gamblers'interests.3) The only way to prevent the abuse of the chest, ensuring it truly used for the community, is to enhance the supervision of distribution and using of the lottery chest, and to assess the performance of those allocated funds in time.4) To establish the problem gamblers'prevention and relief mechanism, we need to bring the positive role of stakeholders into full play. Only by the actively participation of all stakeholders, can we ease the social phenomenon of problem gamblers and promote the healthy development of China's lottery industry.