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Liz Karter is a therapist specializing in gambling addiction and her new book ‘Women and Problem Gambling’ shines light on the topic.
We have a special interview with Liz that should educate everyone in online gambling industry and provides some tips on what everyone else can do to make it easier for players to seek help.
1. Tell us why you work as an addition specialist and how did your career evolve into what it is now?
I find working as an addiction therapist endlessly challenging, fascinating and rewarding. Every day I learn more and more about what life and relationships are all about.
My career evolved through stumbling into working with gambling addiction by accident whilst in my therapy training and quickly finding that I went from wondering how anyone can get addicted to gambling,
to completely understanding the motivation for it. That is was not deliberate self destruction, but most often a survival attempt. As a result of my specialisation in women and gambling,
I was then so fortunate to be offered media opportunities and writing contracts.
2. You have over 10 years of experience working as a specialist in addiction. Tell us about your work experiences over that time.
I began practicing in 2001 with GamCare and worked extensively with them until 2011, starting on their helpline, then counselling one to one clients, supervising counsellors and helpline staff and delivering training.
I have worked with all leading UK problem gambling treatment providers over the years. Having worked in private practice throughout that time,
I became exclusively independent in 2010 when I established my Level Ground Therapy practice. I did so because I believe in being able to offer long term counselling to those who need it and
wanted to work in a way that is unrestricted by funding requirements. I provide treatment to both men and women, but specialise in working with women. In 2006,
I established the first UK problem gambling recovery groups for women.
3. You have probably seen the online gambling business grow into what it is today, does it concern you that gambling has probably surpassed predictions of what the business is worth?
When the Gambling Act came into effect in 2007, nobody could have predicted the effect that it would have on advertising. The last Ofcom study revealed that in 2012 UK TV ran almost
1.4 million gambling related adverts and the majority for online bingo. My concern is that based on my clinical experience, most women who are vulnerable to gambling addiction are stressed,
depressed and have used gambling as a form of self medication. Where previously women favoured slot machines, they now can gamble 24/7 at home, so many more potentially are reaching
for the computer screen to shield themselves from their problems. Online gambling has also leapt the social divide and I see many professional women who gamble to relieve stress at the
office and on their ipad on the train. So, yes I have my concerns that the growth of the online gambling industry has gone hand in hand with seemingly growing a wider group of those who develop gambling problems.
I do believe the Gambling Commission are reviewing social responsibility, so that is a hugely positive thing for all.
4. Mobile gambling is now a big part of the online gaming business, do you think the 24/7 access players have would lead to higher rates of gambling addiction?
I think that it only makes sense that more access to anything potentially addictive can lead to more people potentially developing problems with it. What I do know is that 24/7 access makes recovery very difficult.
I worked with a young guy who desperately wanted to stay in recovery, but struggling not pick up his phone and check the odds and place a bet during his working day.
I worked with a woman who used gambling to escape from deep depression and would struggle not to switch her laptop on at 2:00am to gamble when she woke up lonely
and struggling with her thoughts and feelings.
PLEASE READ FULL ARTICLE HERE
We have a special interview with Liz that should educate everyone in online gambling industry and provides some tips on what everyone else can do to make it easier for players to seek help.
1. Tell us why you work as an addition specialist and how did your career evolve into what it is now?
I find working as an addiction therapist endlessly challenging, fascinating and rewarding. Every day I learn more and more about what life and relationships are all about.
My career evolved through stumbling into working with gambling addiction by accident whilst in my therapy training and quickly finding that I went from wondering how anyone can get addicted to gambling,
to completely understanding the motivation for it. That is was not deliberate self destruction, but most often a survival attempt. As a result of my specialisation in women and gambling,
I was then so fortunate to be offered media opportunities and writing contracts.
2. You have over 10 years of experience working as a specialist in addiction. Tell us about your work experiences over that time.
I began practicing in 2001 with GamCare and worked extensively with them until 2011, starting on their helpline, then counselling one to one clients, supervising counsellors and helpline staff and delivering training.
I have worked with all leading UK problem gambling treatment providers over the years. Having worked in private practice throughout that time,
I became exclusively independent in 2010 when I established my Level Ground Therapy practice. I did so because I believe in being able to offer long term counselling to those who need it and
wanted to work in a way that is unrestricted by funding requirements. I provide treatment to both men and women, but specialise in working with women. In 2006,
I established the first UK problem gambling recovery groups for women.
3. You have probably seen the online gambling business grow into what it is today, does it concern you that gambling has probably surpassed predictions of what the business is worth?
When the Gambling Act came into effect in 2007, nobody could have predicted the effect that it would have on advertising. The last Ofcom study revealed that in 2012 UK TV ran almost
1.4 million gambling related adverts and the majority for online bingo. My concern is that based on my clinical experience, most women who are vulnerable to gambling addiction are stressed,
depressed and have used gambling as a form of self medication. Where previously women favoured slot machines, they now can gamble 24/7 at home, so many more potentially are reaching
for the computer screen to shield themselves from their problems. Online gambling has also leapt the social divide and I see many professional women who gamble to relieve stress at the
office and on their ipad on the train. So, yes I have my concerns that the growth of the online gambling industry has gone hand in hand with seemingly growing a wider group of those who develop gambling problems.
I do believe the Gambling Commission are reviewing social responsibility, so that is a hugely positive thing for all.
4. Mobile gambling is now a big part of the online gaming business, do you think the 24/7 access players have would lead to higher rates of gambling addiction?
I think that it only makes sense that more access to anything potentially addictive can lead to more people potentially developing problems with it. What I do know is that 24/7 access makes recovery very difficult.
I worked with a young guy who desperately wanted to stay in recovery, but struggling not pick up his phone and check the odds and place a bet during his working day.
I worked with a woman who used gambling to escape from deep depression and would struggle not to switch her laptop on at 2:00am to gamble when she woke up lonely
and struggling with her thoughts and feelings.
PLEASE READ FULL ARTICLE HERE
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THIS IS A GOOD ARTICLE I AM SURE HAVING IT ON COMP.,PHONES,ETC... WOULD BE VERY......HARD NO MATTER WHAT YOUR ADDICITION IS FOR WHAT DONT YOU HAVE 24/7 ACCESS TO NOW 
AT TIMES "WE" HAVE GONE TO FAR WITH TECHNOLOGY,IT OPENED UP A ENTIRE NEW WOLD SOME GOOD SOME BAD AND A GOOD CHUNCK OF THE BAD I HONESTLY DONT BELIEVE COULDA/WOULDA HAPPENED IN THE DAYS IF N COMP. SMRT PHONES ETC 
GUESS I SAID MY CENTS WORTH LOL SORRY 
