Oregon Problem Gambling Helpline

The role of the faith community in addressing problem gambling

(Note: This section does not purport to be an exhaustive analysis of problem gambling and the faith community—not all religious groups are reflected, and the views expressed or adapted herein are not necessarily endorsed nor recommended.)

The following is adapted with permission from articles on the faith community and addiction from: Impact! Newsletter, vol. 18, No. 2, March 2000 Minnesota Prevention Resource Center www.emprc.org/impact_issues/mar_2000.pdf

Problem gambling is significant and cuts across age, race, gender, culture, geographic area and social and economic backgrounds. There are opportunities to deal with or prevent gambling problems in faith communities.

Members of faith communities often provide a sense of belonging to one another. In addition, they accept that they have responsibilities toward each other, their faith and themselves. They look to and respect the opinions and guidance of their faith leader. This creates an environment that is ideal for addressing gambling problems.

Prevention and recovery are key roles

The faith community has two clear roles in dealing with gambling problems: prevention and recovery. Prevention focuses on those who do not have specific gambling problems. The goals of prevention are to:

• Support abstinence as a healthy and positive decision.
• Delay the onset of first and experimental gambling by young people.
• Prevent low-risk patterns of gambling from becoming high risk.
• Reduce current high-risk gambling patterns.

A ministry of prevention can support young people. This can be done in several ways, including teaching parents skills to communicate with their children about risk behaviors such as gambling. Many studies have revealed how great a deterrent parents can be. Though they often feel powerless, parents often have more influence over their teens than they realize. Unfortunately many parents miss the chance to prevent or delay their children's gambling because they don't know how.

Ministries of prevention can help adults clarify their own guidelines for gambling, equipping parents to give clear, consistent, age-appropriate messages to their children. There are more ways that faith communities can address their goals of prevention. These include strategies to:

• Provide important information that members need to make healthy decisions about gambling. While information alone is not likely to prevent problems, it is an important part of a comprehensive prevention effort. People of all ages need accurate information about responsible gambling and/or how to prevent gambling problems, and where to get help if a problem develops. It is equally important that people learn of their faith tradition's beliefs and teachings about gambling.
• Teach members to identify and counteract social influences that encourage problem gambling. Help people recognize the power of advertising, and the influence of friends or co-workers.
• Encourage and support gambling-free activities and situations for members. These activities go beyond physical skills, heavily stressing personal, social and spiritual dynamics.
• Provide members with instruction and practice in personal and social skills that resist pressures to gamble excessively.
• Establish guidelines for safe, healthy and appropriate behavior for members within the congregation1, families, social institutions and the community. Congregations can provide opportunities for members of all ages to discuss and develop guidelines.
• Establish and maintain community-based prevention efforts that reflect diversity and address the unique needs, interests and concerns of each community.
• Support community policies that restrict advertising and access to gambling by youth.

A faith community should also address the issue of recovery. Because faith community leaders are involved in spiritual and pastoral care, it is easy to see their role in responding to individuals and families who are experiencing problems. However, all faith community members can play a helpful role. Referrals, support groups, social action and community involvement are some examples of activities that help support individuals through recovery.

The objective is to create a safe, caring environment where members or other persons served by the congregation can share their concerns. The primary role of the congregation regarding recovery is to develop a system to:

• Communicate to members that there is hope and help for gambling problems.
• Identify members in need of assistance, whether by self-referral, referral by a family member or friend, or by observing a person's behavior.
• Respond or intervene in a positive, helpful and confidential way.
• Match member needs to appropriate congregational or community resources.
• Support the member and member's family throughout the process of recovery.

Use local resources for assessment and treatment

Most faith communities rely on community resources for diagnosis, assessment and treatment of gambling problems. Congregations with a thoughtful plan in place find it easier to respond, refer and support members and their families before, during and after treatment. Hosting Gamblers Anonymous and Gam-Anon meetings can be helpful, as well as offering creative programs that support recovery and nurture spiritual healing and growth. Some faith communities are willing to help and support persons in need. They might do this by planning a special day of prayer and educational activities, and by acknowledging and celebrating recovery in a visible way.

Although this word may have Christian connotations, the authors noted that they used it to mean people of any faith congregating or coming together.

Barriers to faith community involvement

A number of factors may act as barriers to faith community involvement:

• There is inconsistency about whether gambling is harmful. Many members of the faith community consider gambling a moral weakness, sin or personal inadequacy. For others, gambling is accepted as a harmless activity, and promoted as a way to generate funds for good causes (raffles, bingo games, etc.)
• The focus on a medical model of treatment seems to place addictions, including gambling, beyond the direct attention of the faith community. Yet, even within the medical model, most treatment centers acknowledge the spiritual dimension with an emphasis on Gamblers Anonymous and other 12-step mutual help groups.
• Many congregations have not acknowledged the need to address problem gambling. This can caused by a lack of education or preparation regarding the issue; demands on clergy and leaders for competing programs; the stigma associated with problem gambling; a lack of clergy and leadership guidelines about participating in activities that may be considered gambling; a negative experience in trying to help a family or individual with problems; a lack of awareness about problem gambling; or a lack of information on workable models for congregational response.

Congregations also offer many opportunities to share information and to develop essential skills for health and well-being. All these factors support the need for the faith community to assume an active role in addressing problem gambling.