Gambling Disorder (GD) affects an estimated 2% of Americans. Although, certain population segments exhibit significantly higher rates of GD due to the presence of cooccurring mental/behavioral health disorders and/or factors such as age, gender, occupation, and socioeconomic status. While there are treatment options available, individuals and their loved ones have questions about efficacy. Does gambling disorder treatment and rehabilitation work?
It depends upon the treatment provider. There is compelling evidence of the significant successes achieved at Kindbridge Behavioral Health (KBH) in treating individuals with gambling disorder through customized telehealth interventions.
Each month, Kindbridge generates a GD Treatment Outcomes Report. This report is prepared to provide invaluable insight to gambling regulators, policymakers, sportsbook/casino leadership, responsible gambling and advocacy groups. However, in realizing that Americans impacted by GD will also benefit from this information, Kindbridge has decided to share our results with the public. The treatment outcomes report will be published quarterly here on the Kindbridge blog. Read ahead for the latest results.
Kindbridge Gambling Disorder Treatment Outcomes Report for the Summer of 2024
Demographics of Individuals Referred to Kindbridge
Individuals are referred to Kindbridge’s online GD treatment services from a variety of sources. This is the current breakdown of demographics for the summer of 2024 reporting period.
Age Groups:
- 18-24 years: 9.68%
- 25-34 years: 34.41%
- 35-44 years: 28.32%
- 45-54 years: 14.70%
- 55-64 years: 8.24%
- 65+ years: <5.00%
- Under 18: <5.00%
Gender
- Male: 75.99%
- Female: 23.66%
- LGBTQ+: <5.00%
Ethnicity
- White or Caucasian: 75.71%
- Black or African American: 8.57%
- Hispanic/Latino: 4.64%
- Asian: 3.57%
- Other ethnicities: Smaller proportions
Preferred Gambling Methods
Preferred Gambling Setting: Over 58% of clients reported preferring online or app-based gambling while over 18.64% of clients reported preferring gambling physically at a casino.
Modes of Gambling: The preferred mode of gambling most commonly reported were casino (33.33%), online sports betting (29.75%), slot machines (25.81%), gambling apps (22.58%), and sports betting at brick-and-mortar locations (16.49%).
Cooccurring Mental Health Diagnosis
Upon enrollment into treatment 70% of people seeking services for gambling reported having a mental health diagnosis provided by a previous care provider. Whereas, 30% of people seeking treatment for gambling reported not having a previous mental health diagnosis.
Comorbidities of Gambling Disorder
The term comorbidity is used to describe the simultaneous presence of two or more diseases or medical conditions in a patient. This is the current breakdown of mental health condition comorbidities from our client profile for the summer of 2024 reporting period:
Major Depression and Suicidality: 47% of clients met criteria with males reporting higher rates (33%) than females (12%).
Obsessive-Compulsive Behaviors: 41% of clients met criteria with males reporting higher rates (31%) than females (14%).
Inattention/Hyperactivity/Impulsivity: 42% of clients met criteria with males reporting higher rates (24%) than females (16%).
Insomnia: 42% of clients met criteria with males reporting higher rates (24%) than females (18%).
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): 40% of clients met criteria with males reporting higher rates (24%) than females (14%).
Social Phobia: 37% of clients met criteria with males reporting higher rates (27%) compared to females (8%).
Irritability Index: 34% of clients met criteria with males reporting higher rates (18%) than females (16%).
Substance Abuse – Alcohol: 24% of clients met criteria with males reporting higher rates (22%) than females (2%).
Substance Abuse – Tobacco: 24% of clients met criteria with males reporting higher rates (16%) than females (8%).
Learning Disabilities: 22% of clients met criteria with males reporting higher rates (12%) than females (8%).
Suicide Warning: 20% of clients met criteria with males reporting higher rates (16%) than females (2%).
Manic Episode: 18% of clients met criteria with males reporting higher rates (12%) than females (4%).
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): 14% of clients met criteria with females reporting higher rates (10%) compared to males (4%).
Readiness for Change
46.24% Are Ready to Make a Change
An individual’s readiness to make a change in their lives and get help for GD is a positive indicator of successful treatment outcomes.
A significant portion of clients showed high readiness for change, with 46.24% rating themselves at the highest level of readiness, indicating strong motivation to engage in and benefit from therapeutic interventions.
Gambling Disorder Treatment Outcomes
Customized treatment plans addressing both gambling behaviors and associated mental health conditions were created for each client. Individuals exhibited the following notable improvements over a period of 12-sessions:
65.2% reduction in scores for Depression
*Standard industry benchmark is 50%
76.5% reduction in scores for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
*Standard industry benchmark is 50%
47.7% reduction in scores for Alcohol Use Disorder
Conclusion
The findings from Kindbridge underscore the significant improvements achieved in treating individuals with gambling disorders through our online programs. These improvements surpass standard industry benchmarks and demonstrate the efficacy of our interventions. Significant improvements were evident after just 8 weeks of treatment, with exceptionally positive results at the 12-week mark. These outcomes validate the effectiveness of online therapy in addressing both gambling behaviors and associated mental health conditions. Future reports will include data specific to gambling harm symptoms as it becomes available.
Does gambling addiction treatment and rehab work? The results from the most recent Kindbridge Behavioral Health Gambling Disorder Treatment Outcomes Report speak for themselves. If you or a loved one is struggling with problem gambling please reach out to begin your road to recovery today.
Get Immediate and Effective Problem Gambling Support
CALL +1 (877) 426-4258
OR
Email [email protected]
