EP147: Understanding Gambling Disorder and How Social Workers Can Help
NASW Social Work Talks Podcast
As sports betting, online gambling, and prediction market apps continue to grow, so does the risk of increased gambling addiction. In this episode of Social Work Talks, experts from the University of Maryland School of Social Work and its Center for Excellence on Problem Gambling discuss the warning signs of problem gambling, what drives gambling behavior, and how social workers can help through awareness, screening, and evidence-based treatment.
Hosted by NASW Senior Practice Associate for Behavioral Health Makeba Royall
Guests: Paul Sacco, Ph.D., MSW, Professor at University of Maryland School of Social Work, and Kristen Beall LCSW-C, Clinical Manager at University of Maryland, Center for Excellence on Problem Gambling
We also discuss the complex intersection of anime, sexual content,
identity development, and clinical practice through a research-informed,
clinically grounded perspective.
Learn why digital media should be part of comprehensive psychosocial
assessments, how anime and other online content can shape adolescent
behavior and development, and what social workers, therapists,
counselors, psychologists, and other mental health professionals
should consider when assessing risk and developing treatment plans.
August 3, 2026
Listen to Episode 147
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Show Notes:
Definition of Gambling
“Gambling
is when a person bets or risks something of value (like money) based on
a chance outcome that is out of their control
or influence with the understanding that they will either gain
increased value or lose their original value determined by the specific
outcome. Common forms of gambling include lotteries, sports betting, and
casino games - like card games, table games, or
electronic gaming machines. Gambling is subject to state and federal
legislation that limits the means and types of gambling and where
gambling can take place and otherwise regulates the activity.”
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/gambling
Books and Article Focused on Gambling Disorder and Treatment
- Bechtold, J., & Wilson, A. (2021). The gambling disorder treatment handbook: A guide for mental health professionals. Jessica Kingsley Publishers
- Derevensky, J. (2012). Teen Gambling: Understanding a Growing Epidemic. https://doi.org/10.5771/9781442202283
- Grant, J. E., & Potenza, M. N. (Eds.). (2022). Gambling disorder (2nd ed.): A clinical guide to treatment. American Psychiatric Publishing.
- Petry, N. M., Ginley, M. K., & Rash, C. J. (2017). A systematic review of treatments for problem gambling. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 31(8), 951–961. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000290
Maryland Gambling Prevalence Study
Articles ON DSM-5 Changes
- Petry, N. M., Blanco, C., Auriacombe, M., Borges, G., Bucholz, K., Crowley, T. J., Grant, B. F., Hasin, D. S., & O’Brien, C.
(2014). An Overview of and Rationale for Changes Proposed for Pathological Gambling in DSM-5.
Journal of Gambling Studies, 30(2), 493–502. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-013-9370-0
- From
Pathological Gambling to Gambling Disorder: Changes in the DSM-5
Screening Tools
Organizations and Resources focused on Gambling Research and Treatment