Archives by date

You are browsing the site archives by date.

Luke Clark speaking at ICPS in Vienna

Luke will be speaking this week at the International Convention of Psychological Science meeting in Vienna, in a session on Counterfactual Thinking. His talk will focus on ‘The role of counterfactual thinking in the response to gambling near-misses’ describing Yin Wu’s recent data, forthcoming in the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making.

New paper on slot machine immersion

Spencer Murch’s latest data linking a psychological state of immersion in modern slot machines with risk of problem gambling was recently published online in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, and has received widespread media coverage over the last few weeks including Vancouver Sun and CBC .This is a timely and important paper for the Centre as it […]

Daily Mail – slot machines create trance-like state in gamblers

Slot machines really do lull gambling addicts into a trance, researchers find; the ‘slot machine zone’ is the idea that problem gamblers prefer slot machines, this is because slot machines are fast and allow for a continuous style of play, people experienced with slot machines lose track of time and their surroundings, and the researcher say […]

CBC News – Redesign slot machines to be less attractive to problem gamblers

Research out of UBC is pointing to strategies that could make playing slots less addictive — especially for problem gamblers — by flashing warning messages right on a game’s display screen. more

Vancouver Sun – Problem gamblers enter a trancelike ‘zone’ when they play slots, UBC study finds

Gambling addicts enter a trancelike state while playing slot machines that appears to make the surrounding world and its cares melt away, according to new research from the University of British Columbia. more

Times Colonist: Problem gamblers enter trancelike ‘zone’ when they play slots

Gambling addicts enter a trancelike state while playing slot machines that appears to make the surrounding world and its cares melt away, according to new research from the Spencer Murch more

CBC News – craving in problem gambling

Eve Limbrick-Oldfield, from the Centre for Gambling Research at UBC, discusses their new paper on craving and the insula in problem gambling. Broadcast 3rd January 2017 more

Roundhouse Radio – UBC Study Finds Gambling And Drug Addiction Activate Brain In Similar Ways

A UBC psychology study has identified similarities in the brain activity of drug addicts and problem gamblers that could help improve treatment for those that struggle with a gambling addiction. Researchers at the university’s Centre for Gambling Research say a part of the brain responsible for cravings, known as the insula and the prefrontal cortex, […]

Metro News – Gambling addiction triggers same part of brain as drug addiction: UBC study

The finding could help rehab centres measure the effectiveness of treatments, something that is currently difficult. more

Vancouver Sun – Gambling, alcohol, drug addictions share brain circuitry

Gambling addicts are being given a drug that curbs alcohol and heroin cravings in an experiment conducted by researchers at UBC’s Centre for Gambling Research. more