Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: For the purposes of this study the term "gambling" refers only to casino style gambling and does not necessarily include horse racing and the national lottery. The study is partly based on the theoretical model for policy analysis as described by Dunn in his book "Public Policy Analysis" (1994). The thesis is divided into two sections. The first section deals mainly with the stage of monitoring and is a retrospective analysis of the development of the gambling industry in seventeenth and eighteenth century Venice and more recently in the United States, Australia, Namibia and South Afiica prior to 1994. The last section deals mainly with the stage of policy evaluation and questions the possible discrepancies between the expected and actual gambling policy performance in the Western Cape after 1994 when large scale gambling was legalised throughout the country. It uses the recommendations of the Main Report on Gambling in the Republic of South Afiica (Wiehahn Report) as a basis for the evaluation of the Western Cape gambling policy from both a social and economic perspective. More specifically the study attempts to shed light on the issues of the problems related to the scientific research of gambling, the economic profile of gamblers, the location of casinos, the displacement of capital and the correlation between crime and gambling. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Vir die doeleindes van hierdie studie word die term "gambling" slegs gebruik met verwysing na dobbel in casinos en sluit nie noodwendig perdewedrenne en die nasionale lotery in nie. Die studie word gedeeltelik gebaseer op die teoretiese model vir beleids-analise soos weergegee deur Dunn in sy boek "Public Policy Analysis" (1994). Die studie word verdeel in twee afdelings. Die eerste gedeelte behandel die stadium van monitering en is hoofsaaklik a retrospektiewe analise oor die ontwikkeling van die dobbelbedryf in sewentiende eeuse Venesië en meer onlangs in die Verenigde State van Amerika, Australië, Namibië, asook Suid-Afrikavoor 1994. Die laaste gedeelte behandel hoofsaaklik die stadium van beleids-evaluering. Dit bevraagteken die moontlike verskil tussen die verwagte en werklike vertoning en uitkoms van die dobbelbeleid in die Wes Kaap na 1994. Hoofstuk 3 gebruik die aanbevelings van die Hoofverslag oor Dobbel in die Republiek van Suid-Afrika (Wiehahn verslag) as 'n basis vir die evaluering van die dobbelbeleid van die Wes Kaap van beide 'n sosiale asook 'n ekonomiese perspektief Meer spesifiek beoog die studie om lig te werp op die probleme wat verband hou met die wetenskaplike navorsing van dobbelary, die ekonomiese profiel van dobbelaars, die geografiese plasing van casinos, die verplasing van kapitaal en die korrelasie tussen misdaad en dobbel.

The objectives of this study were to provide a detailed biopsychosocial description of the characteristics of a sample of 100 individuals screened and referred by the National Responsible Gaming Programme helpline for their outpatient treatment programme over an eighteen month period, and, importantly, to measure the success of this specific treatment programme at set intervals, up to a one year follow-up period. While 80% of the sample did not relapse during the six-week treatment programme, the number of treatment seekers without any gambling relapses during each follow-up period declined, and those falling back into gambling increased as time went on. After one year 47% of treatment seekers managed not to revert back to gambling – total abstinence. A further 28% reported having relapsed once or twice or that their gambling was controlled. 25% of treatment seekers reported that they reverted back to gambling fulltime which leaves the success rate of the treatment at 75%. Treatment seekers reported an overall reduction in gambling participation, debt and expenditure and an overall improvement in social and vocational functioning. There is evidence in this study to support the perspective that pathological gambling is a multidimensional disorder and that certain sub-groups of gamblers have distinct gambling behaviour. / Psychology / M.Soc.Sc.

The objectives of this study were to provide a detailed biopsychosocial description of the characteristics of a sample of 100 individuals screened and referred by the National Responsible Gaming Programme helpline for their outpatient treatment programme over an eighteen month period, and, importantly, to measure the success of this specific treatment programme at set intervals, up to a one year follow-up period. While 80% of the sample did not relapse during the six-week treatment programme, the number of treatment seekers without any gambling relapses during each follow-up period declined, and those falling back into gambling increased as time went on. After one year 47% of treatment seekers managed not to revert back to gambling – total abstinence. A further 28% reported having relapsed once or twice or that their gambling was controlled. 25% of treatment seekers reported that they reverted back to gambling fulltime which leaves the success rate of the treatment at 75%. Treatment seekers reported an overall reduction in gambling participation, debt and expenditure and an overall improvement in social and vocational functioning. There is evidence in this study to support the perspective that pathological gambling is a multidimensional disorder and that certain sub-groups of gamblers have distinct gambling behaviour. / Psychology / M.Soc.Sc.