point in their lives, meaning that they have lied, stolen, gone broke, neglected jobs or family, or even committed suicide because of an uncontrollable desire to gamble. (Gaboury, Ladouceur, 1989). A study by the National Opinion Research Centre at the University of Chicago found that pathological gamblers generate 15% of the industry's gross revenues and that each one costs society around $12,000 over his lifetime in benefits and policing costs. (Ladouceur, et al. 1994).
             Meanwhile, many of the purported benefits of legalized gambling are illusory. Lottery revenues, for example, are often dedicated to popular causes, such as education or environmental protection. But closer study suggests that such revenues merely displace funds that would have been raised in some other way. The crumbling schools and endangered infrastructures do not actually get any new money. In fact, the lottery is essentially a large regressive tax. Lottery players with household incomes under $10,000 spend three times as much on lottery tickets as those with incomes over $50,000. Indeed, 5% of ticket buyers account for 51% of total sales. (Gambino, 1986). With the spread of legalized gambling in most industrialized countries, it is to be expected that more individuals will become pathologically dependent on gambling.
             Pathological gambling was officially recognized in 1980 with the publication of DSM-III (APA, 1980) and was classified as an impulse control disorder. It is characterized by a loss of control over gambling, lies about the extent of involvement with gambling, family and job disruption, stealing money, and chasing losses (APA, 1994). It is now acknowledged that the prevalence of pathological gambling is related to the availability of gambling opportunities, legal or illegal. (Lesieur, et al. 1987).
             Below is the DSM IV definition for Pathological Gambling:
             • Persistent, maladaptive gambling is expressed by 5 or more of the following. The pa...