In The Leavers by Lisa Ko, Deming, later known as Daniel, has a gambling addiction. Gambling addiction, known more professionally as problem gambling, is extremely common. According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, about 1% of adults have severe gambling problems, and 2-3% have mild or moderate problems (NCPG). Some may say that gambling addiction is not a true addiction because there is no specific substance they are addicted to, however the high received after gambling is often compared to that of a cocaine addict due to the physical similarities they exhibit in the brain (Contreras-Rodríguez et al.).
A scary fact is that it is much more common among young adults than any other population. According to Howard Shaffer, an addiction specialist at Harvard Medical School, nearly 6% of college aged students have signs of problem gambling (Shaffer & Hall). Many experts are also worried about how the rapid increase in online sports betting will affect these statistics.
The supreme court recently legalized sports betting in 2018 which got rid of a national ban and allows states to determine if they will allow sports gambling (Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association). This has led to dozens of companies popping up offering online sportsbooks just in the last few years. With the movement to online sports gambling, the internet makes it possible to have instant ”live betting” with odds updating in real time. This allows players to bet on individual plays, quarters, and other events within each game. The fast-paced nature is designed to be addictive and engaging. The NCPG even put out a statement this year discussing how modern online gambling can be extremely dangerous in the coming years. They stated that nearly 16% of people who participate in online betting have characteristics that would place them under the clinical definition of having a gambling disorder (NCPG).
This shows that although the struggles Daniel goes through may seem isolating, there are thousands and thousands of other young adults struggling with similar disorders. Hopefully being aware of this helps add some depth to the character and makes him seem a bit more human. In addition, it is important to keep an eye on our friends who bet often and offer support to make sure they do so responsibly.
Citations:
Contreras-Rodríguez, O., Albein-Urios, N., Vilar-López, R., Perales, J. C., Martínez-Gonzalez, J. M., Fernández-Serrano, M. J., . . . Verdejo-García, A. (2015). Increased corticolimbic connectivity in cocaine dependence versus pathological gambling is associated with drug severity and emotion-related impulsivity. Addiction Biology, 21(3), 709-718. doi:10.1111/adb.12242
National Council on Problem Gambling. A Review Of Sports Wagering & Gambling Addiction Studies Executive Summary. 2020, https://www.ncpgambling.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Sports-gambling_NCPGLitRvwExecSummary.pdf. Accessed 15 Oct 2020.
Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, 584 U.S. ___ (2018). 14 May 2018.
Shaffer, H. J.; Hall, M. N. (2001). Updating and Refining Prevalence Estimates of Disordered Gambling Behaviour in the United States and Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 92(3), 168-172. doi:10.1007/bf03404298
I really appreciate your digging into this addiction. While it could be overlooked as a simple character trait that contributes to the story, it is very helpful and smart to look more into this. Seeing the whole story and getting context into each and every word, trait, and attribute of it is so beneficial to a full understanding of the book and the characters. Thanks!
Great presentation! I found the background knowledge that you provided about Deming’s addiction, as well as how it applies to college-aged students to be extremely insightful. Additionally, this background information assisted me greatly in understanding Deming’s feelings of isolation and how they affected his life throughout the novel. Also, I greatly appreciate the information that you provided about the rise of sports betting and how it is important to make sure that our friends use these services responsibly.
Quality work! Deming’s addiction should not be a minor detail. Aside from the money owed, the internal struggles that define him are hard to swallow. Reading your presentation helped with my understanding of his isolation and the pain he endured. Policing friends for their own good is a necessity for sure.
I really appreciate this scientific and well-researched context presentation!
Loved reading your post! I thought it was really important how you included further detail on Deming addiction because this should not be taken lightly.
Great post and thorough research!
As someone who has a family member with addiction, the research you presented here helped me better understand some of the issues he faces. I really hope that further research and attention will lead to prevention and better treatment to those who suffer.
Great job. I’ve never gambled or bet on anything so it was challenging for me to sympathize for Deming. I appreciate the info and research you put into this. It helped me understand Deming’s character and reasons why he struggles with this addiction.
Hi, I believe that the his problems gave us a better idea of who Deming was and showed us his struggles. It gave us a better understanding of his problems and how addictive it actaully is.
Great post! I thought it was especially interesting how you elaborated on the topic of addiction to better convey the type of struggle Deming experiences in the novel. While many people believe sports betting is harmless and even enjoyable, I have multiple friends who have struggled with betting addictions in the past. Knowing what they have experienced, I now am able to understand Deming’s character even more.
I appreciated this post because I do think that it was a very intentional choice to include this particular habit/addiction in Daniel’s character. I was struck by this when we see another character, Leon betting , and the impact that it has on Peilan. She has a moment In Atlantic City, after a big win, where she jumps up and down, saying, “It’s a game, It’s all a game!” In the buzz of the alcohol and trip out of the city and the win and the fancy surroundings, she makes a comparison between betting and life that stuck out to me because she was a woman who put big money down on something work out for her. In some ways it did, and in many ways it didn’t, But then, as the excitement of the night wore off, and Leon comes back to the room having lost big, even having lost the money she had set aside for the loan shark, she crashes to a different reality, a different comparison of betting to life.
It seems that in many of the choices that Peilan and Deming make, especially moments of leaving, they are actually doing so because they don’t have much choice but to do something drastic, often leading them to put down more than they can afford if it isn’t to go right.