The reason why it is not accurate whether this is in fact the first such study is due to information provided in another study, Study on the Impact of Legalized Gambling on the Citizens of the State of Connecticut. June 1997). This study refers to five notable studies conducted in this area: a 1994 study in Quebec, a 1995 study in Germany, a 1995 study in Illinois, a 1995 study in Australia, and a 1996 study in Wisconsin. Only the last two studies were received by the committee, creating uncertainty as to whether the Australian study is the first or one of the first studies to adopt this approach to estimating the costs of pathological gambling. The number of states that legalize over the next five years will determine the potential size of the market. Experts predict that about half of states will have legalized gambling within the next five years. Even with 50% market penetration, the revenue potential for sports betting is considerable for sports betting and leagues. More legalized states could mean a larger pool of potential bettors. As average fans become more familiar with the idea of sports betting, the market is likely to grow and increase its appeal. The approach of these researchers to arrive at cost estimates of pathological and problem gambling was to use a survey tool to obtain information from serious problem gamblers in Wisconsin (Thompson et al., 1996a). They distributed questionnaires to Gamblers Anonymous chapter members and received 98 completed questionnaires.

The questionnaires provided researchers with demographic data about respondents, gambling history, information about some of the games they played, the volume of gambling activity and the source of funds, as well as the consequences of gambling. The authors used the survey information to answer the following questions: (1) How much does a serious problem gambler cost society? (2) How much do Wisconsin`s serious problem gamblers cost Wisconsin society? (3) What is the social cost of casinos in Wisconsin? The research did not examine the nature and extent of the player`s retrospective perception of losses in relation to children, friends and family members. However, Frank and colleagues (1991) suggested that dysfunctional family relationships influence a pathological gambler`s tendency to self-harm. As already mentioned, with the progression of the game to a pathological state, there is often a corresponding increase in depression, shame and feelings of guilt. Research suggests that up to 20% of individuals in treatment or diagnosed with pathological gambling may attempt suicide (Moran, 1969; Livingston, 1974; Custer and Custer, 1978; McCormick et al., 1984; Lesieur und Blume, 1991; Thompson et al., 1996). In a national survey of 500 Gamblers Anonymous members, members ranked as most at risk of suicide were more likely to be separated or divorced (24%) and had parents who gambled or were alcoholics (60%). About 17% of gamblers who considered suicide and 13% of those who attempted it had children suffering from some type of addiction. This research examines how students think about sports betting and how sports betting affects the public economy. Sports betting can affect both sport and society as it can compromise the integrity of athletes and competitions and gambling can fundamentally change the interaction between fans/players and the sports they bet on. An input-output model works by developing multipliers, which are a convenient way to summarize these spillover effects across the economy. For example, an employment multiplier captures all the direct effects of adding a job to a particular industry in the local economy. Perhaps the most widely used input-output model was developed by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the U.S.

Department of Commerce. BEA developed the Regional Input-Output Modelling System (RIMS) model in the mid-1970s. In the mid-1980s, a significant improvement to the model was completed and the new model was designated RIMS II. The RIMS II model is regularly updated (U.S. Department of Commerce, 1992). The multipliers provided to the model by the BEA are created from detailed data on national and regional economies.