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Investigation of the Role of Poker on Poker Players Mental and Physical Health

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Investigation of the Role of Poker on Poker Players Mental and Physical Health Investigation of the Role of Poker on Poker Players Mental and Physical Health A Research Paper submitted to the Department of Engineering and Society Presented to the Faculty of the School of Engineering and Applied Science University of Virginia • Charlottesville, Virginia In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Bachelor of Science, School of Engineering Brendan Patrick Kenefick Spring, 2020 On my honor as a University Student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this assignment as defined by the Honor Guidelines for Thesis-Related Assignments Investigation of the Role of Poker on Poker Players Mental and Physical Health Identifying the Problem Roughly two million (one percent) of the entire population in the United States are pathological gamblers, while an additional four to six million (two to three percent) are considered problem gamblers (Frazier, n.d.). Problem gambling is defined as gambling behavior which causes disruptions in any major area of life: psychological, physical, social or vocational; pathological gambling is a more severe form of problem gambling (Frazier, n.d.). One of the most popular forms of gambling is poker. As one of the more popular forms of gambling in the world, it is important to understand the mental and physiological effects of the game on the players. Beyond issues involving gambling addictions, which have been correlated with an increase in suicide rates, research has been performed that connects poker with other mental disorders such as bipolar and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) (Ballon, 2005; Karlsson & Håkansson, 2018). Additionally, it is important to understand the physical toll that the game has on these players as poker is often conducive to unhealthy lifestyles. Contributing factors include the sedentary lifestyle and high-stress environment, but also the atmospheres cultivated by casinos and poker cardrooms that are conducive to alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking (Mcgrath & Barrett, 2009; Molinaro et al., 2018). In order to better analyze these various problems and health risks, Ulrich Beck’s theory of risk analysis is utilized, below (Beck, 2000). Within this framework, the casinos and cardrooms are considered to be physical artifacts, while the game of poker itself is analyzed as a non-physical artifact. Methods The subsequent research answers the following research question: How does the environment cultivated by casinos and cardrooms contribute to the mental and physical effects of poker on the players? In the following analysis, to fully understand and form an answer to the 1 research question ethnography, discourse analysis, and documentary research methods are utilized. Ethnography and discourse analysis are first used in the study of YouTube vlogs (video blogs) from Daniel Negreanu, Brad Owen, and Andrew Neeme. Negreanu, a two-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) Player of the Year and 2014 WSOP Hall of Fame inductee, is regarded as one of the best and most famous poker players in the world (Willis, 2014). Each summer he documents his experiences playing poker tournaments at the WSOP in Las Vegas for his roughly 384,000 YouTube subscribers (as of February 19th, 2020) to view (Negreanu, n.d.). Owen and Neeme, however, are lesser known players (183,000 and 136,000 subscribers, as of February 19th, 2020, respectively) who both post their experiences playing low and mid-tier cash games (Neeme, n.d.; Owen, n.d.). Each of these vlogs provide insight into the mental struggles of playing poker for long hours and how the players attempt to deal with these struggles. In addition, while less commonly discussed, the players detail additional physical health issues that result from playing. This data is analyzed in conjunction with the information gathered using discourse analysis and documentary research methods. Information from the review and research articles provide a background for the health issues that arise due to poker. Specifically, combinations of keywords such as poker, mental health, gambling addiction, stress, depression, alcohol, and drugs, among others, were used when searching medical and psychology academic journals. Examples of medical journals utilized include the American Journal of Epidemiology and Current Biology. Examples of psychology journals used include Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, the Journal of Behavioral Addictions, and the Journal of Gambling Behavior. Additionally, the reference sections of specific papers were targeted in order to identify other potentially relevant articles and/or journals. Discourse analysis and documentary research methods 2 aid in answering the research question by determining the role casinos and cardrooms play in facilitating these health risks. Background The period of 2003 to 2006 in the poker community is commonly referred to as the poker boom. After the release of the movie Rounders and the introduction of online poker, a few years prior, the popularity of poker skyrocketed (Vamplew, 2016). The number of 2006 WSOP Main Event tournament entrants were more than 14 times greater than the size of the field in the 2002 event (Tournament results, 2019). However, in 2006 the United States government passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) (Vamplew, 2016). This began the decline in popularity as many large online poker sites were forced to leave the United States. The one’s who did not, including Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars, were indicted for fraud on April 15, 2011 – what has commonly become known at “Black Friday” in the poker community – and had their domains shut down (Vamplew, 2016). Fast forward to modern day and poker popularity is back on the rise. On May 14, 2018 the United States Supreme Court ruled the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) unconstitutional (Perez, 2018). This ruling allowed for states to implement and regulate sports gambling at the state level and in turn opened the door for the return of online poker as well (Fisk, 2019; Perez, 2018). Currently four states (Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) have legalized and implemented online poker with many more in the process of passing state laws and/or implementing the systems (Fisk, 2019). With poker and gambling returning to the forefront of American entertainment, understanding and discussing the associated mental and physical health risks cannot be more important. 3 Poker, both online and live, often cultivates an environment that can be detrimental to cardiovascular, neurological, and hormonal health (Johansen-Berg & Walsh, 2011). This environment is cultivated by casinos and cardrooms where unhealthy practices such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and sedentation are prevalent; in addition to the already high-stress situations that players constantly face while playing (Mcgrath & Barrett, 2009; Molinaro et al., 2018). These factors are known to play roles in the development of prolonged hypertension which is one of the most well-known risk factors for cardiovascular disease (Greenland et al., 1999; Smith et al., 2004). Beyond poker’s direct relationship with physical health issues, poker arguably has even more profound mental health effects on players. First, poker has well-documented short-term mental effects. Playing at a high level requires constant mathematical calculations and high-stress decision-making that requires prolonged mental focus and is often mentally taxing (Tendler, n.d.). When this focus lapses and a mistake is made or if a player simply becomes unlucky, the mental effects usually compound. “Tilt” is a term that refers to the mental state of poker players after becoming frustrated with themselves and/or their opponents. This is a common occurrence for every player, novice to professional, and can lead to compounding mistakes, often resulting in players losing additional money (Browne, 1989). Ultimately, poker is a form of gambling and stimulates players brains similarly to alcohol and other drugs, which can often results in compulsive gambling (Jabr, 2013). Only roughly 10- 15% of poker players are estimated to make money from playing meaning that at least 85% of players lose money (sometimes large amounts) (Little, 2016). Gambling addictions are often fueled by financial loss and the urge to recoup losses and/or “get rich quick.” In many cases, this leads gamblers to become mentally and financially unstable. Anxiety and depression are common 4 mental illnesses associated with gambling addiction (Barrault & Varescon, 2013). Additional conditions, such as bipolar disorder and ADHD, have also been seen to be elevated in populations of gambling addiction patients (Ballon, 2005). However, most significantly, gambling addiction has been correlated with higher suicide rates, heightening the importance of the study of these issues (Karlsson & Håkansson, 2018). STS Framework To provide a framework for analyzing the information gathered through the ethnography, discourse analysis and documentary research methods, Ulrich Beck’s theory of risk analysis is employed. In 2000, Beck, a famous German sociologist, published Risk Society Revisited: Theory, Politics, and Research Programmes, in which he revised his previous work and outlined the use of both physical and non-physical artifacts to assess risk (Beck, 2000). Another famous sociologist, Anthony Giddens, from the United Kingdom, has produced many works in agreement with Beck; sharing a similar view in support of Beck’s risk society (Ekberg, 2007). A
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