THE EFFECTS OF NICOTINE ON VIDEO LOTTERY TERMINAL GAMBLING IN REGULAR GAMBLERS WHO SMOKE

Abstract

A growing body of evidence has established that smoking and gambling frequently co-occur. Despite high rates of co-occurrence, few studies have attempted to examine the extent to which nicotine can directly affect gambling behaviour. This dissertation further explores the relationship between smoking and gambling through a secondary data analysis and two laboratory-based experiments. First, a secondary data analysis was conducted using epidemiological data collected from a gambling prevalence survey in Newfoundland and Labrador. The results from this analysis revealed several associations between smoking and past 12 month gambling. Significant relationships were found between smoking and problem gambling severity scores, use of alcohol/drugs while gambling, money spent gambling, use of video lottery terminals (VLTs), and reasons for gambling related to positive reinforcement/reward and negative reinforcement/relief. Experiment 1 consists of a laboratory investigation of the acute effects of nicotine on subjective and behavioural responses to VLT gambling among gamblers who smoke. Twenty-eight (15 male) regular gamblers who smoke daily took part in two double-blind laboratory sessions where subjective and behavioural responses to gambling were assessed following administration of nicotine inhalers (NI; 4mg deliverable) or placebo inhalers (PI). It was found that NI significantly decreased tobacco-related cravings but did not affect gambling-related cravings, VLT betting, or subjective responses. In Experiment 2, the acute effects of nicotine on subjective, physiological, and behavioural gambling responses were examined in VLT players who smoke following exposure to gambling-related cues. Thirty (20 male) VLT gamblers (identified as ‘moderate risk’ or ‘problem gamblers’) who smoke daily were assigned to a nicotine lozenge (NL; 4mg deliverable) or placebo lozenge (PL) condition. Subjective and behavioural responses were assessed at baseline, following lozenge administration, following neutral cues, and following gambling cues. It was found that NL significantly reduced tobacco-related cravings but didn’t affect gambling-related cravings, the decision to play a VLT, or other subjective responses. The aggregate findings of Experiments 1 & 2 indicate that acutely administered nicotine reduced tobacco-related cravings without increasing the reinforcing value of gambling. These results suggest that use of nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) may be a safe option for gamblers who are attempting to quit smoking.