On June 13, Maryland’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) released “Gambling Prevalence in Maryland: A Baseline Analysis,” prepared by a team from UMBC’s Maryland Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (MIPAR). Mandated by a 2007 law authorizing video lottery terminals, the study found that although gambling is largely a positive activity for Marylanders, 3.4% of Maryland adults experience problem or pathological gambling. The research team was led by Judith Shinogle (MIPAR), with Donald F. Norris (Public Policy) and DoHwan Park (Mathematics and Statistics), and they considered gambling through casinos, lottery, horse and dog racing, bingo, sports, private games and websites.
Shinogle explains, “the baseline study determines the geographic regions where Marylanders gambled prior to the implementation of slots.” Future studies will be necessary “to determine whether the implementation of slots can be associated with any subsequent changes in problem gambling behaviors and negative social impacts.” For more information, see the UMBC press release or read the full report from MIPAR. This research also appeared on the Baltimore Sun Picture of Health blog, WYPR news and WBAL radio, which included an interview with Shinogle.
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