Viewing Pete Rose through the lens of addiction

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There’s renewed discussion in sports circles about whether Major League Baseball should lift its ban on Pete Rose for betting on baseball. Lifting the ban would almost certainly lead to Rose’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, something many fans think is warranted given the all-time hit leader’s baseball résumé. Others, however, argue Rose violated one of baseball’s most important rules. I suggest there’s yet another lens through which Rose should be viewed: addiction.

Addiction to gambling was not part of our lexicon during much of Rose’s playing and managing career. The American Psychiatric Association first talked about “pathological gambling” in 1980, recognizing it as a psychiatric disorder and later renaming it a “gambling disorder.” In 2013, that same organization made a “gambling disorder” the first non-substance behavioral addiction.

Things have changed greatly. A recent study determined that sports gambling is creating a public health crisis. Last year, people spent nearly $3 billion betting on March Madness games.

Addiction, whether substance use disorder or gambling, is a disease and needs to be treated accordingly, just as we treat cancer and heart disease. Both gambling and substance use share common risk factors, including impulsiveness, sensation-seeking behavior and difficulties managing stress. The brain processes gambling and substance use similarly. People who have gambling addictions and substance use disorders share a common trait that this part of the brain circuitry is underactive when not gambling or using a drug.

According to New York Council on Problem Gambling, 94% of individuals with gambling problems have at least one co-occurring mental health or substance use disorder. When patients seek help at one of our facilities, they are screened for all different types of addiction to ensure we can tailor a program to fit their needs.

Rose’s gambling habits have been well documented. According to the Dowd Report, he routinely bet a total of $10,000 or more almost daily on baseball games during the 1987 season. Without a formal evaluation, it’s impossible to say without question that Rose was addicted to gambling. What might have happened if someone had recognized Rose’s gambling earlier in his career and helped him get help before he started betting on baseball?

The ultimate decision on Pete Rose’s fate rests with Major League Baseball; I’m not in a position to weigh in on all the factors that might be considered. I am qualified, however, to suggest that whatever evaluation takes place should include looking at Rose through the lens of addiction.

Lew Zeidner is CEO of Minnesota-based EOSIS (formerly Meridian Behavioral Health).