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Medically reviewed:06/22/2018
Last updated: 04/17/2020
Author: Addictions.com Medical Review

As with substance addiction, gambling is usually a way of coping with stress and anxiety. You will need to find ways managing stress and anxiety to prevent relapse. Therapy will probably help, along with meetings. Compulsive gambling can be an addiction, just as real and powerful as a serious drug addiction. According to Scientific American, 'pathological gamblers and drug addicts share many of the same genetic predispositions for impulsivity and reward seeking.

Gambling addiction, or “gambling disorder,” is a clinically diagnosable behavioral condition in which an individual engages in “persistent and recurrent problematic gambling behavior leading to clinically significant impairment or distress.”1 The progression toward addiction generally happens over the course of years and is marked by increased frequency and amount wagered.

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What is Gambling Addiction?

Gambling addiction or gambling disorder is defined as persistent and recurring problematic gambling behavior that causes distress and impairs your overall livelihood. Gambling addiction affects roughly 0.2% to 0.3% of the general U.S. population, and tends to affects males more than females, though this gender gap has narrowed in recent years. Gambling disorder is a behavioral addiction that can be effectively treated using a range of cognitive and behavioral therapies.

The desire to buy scratch tickets, play slot machines, and visit casinos aren’t necessarily signs of gambling addiction. But when the desire to gamble becomes overwhelming to the point you can’t stop thinking about it until you gamble on something, may be a sign you need help. Those who suffer from gambling addiction will continue to gamble despite negative financial, legal, and social consequences.

Gambling disorder is a brain disease that can cause you to do things you wouldn’t normally do if you weren’t suffering from addiction. Behavioral addictions like gambling disorder are often difficult to manage and control without getting professional help. Addiction treatment centers can help you overcome gambling addiction and teach you important skills aimed at helping you repair problems in your life caused by your disorder.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Gambling Addiction?

There are no physical health symptoms associated with gambling disorder. Familiarizing yourself with common gambling addiction behaviors can clue you into whether you or a loved one may need professional help.

Chasing after losses is the most common tell-tale sign of gambling disorder. This particular symptom is marked by the urgent need to continue gambling to earn back a loss or series of losses. Individuals diagnosed with gambling disorder may abandon their usual gambling strategies to win back all losses at once and may lie to family, friends, and therapists to hide the severity of their addiction.

The following behaviors are potential signs of gambling addiction:

• Needing to gamble using increasing amounts of money to achieve the desired rush and excitement.
• Feeling restless or irritable when trying to reduce or stop gambling.
• Inability to control, reduce, or quit gambling despite numerous repeated attempts.
• Preoccupation with gambling, such as devising ways to get more gambling money and reliving past gambling experiences.
• Gambling when experiencing feelings of distress, helplessness, guilt, anxiety, and depression.
• Chasing after your losses to get even after losing money gambling.
• Lying to conceal the severity of gambling behaviors, and the addiction.
• Loss of personal relationships, job, and educational pursuits due to gambling.
• Replying on others to provide money to resolve financial situations caused by gambling, such as a threat of eviction from the home.

Those with a mild gambling addiction may exhibit between four and five of these behaviors, while those with a moderately severe gambling addiction may exhibit six to seven of these behaviors. People who suffer from severe gambling addiction will usually exhibit all nine behaviors. Moderate to severe cases of gambling disorder tend to be more common than mild cases.

You might have a gambling problem if:

• You feel compelled to keep gambling until you’ve spent your last dollar. You may keep bidding until you’ve spent everything to win your money back, or you continue increasing bet amounts.
• You hide your gambling from friends or family members. You may sneak off to gamble without telling anyone, or lie about your gambling activities.
• You spend money you don’t have on gambling. You may use money intended for important bills like rent, mortgage, car payments, credit card bills, and other expenses for gambling.
• You steal from others or sell your possessions so you can gamble. You may steal money or belongings from others so you can gamble, or sell or pawn valuable possessions like musical instruments and vehicles to obtain more gambling money.
• You prioritize gambling over obligations related to work, school, family. You may stop going to work or school so you can gamble, or stop buying household necessities so you can use the money for gambling instead.
• You’re experiencing financial hardships due to gambling. You may have lost your home, car, job, and important personal possessions due to gambling.
• You’re facing a range of negative emotions triggered by gambling. Gambling may be a serious problem in your life if it’s triggering depression, anxiety, frustration, agitation, and remorse.
• You want to stop gambling but can’t. You have tried to stop gambling but can’t seem to stop despite your desire to do better and to stop gambling.

Negative Effects of Gambling Addiction

Gambling addiction can produce many more negative effects than just financial hardship. Gambling disorder can affect your physical health, mental health, and social functioning, and lead to the loss of important relationships with friends and loved ones. You may also suffer a decline in work or school performance, and feel more restless and bored with all other areas of life that don’t involve gambling.

Those who suffer from gambling addiction tend to suffer from higher rates of poor general health than those who don’t gamble. Tachycardia and angina are common health problems among those diagnosed with gambling addiction. Many who suffer from gambling disorder also tend to experience distortions in thinking surrounding their addiction, such as superstitions, overconfidence, and a sense of power over the outcome of chance events. Nearly 50% of those receiving treatment for gambling disorder experience suicidal ideation, while an estimated 17% have tried to commit suicide.

The negative effects of problem gambling include:

• Financial problems including high debt, poverty, or bankruptcy
• Domestic violence and child abuse in families
• Suicidal thoughts, attempts, or the act of suicide
• Legal troubles, including arrests for theft or prostitution
• Behavior problems in children of problem gamblers
• Depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders
• Loss of relationships with friends and family
• A decline in performance at work or school
• Suicide and death
• A risk for drug or alcohol abuse

How Does Gambling Addiction Interact with Addiction?

Alcohol and cocaine are the two most common substances associated with gambling and binge gambling, respectively. Alcohol is legally available in most gambling settings such as bars and casinos and is often rewarded to gamblers for free at many of these establishments. Roughly 44% of people with gambling disorder in the U.S. also suffer from an alcohol use disorder.

Binge gambling is defined as intermittent episodes of uncontrolled gambling after long periods of abstinence. For instance, a person who practices binge gambling may only visit the casino five times per year but gamble non-stop for long periods during their stay. Cocaine use tends to be common among these gamblers since it produces stimulating effects of increased energy, alertness, focus, concentration, and confidence.

Individuals with gambling disorders tend to suffer higher rates of co-occurring alcohol and drug use disorders compared to their peers. Gambling often takes place in environments that enable and encourage alcohol and drug use. Gambling can also trigger mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, which many may self-treat using alcohol and drugs like marijuana, painkillers, and other addictive substances.

How Are Gambling Addiction and Substance Use Treated?

Gambling addiction is commonly treated using cognitive and behavioral therapies that treat the root psychological causes of your addiction. These therapies also help you identify and change negative, unhealthy thoughts and behaviors that may have led to your gambling addiction. Treatments for gambling addiction can be tailored especially for you or your loved one based on the factors surrounding your disorder.

Gambling addiction can also be treated using community reinforcement, group therapy, and 12-step support groups like Gamblers Anonymous. These treatments help you identify your triggers that can lead to gambling and teach you ways to overcome and manage those triggers. For instance, if a stressful day at work usually makes you feel like gambling, you may learn yoga, deep breathing, or other healthy methods that relieve stress without putting your health and well-being at risk.

Gambling Addiction Help

If you or someone you love needs treatment for gambling addiction, it’s important that you use a treatment approach that best suits your recovery needs. Gambling addiction treatment is available in many different settings, including inpatient and outpatient treatment settings.

Inpatient gambling addiction treatment can greatly benefit those who suffer from severe gambling disorder, and who have suffered severe financial, legal, or social problems. Inpatient treatment includes around-the-clock supervision in a hospital-like setting where you can live for the duration of your treatment program. The intense level of therapy, counseling, and supervision provided by inpatient treatment centers can help significantly reduce the risk of relapse while in recovery.

Compulsive gamblers often need support from friends, family members, and peers to help them stop gambling. Gamblers Anonymous groups can provide peer and social support for those in recovery or for those who wish they can stop gambling. These groups can provide a solid, healthy foundation for a successful and long-term recovery from gambling addiction.

Here’s how to help a family member or loved one suffering from a gambling addiction:

• Understand the addiction. The first thing you can do to help a loved one who is addicted to gambling is to learn all you can about the addiction. Find a support group that can help you cope with the stress that comes from having a loved one who is addicted to gambling.
• Find support. Support for yourself and for your loved one who is addicted can be very beneficial in helping with a gambling addiction. Many support groups are available throughout communities and in treatment centers. Therapists and counselors can also provide support for gambling addiction.
• Manage money tightly. If your loved one is addicted to gambling and is actively pursuing help, take over managing all financial responsibilities for your loved one. This can help reduce any gambling impulses your loved one may be experiencing throughout their recovery.

It can be difficult to accept the truth when someone you care about demonstrates problem gambling warning signs. Gambling that causes problems is problem gambling. Because the symptoms of compulsive gambling aren’t always clear — individuals with gambling addiction may not look sick, unlike someone who struggles with substance abuse — being able to identify gambling problem signs is essential.

Addicted To Gambling

The earlier you notice someone you care about struggling with the signs and symptoms of gambling addiction, the earlier you can ask for help. Because addiction is a progressive disease, enrolling in treatment early often results in better long-term outcomes. Learn more about the symptoms of pathological gambling.

What Is Compulsive Gambling?

Compulsive gambling is best described as having an uncontrollable urge to gamble even though gambling has inflicted serious damage. An individual who shows signs of gambling addiction continues to bet even as it destroys relationships, reputation and career. Like drinking alcohol, gambling is frequently a legal activity. It is also readily available online.

Individuals who are addicted may feel extremely relaxed or even high as they gamble, and evidence suggests these feelings resemble what alcoholics and drug addicts crave. The relationship between gambling and feeling good is so strong it is impossible for the addicted person to feel normal without betting. If you have caught your loved one hiding debts, lying about his or her whereabouts or denying gambling even though it’s obvious, your loved one shows signs of having a gambling problem.

For some individuals, a substance abuse problem accompanies the gambling addiction. Alcohol abuse is extremely common in individuals who gamble compulsively. One study cited by the National Institutes of Health reported nearly half of individuals with gambling addiction demonstrate signs of alcohol use disorder.

This disorder may evolve as a natural byproduct of gambling because people often drink while betting. Others may use alcohol or drugs to cover up feelings of shame, guilt or embarrassment. To achieve a full recovery, these individuals must address gambling addiction plus the accompanying substance abuse problem.

There is good news. Individuals who enroll in treatment and commit to quitting gambling can make a full recovery. This includes living a satisfying lifestyle in which having fun without gambling is possible.

Compulsive Gambling vs. Non-Compulsive Gambling

It can be difficult to identify compulsive gambling because problem gambling may initially look like normal betting. If you’re trying to figure out if someone you care about needs help quitting gambling, there are differences you can look out for.

Walk in any casino or stop by the average poker party and, chances are, you’ll find many healthy individuals having fun. Yet among these bettors are individuals who are trapped in the cycle of addiction.

Individuals with healthy gambling habits:

Symptoms Of Gambling Addiction

• Know their limits — Whether they’re in Vegas or over at a friend’s house for poker night, non-compulsive gamblers know when to say no. They have a healthy appreciation for gambling risk, and they know there is a losing side of every bet. They accept there is no such thing as a sure thing, and they know they may lose everything they planned to bet. They consider gambling as entertainment only. They only gamble up to a predetermined limit, and they quit when they reach it.

• Refuse to accept too much risk — Non-compulsive gamblers never bet so much they put their family, finances or reputation at risk. They are not interested in reducing losses by trying to “win it all back,” blowing through predetermined limits. If they bet too much, they don’t repeat the mistake. Non-compulsive gamblers can walk away from gambling at any time without feeling anxious or irritable. They understand reputation and relationships are the most important things in life, and compulsive gambling damages both.

• Don’t have cravings to gamble — When gambling is not an option, non-compulsive gamblers don’t mind. Gambling is fun sometimes, but not all the time. They can walk away from gambling at any time and not feel an intense need to bet again soon. They feel satisfied with life even though they’re not gambling.

• Can easily decline invitations to gamble — Non-compulsive gamblers can turn down invitations to bet with no problem, whether it’s a boozy Atlantic City weekend or standing Friday night cards. They can turn it down because they don’t have the money to spend on gambling, they have other plans, or they just don’t feel like going. It doesn’t matter — they can say no.

• Don’t need to gamble to have fun — One problem in individuals with addiction is their brains get wired to prefer gambling over every other activity. Non-compulsive gamblers understand there are several options from which to choose. Gambling is just one of them.

On the other hand, compulsive gamblers:

• Ignore predetermined limits — If your loved one promises to keep to a low limit but usually loses more, that is a problem behavior. Individuals with a gambling problem cannot stop themselves from betting more. The amount they gamble may increase over time because getting the same high requires taking more risk. Discovering your loved one lies about, denies or hides gambling losses is a big hint there’s a compulsive gambling problem.

• Love to take outsized, unsafe risks — Problem gamblers love taking big risks and may bet more than they can afford to lose. This behavior can occur with any risk-taking activity, from betting on cards to playing the stock market. They may try to win losses back in an attempt to cover up their growing addiction. They continue to bet even when others ask them to stop.

Consequences Of Gambling Addiction

• Feel an intense need to gamble — Your loved one might show signs of gambling obsession, including talking about gambling more frequently, planning gambling trips or spending more time betting online. When your loved one isn’t gambling, he or she may feel irritable or anxious — but excited because the next opportunity to gamble is close.

• Can’t turn down an opportunity to gamble and are obsessed with finding more ways to bet — Your loved one is compelled to gamble and can’t say no. He or she may miss important family events, disappear from work or ignore other obligations because an opportunity to gamble presented itself. Your loved one ignores other activities he or she used to love in favor of gambling. He or she may start with cards and then start betting on sporting events, horses or other types of gambling. Gambling becomes the only thing that matters.

• Can only have fun and feel good when gambling — As addiction takes hold, the bad habit takes over the brain. Problem gamblers can only feel good and relaxed when gambling. When they can’t gamble, or when they don’t have money to gamble, they feel anxious and irritable.

The Symptoms of Pathological Gambling and Problem Gambling

Symptoms Of Gambling Addiction Withdrawal

Although addiction professionals sometimes debate the differences between them, there are two kinds of gambling disorders: problem gambling and pathological gambling. Those with problem gambling can harm themselves or others because of their love of gambling.

Problem gambling may require treatment. It may also turn into pathological gambling if the behavior continues and symptoms are left untreated. It is important to note problem gambling doesn’t have to be a daily or weekly activity. If the gambling causes problems, it is a problem — no matter where, when or how frequently it occurs.

Pathological gamblers also harm themselves or others, but they demonstrate several additional symptoms. Pathological gamblers may behave as if they can’t lose or demonstrate signs of overconfidence. They might insist having more money would solve all their problems. Superstitions might play an outsize role in their habits.

In addition, those who gamble pathologically might have competitive or extremely energetic personalities. You might also notice workaholic-type behaviors or procrastinating until the last minute and then performing at an intense level. Other common behaviors of individuals with a pathological gambling problem include restlessness, acting bored and extravagant or manic generosity.

Clinicians verify a diagnosis of problem gambling and pathological gambling by examining 10 essential behaviors. There is some disagreement among professionals as to the differences between problem and pathological gambling, but in general, individuals who demonstrate up to five of the following signs of gambling addiction are problem gamblers. Those who demonstrate more than five signs are said to demonstrate traits of pathological gambling or gambling addiction.

Compulsive gambling warning signs include:

1. Preoccupation — Individuals with gambling problems find it difficult to focus on anything but gambling. They may have a hard time completing tasks because thinking about gambling memories, fantasies or upcoming events is irresistible.

2. Tolerance — Just as someone with an alcohol problem has to drink more and more to get the same feeling, compulsive gamblers must make bigger and more daring bets. Tolerance for gambling rises fast, and they can only feel high when they risk more than they should.

3. Withdrawal — When individuals with a pathological gambling problem cannot gamble, they feel anxious, bored and annoyed. They may avoid other activities to gamble instead.

4. Escape — When an individual uses gambling to forget about his or her problems or to cheer up, that is problem gambling. The individual uses gambling as a way to avoid dealing with important problems or feelings of depression.

5. Chasing — It’s inevitable an individual with a compulsive gambling problem is going to lose bets. To hide mounting losses, the individual makes more bets to try and win it back.

6. Lying — Individuals feel embarrassed or ashamed about how much they are gambling or worried because they know they aren’t supposed to gamble. Instead of telling the truth to loved ones, they lie, hide or deny gambling.

7. Loss of control — Deep down, they know they are struggling. They grow tired of losing money and feeling obsessed with gambling. They try to quit, but feel so uncomfortable during the first few days they go back to gambling. Relapse is a chief characteristic of addiction.

8. Illegal acts — One of the most serious signs of a gambling addiction is breaking the law to secure funds or goods to gamble. If your loved one steals or performs other illegal acts, it’s time to get help.

9. Risks relationships — When your loved one continues to gamble even when the behavior threatens his or her most important personal or professional relationships, it’s time to stop. This may include requests to stop gambling that go ignored.

10. Bailout — Eventually, your loved one may lose so much money gambling he or she has to ask for financial help.

If you are still wondering whether or not you or your loved one may have a gambling addiction, take our self-diagnosis quiz here.

Comorbid Disorders: Gambling Addiction, Depression and Substance Abuse

Anyone can develop a gambling problem, but certain populations are more likely to gamble compulsively. Compulsive gambling often occurs alongside other mental health disorders, including depression and substance abuse addiction.

The more serious your loved one’s gambling problem is, the more likely he or she is to require treatment for a comorbid disorder. You can identify signs of a comorbid disorder by looking for evidence of:

• Depression or anxiety — Common disorder signs include insomnia or sleeping too much, appetite problems, feeling sad or hopeless and mood swings. These signs also occur alongside and can result from substance abuse.
• Schizophrenia or antisocial personality disorder — These uncommon mental health disorders are more likely to co-occur in individuals with gambling addiction.
• Substance abuse — Alcoholism is extremely common in individuals with gambling addiction. Spending more time and money on drinking while gambling, drinking at unusual times or in unusual places, and avoiding events where alcohol won’t be served are common addictive behaviors. You’ll also notice your loved one needs to drink more and more alcohol to get the same effects. Alcoholism and drug addiction are treatable.

Get Treatment for Gambling Addiction

Gambling Addiction Facts

No matter how serious your loved one’s gambling problem is, help is available. Many individuals with serious gambling and/or substance abuse problems have enrolled in treatment and now live satisfying and sober lifestyles.

Although self-help support groups such as Gamblers’ Anonymous help many people sustain sobriety, others find the most effective treatment includes behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy can get to the bottom of your loved one’s need to gamble. It can also help your loved one identify and confront uncomfortable feelings and emotional triggers safely.

If your loved one suffers from a substance abuse problem or a mental health disorder, he or she may also benefit from psychotherapy or non-addictive medication. Holistic inpatient treatment programs that are qualified for dual diagnosis care can provide rehab services for gambling addiction, substance abuse and disorders such as depression and anxiety.

The program you choose may also include family therapy and recreation programs that will help your loved one enjoy a more fulfilling lifestyle. These programs typically include aftercare that helps clients stay sober after inpatient treatment ends.

Gambling Addiction Is a Chronic, Progressive Disorder

Gambling addiction is a type of mental health disorder that grows worse if left untreated. It can also trigger other use disorders, such as alcohol use disorder. All addictions, including gambling addiction, are treatable. With therapy — especially behavioral therapy — many individuals go on to lead satisfying and healthy lifestyles.