Understanding Gambling Addiction – How to Treat Gambling Addiction

Gambling addiction is an uncontrollable urge to gamble despite the negative effects it has on the person or his or her loved ones. Sometimes referred to as compulsive gambling or a gambling disorder, such an addiction can have serious consequences. It can cause long-term pain and suffering if left untreated.

Understanding the risks and knowing how gambling addiction works can prepare anyone who plays casino games or places sports bets. Here, you’ll learn about common signs and symptoms and gambling addiction statistics. You’ll also find helplines and other resources that you can use to get help.

Gambling Addiction Symptoms

By recognizing the most common symptoms and signs of gambling addiction, you’ll be more likely to seek help if you need it. If any of these apply to you, we recommend getting in touch with a gambling hotline.

  • Preoccupation with gambling – Constantly thinking about gambling at an online or retail casino, sportsbook, or other gambling establishment.
  • Increasing bet frequency or value – A compulsion to place an increased amount of wagers to achieve the desired level of excitement.
  • Unsuccessful attempts at controlling the addiction – Repeated unsuccessful attempts to stop or reduce gambling online or in person.
  • Feeling irritability or restlessness – Becoming restless or irritable when attempting to stop or reduce gambling.
  • Using gambling as an escape – Using gambling as an escape from difficulties or to relieve feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, or depression.
  • Chasing gambling losses – Trying to win back lost wagers by starting to gamble with increasing amounts.
  • Lying – Hiding or lying about gambling activity from friends, family, or trained professionals, such as therapists.
  • Jeopardizing relationships or opportunities – Risking or missing out on significant relationships, jobs, careers, or learning to gamble.
  • Needing others for money – Needing to borrow from others, or stealing, to relieve desperate monetary circumstances as a result of gambling.

Key Gambling Addiction Statistics

There is ongoing research on gambling addiction in the US and around the world that illustrates the seriousness of this condition.

How to Stop Gambling Addiction

If you are showing the signs of gambling addiction, you should take the following steps:

  1. Admitting the problem – The first step in solving any problem is to admit that there is one.
  2. Seek support – Get help from trained professionals or join support groups, such as Gamblers Anonymous.
  3. Avoid temptation – Stay away from places and situations that tempt you to gamble. Activate self-exclusion tools not to be contacted by any gambling operators that you have signed up with. Delete any gambling apps from your mobile or desktop devices.
  4. Manage finances – Get someone you trust to manage your money for a while, thus reducing the risk that you will gamble more of your funds.
  5. Find alternatives – Engage in other activities that provide entertainment, and fulfillment, such as sports, hobbies, or learning new skills.
  6. Set personal goals – Create realistic short-term and long-term goals with the help of trained professionals to focus on your recovery.
  7. Professional help – Get all the help you need from trained professionals, charities, and relevant government departments.

Getting Gambling Addiction Help

The following organizations offer treatment for gambling addiction in the US:

How to Stop a Gambling Addiction

Getting professional gambling addiction treatment is one of the best ways to resolve the problem. The sooner a compulsive gambler gets help, the sooner he or she can be cured. In addition to the resources listed above, many US states offer helplines and resources, such as walk-in clinics.

Addiction may be avoided by responsible gambling. Only wagering funds that you can afford to lose and knowing when to stop can prevent many of the consequences of problem gambling. Licensed online casinos and online sportsbooks also offer various voluntary tools, such as limits on losses, wagers, or session times.

It’s also important to be aware of myths and misconceptions in gambling. The Gambler’s Fallacy, for example, is believed by many players who expect that something will happen more or less frequently in a given period. This fallacy can lead gamblers to make irrational decisions and may lead them to think that they can predict future gambling outcomes based on past results.

Compulsive Gambling Myths and Misconceptions

Unfortunately, there are many fallacies surrounding gambling addiction that can prevent people from seeking help. Here are the most common ones:

Myth Fact
Gambling addiction is not a real addiction. Gambling addiction is recognized as a real and serious mental health disorder, similar to substance addiction.
You have to gamble daily to be a problem gambler. This addiction is defined by the negative impact it has on the gambler’s life, not the frequency.
Problem gamblers are irresponsible or weak-willed. Addiction is a complex condition influenced by various factors, including genetics, environment, and brain chemistry.
If you can afford to gamble, it’s not a problem. Those suffering from this addiction can suffer from severe financial, emotional, and relational consequences regardless of their financial status.
Only irresponsible players become addicted to gambling. Gambling addiction can affect anyone, regardless of their background, education, or social status.
Negative gambling behaviors are only a problem of self-control. While self-control is a factor, a betting habit involves complex interactions between brain functions, compulsive behaviors, and social environments.

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Resources