The signs and symptoms of gambling addiction - and how to stop
Legalized gambling of some form is available across most of America, with Hawaii and Utah being the only states to prohibit it. As a result, around 85% of U.S. adults have gambled at least once in their lives, with 60% having gambled within the last 12 months, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG).
Gambling addiction is a widespread issue across the country, with 2.5 million U.S adults a year estimated to meet the criteria for a severe gambling problem and a further 5-8 million believed to have mild or moderate gambling problems.
As with other addictions, gambling can cause significant financial, emotional, relational, and physical hardship for the person affected. It also has far-reaching consequences, impacting family members, colleagues, businesses, the healthcare and criminal justice systems, and society as a whole.
In this article, we define gambling addiction and outline the signs that someone might have a problem with gambling addiction. We also explore why gambling is an addiction and look at the steps someone can take to quit.
Key takeaways
- Gambling addiction is a recognized behavioral disorder that can cause serious emotional, financial, and physical harm to individuals and those around them.
- Dopamine-driven highs, escapism, and the illusion of control are powerful psychological forces that contribute to gambling’s addictive nature.
- Warning signs include preoccupation with gambling, chasing losses, and hiding the problem.
- Support is available through therapy, financial tools, and peer groups.
What is gambling addiction?
Before we can delve into gambling addiction, it's first necessary to touch on what gambling is. It typically involves risking money or another asset on an unknown outcome or event to try and win more money or an item of higher value. There are many forms of legalized gambling in the U.S, with activities including:
- Lotteries
- Scratch-offs/scratch tickets
- Casinos
- Bingo
- Sports betting, including esports
- Fruit/slot/jackpot machines
- Private bets
Gambling addiction, which is also sometimes referred to as gambling disorder or problem gambling, is when someone has an ongoing, repetitive pattern of betting/wagering through these activities that they cannot stop, despite this behavior having a negative impact in multiple areas of their life such as their work and relationships. Not everyone who gambles develops a gambling addiction.
However, the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) recognizes gambling disorder as a behavioral addiction with regard to withdrawal, tolerance, and how it alters your brain chemistry.
Individuals of any age can experience gambling addiction, although research has found that people in their early 20s are the fastest-growing demographic of gamblers and that young boys and men are especially susceptible.
Why is gambling addictive?
At first glance, the primary motive behind gambling may seem straightforward: the chance to win money or valuable assets. But the reasons people are drawn to gambling, and the factors that keep them coming back, run much deeper.
To truly understand why gambling can become addictive, we need to explore the different psychological motives and how these experiences can alter brain chemistry and behavior over time:
Excitement and the dopamine hit
For many, gambling offers a rush - a surge of excitement that’s difficult to replicate in everyday life. This thrill is closely tied to the brain’s reward system. When a person places a bet and wins, the brain releases dopamine, the neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and reinforcement.
Over time, the brain starts to associate gambling with reward, reinforcing the behavior even when losses outweigh wins.
Crucially, it’s not just the wins that trigger dopamine release; the anticipation and near-misses can produce similar neurological effects, keeping people locked into a cycle of gambling.
Escape and emotional relief
Another powerful motivator is escapism. For some, gambling becomes a way to tune out of difficult emotions or stressful life circumstances. This is particularly common with forms of gambling that offer a more solitary, immersive experience, such as electronic gambling machines or online casino games.
The relief, even though temporary, from anxiety, low mood, or a strained home situation can make the act of gambling feel like a coping mechanism. Unfortunately, this can quickly become a cycle, where gambling is used to avoid problems, while simultaneously creating new ones.
The illusion of skill and control
Not all gamblers are chasing thrills or trying to escape. Some are driven by a belief that their knowledge or strategies influence the outcome, especially in activities like sports betting or poker. This misplaced confidence and the illusion of control can be particularly dangerous, as it creates a false sense of control. People continue to gamble under the impression that their skills will eventually tip the odds in their favor when in reality, most gambling outcomes are driven by chance, not ability.
Signs and symptoms of a gambling addiction
To be given an official diagnosis of gambling addiction, an individual must have displayed at least four of the following behaviors within the past year:
- Preoccupation with gambling: Frequently thinking about gambling, whether it’s reliving past wins or losses, planning the next bet, or thinking of ways to get money to gamble.
- Needing to bet more: Feeling the urge to gamble with increasing amounts of money to experience the same level of excitement.
- Struggling to stop: Making repeated, unsuccessful attempts to cut back, control, or stop gambling altogether.
- Feeling irritable or restless when trying to quit: Experiencing agitation, frustration, or mood swings when reducing or stopping gambling.
- Using gambling as an escape: Gambling as a way to manage difficult emotions such as stress, anxiety, or low mood.
- Chasing losses: After losing money or something valuable, feeling compelled to continue gambling in an attempt to win it back.
- Gambling when distressed: Placing bets during periods of emotional turmoil, such as sadness, guilt, or worry.
- Hiding the problem: Lying to family, friends, or others to cover up the extent of gambling involvement.
- Damaging relationships and opportunities: Gambling to the point where it negatively impacts work, education, or personal relationships.
- Relying on others financially: Depending on friends or family to bail you out of financial trouble caused by gambling.
The impact of gambling addiction
Gambling addiction doesn’t just affect the person placing the bets. Its reach can be broad, touching every aspect of their life and those around them. While gambling is often viewed through a financial lens, its true impact is far more complex, taking a serious toll on mental health, relationships, physical wellbeing, and wider society too:
Mental health
Research demonstrates that gambling addiction can have a profoundly adverse effect on mental health. One study found that those with gambling disorder are 2-3 times more likely to attempt suicide or have a major depressive episode than those with other forms of addiction, with up to 18% of those seeking treatment having previously tried to take their own lives.
Other findings reveal that people experiencing gambling addiction are 15 times more likely to commit suicide than individuals in the general population.
Physical health
Although gambling might not seem like a physical activity, the stress it generates can have real physiological consequences including disrupted sleep and elevated cortisol levels.
Over time, this stress can contribute to heart issues, weakened immune function, and a greater risk of long-term illness. The emotional strain also increases the risk of co-occurring disorders such as substance misuse or alcohol dependency, which can further deteriorate overall health.
Relationships and family members
Family members of people with gambling addiction often suffer significant emotional distress. Feelings of betrayal, anxiety, helplessness, and exhaustion are common. Research has shown that many spouses of compulsive gamblers experience serious emotional problems and may turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as drinking, smoking, overeating, or impulsive spending as a way to manage their own stress and pain.
The toll of living under constant financial or emotional stress can also impact physical health. Spouses of pathological gamblers have reported suffering from chronic headaches, gastrointestinal issues, dizziness, and even breathing problems.
Children of gambling addicts are especially vulnerable. Studies suggest that children of compulsive gamblers are more likely to smoke, drink, or use drugs, and are also more likely to describe their childhoods as deeply unhappy. They may internalize the stress in the home, resulting in emotional problems like sadness, anger, and chronic anxiety.
In the most severe cases, this deterioration of personal relationships can lead to domestic abuse. Studies estimate that up to 50% of spouses and 10% of children of pathological gamblers have experienced physical abuse, while verbal abuse is also common. The breakdown in communication and trust can lead to separation or divorce.
Society
At a wider level, the NCPG estimates that gambling addiction has an annual social cost of $14 billion as a result of:
- Gambling-related criminal justice spending
- Gambling-related healthcare spending
- Job loss
- Bankruptcy
Financial instability and legal issues
The financial consequences of compulsive gambling can devastate entire households. Families often experience mounting debt, bad credit, and in extreme cases, complete bankruptcy.
Legal troubles can also arise, either through crimes committed to fund gambling or as a result of unpaid bills and financial mismanagement.
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How to break a gambling addiction
While some people can stop gambling of their own accord, many need support to address their gambling addiction. However, only 1 in 10 seek treatment.
As everyone’s motivations for and experience of gambling addiction will be unique to them, so will the approach to overcoming it. There are no FDA-approved medications to treat gambling addiction, although there are medications that may be prescribed when gambling disorder co-occurs with other mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety.
Therapy
There are several types of therapy that are effective in the treatment of gambling disorders including:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Psychodynamic therapy
- Group therapy
- Family therapy
Structured therapies can help individuals understand the underlying emotional, cognitive, and behavioral triggers that drive their gambling habits while also:
- Challenging distorted beliefs
- Aiding accountability
- Building healthier coping mechanisms
Support Groups
Peer support groups such as Gamblers Anonymous offer a safe space to share experiences and gain strength from others who are going through similar challenges. These groups provide structure, encouragement, and a sense of community that can make recovery feel less isolating.
Financial management
Regaining control of finances is a critical step to overcoming gambling addiction. This might involve:
- Making a list of income and expenditure
- Working out how much you owe in loans, cards, overdrafts, arrears, etc.
- Prioritizing debts
- Handing over financial management to a trusted person temporarily
- Creating a strict budget
- Limiting access to credit cards and large sums of money
- Working with a financial advisor
Blocking tools and self-exclusion
Many gambling platforms and venues offer self-exclusion programs that allow individuals to voluntarily ban themselves from access. Digital tools like gambling website blockers or financial transaction blocks through banks can help reduce temptation and create practical barriers to gambling.
Breaking a gambling addiction takes time, support, and self-awareness, but each step forward brings the possibility of a healthier, more stable future. From understanding the underlying causes to finding the right tools for change, informed action can make all the difference. For more articles on recovery, mental health, and well-being that can help guide your journey, explore our blog.
References
- FAQs: What is Problem Gambling?
- Psychiatry.org - What is Gambling Disorder? (May 2024)
- Gambling awareness
- Gambling Disorder (Gambling Addiction): What It Is & Symptoms (August 2023)
- How gambling affects the brain and who is most vulnerable to addiction (July 2023)
- Motivational Characteristics - Greo
- The Science Behind Gambling
- What motivates gambling behavior? Insight into dopamine's role - PMC (December 2013)
- Dopamine Modulates Reward Expectancy During Performance of a Slot Machine Task in Rats: Evidence for a ‘Near-miss' Effect (January 2011)
- A Theoretical Model of EGM Problem Gambling: More than a Cognitive Escape (April 2009)
- Written evidence submitted by Gambling with Lives
- The Biopsychosocial Consequences of Pathological Gambling - PMC (March 2005)
- Social and Economic Effects - Pathological Gambling - NCBI Bookshelf (1999)
- About Gamblers Anonymous
- Finance and Debt Management