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Understanding Gambling Addiction

• Steps to Getting Treatment
• Stopping a Gambling Addiction

Gambling disorder (also called gambling addiction) is characterized by repeated, problem gambling behavior that leads to problems for the individual and their loved ones. Approximately 1% of the population currently has a gambling disorder. Some common symptoms of gambling disorder include not stopping or controlling gambling, lying about gambling, being preoccupied with gambling, and spending excessive amounts of time gambling.

Gambling disorder can cause problems with mental and physical health, relationships, finances, and more. Treatment options for gambling disorder include counseling, medications, and support groups.

This article will discuss what gambling addiction is, symptoms of gambling addiction, causes and risk factors for gambling addiction, effects of gambling addiction, treatment for gambling addiction, and coping through gambling addiction treatment.

andresr / Getty Images

Defining Gambling Addiction

To meet the criteria for a diagnosis of gambling disorder, at least four of the following must have occurred during the past year and caused significant distress:

• Needing to gamble increasingly high monetary amounts to achieve the desired excitement.
• Repeated unsuccessful attempts to cut back on, control, or stop gambling.
• Restlessness or irritability when trying to cut down on or stop gambling.
• Frequently gambling when feeling distressed.
• Frequently thinking about gambling (such as reliving past gambling or planning future gambling).
• Often "chasing one's losses" (i.e., returning to "get even" after losing money gambling).
• Risking or losing a job, school or job opportunity, or close relationship because of gambling.
• Lying to hide gambling activity.
• Relying on others for help with money problems stemming from gambling.

Symptoms of gambling disorder can subside for periods and return.

Gambling problems can develop quickly or over many years. Gambling activities also occur along the following continuum:

• No gambling : People who never gamble
• Casual social gambling : The most common type of gambling. Buying an occasional lottery ticket, occasionally visiting a casino for entertainment, etc.
• Serious social gambling : Regular gambling, and gambling as a primary form of entertainment, but does not harm work or personal relationships.
• Harmful involvement : Gambling that leads to difficulties with personal, work, and social relationships.
• Pathological gambling : Gambling seriously harms all aspects of the person's life, and they are unable to control the urge to gamble despite the harm it is causing.

Typical Symptoms 

Symptoms of gambling disorder can vary, but may include:

• Lying about gambling behavior
• Gambling more than you can afford to lose
• Obsessive preoccupation with gambling (excessively thinking about it even when not in the act of gambling)
• Stopping doing things you previously enjoyed
• Ignoring self-care, school, work, or family tasks
• Withdrawing from friends and family
• Missing family events
• Changes in patterns of eating, sleeping, or sex
• Regular lateness for school or work
• Increased alcohol or drug use
• Decreased willingness to spend money on things other than gambling
• Having conflicts with others over money
• Having legal problems related to gambling
• Neglecting your children's needs and welfare (such as leaving them alone, or neglecting their basic care)
• Frequently borrowing money or asking for salary advances
• Cheating or stealing to obtain money for gambling or paying debts
• Taking a second job, without a change in finances
• Cashing in assets such as savings accounts, RRSPs, or insurance plans
• Alternating between being broke and flashing money
• Organizing staff pools
• Leaving for long, unexplained periods
• Feeling anxious
• Having difficulty paying attention
• Having mood swings and sudden bursts of anger
• Feeling bored or restless
• Feeling depressed or having suicidal ideation

Suicide Prevention Hotline

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the  National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  at  988  for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call  911 . For more mental health resources, see our  National Helpline Database .

Traits and Signs In Others 

Gambling addiction can be hard to recognize, especially since signs often remain hidden until they become severe, such as a dire financial situation.

If you notice symptoms of gambling disorder, such as those mentioned above, in a friend or family member and want to talk to them about it, there are ways to approach it:

• Prepare yourself for many possible reactions from them, including anger and denial.
• Manage your expectations (don't expect them to quit right away; it can take time).
• Be honest when sharing your concerns.
• Remember that stopping their gambling behavior is their responsibility, not yours (you are there for support).
• Don't preach or lecture.
• Remain calm and keep control of your anger.
• Recognize their good qualities.
• Seek support from others in similar situations (such as a self-help group for families, like Gam-Anon).
• Let them know how the gambling is affecting you and, if applicable, the children or other family members.
• If you share finances, set boundaries in managing money (review bank and credit card statements, take control of family finances, etc.).

Causes, Triggers, and Risk Factors

Problem gambling stems from a psychological principle called Variable Ratio Reinforcement Schedule (VRRS). With VRRS, mood-stimulating rewards are variable and unpredictable. This can cause someone to gamble compulsively.

Adolescents and young adults are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of gambling compared to adults. This may be linked to their stage of brain development, with decision-making and impulse-control skills still developing.

Some factors that may contribute to problem gambling behaviors in adolescents and young adults include:

• Increased availability and access to gambling activities without supervision or physical proximity to a gambling venue (through online gambling)
• Gambling as a coping mechanism for stress and anxiety (including previously experienced trauma, abuse, or neglect, and problems with mental health)
• Family history of gambling or addiction
• Peer pressure
• High number of risk behaviors in other areas (such as alcohol and drug use)
• Problems with decision-making and impulse control
• Exposure to gambling (such as "loot boxes") or simulated gambling (such as slot machines using virtual money or points) through video games
• Seeing parents, siblings, or other family members engage in gambling

Gambling disorder can begin at any age. Males are more likely to start at an earlier age, while females are more likely to start later in life.

Some factors that can contribute to the development of (or difficulty stopping) gambling problems include:

• Having easy access to gambling
• Having an early big win, creating an expectation of future wins
• Holding erroneous beliefs about the odds of winning
• Not taking steps to monitor gambling wins and losses
• Having a history of mental health problems, especially depression and anxiety
• Often feeling bored or lonely
• Having a history of risk-taking or impulsive behavior
• Having self-esteem tied to gambling wins or losses
• Having recently had a loss or change, such as job loss, divorce, retirement, or the death of a loved one

Types of Games Associated With Gambling

Gambling activities can include:

• Casino table games
• Electronic gaming machines (such as slot machines and poker machines)
• Horse racing
• Internet gambling sites
• Charitable raffles

All forms of gambling have the potential to be addictive. But ones that are rapid, have immediate large payouts (such as slot machines), involve betting small amounts to win a huge jackpot, or allow you to place multiple bets at one time tend to be at higher risk for addiction.

Effects of Gambling Addiction

Gambling disorder can have far-reaching effects, and cause problems in a number of areas.

Self-Esteem and Mental Health

Problem gambling has been associated with mental health conditions and considerations, such as:

• Increased negative mood states
• Elevated stress levels
• Feelings of helplessness
• Changes in personality or mood
• Increased drug or alcohol use
• Bipolar disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Increased risk of suicide

While gambling disorder may not cause these conditions, it can exacerbate the symptoms and effects associated with them.

Relationships

Gambling disorder can cause people to withdraw from friends and family. Behaviors associated with gambling disorder, such as asking to borrow money, lying, stealing, and not fulfilling responsibilities, can lead to conflict with others. These factors and others can strain personal relationships.

Financial losses are not necessary for a person to have gambling disorder, but they often occur.

People who have gambling disorder may experience financial issues such as:

• Credit card debt and other debts
• Lower credit scores
• Denial of mortgages and loans
• Unpaid bills
• Lack of money for food and other essentials
• Regularly borrowing money

Some people with gambling disorder reach a point they begin selling household items or stealing.

Loss of Time and Productivity

When gambling prioritizes a person's time and becomes a mental preoccupation, it can lead to a loss of productivity at work, school, home, or in other areas.

Physical Health

Gambling disorder, and the stress that comes with it, can lead to health problems such as:

• Sleep disturbances and deprivation
• Poor hygiene and self-care
• Stomach or bowel issues
• Overeating or loss of appetite

A Word From Verywell

If your loved one seems increasingly preoccupied by gambling, is withdrawing from other areas of their life, or is noticing negative consequences to their finances, work, or relationships, it could be a sign that this is something to pay closer attention to.

Steps to Get Gambling Addiction Treatment

Treatment for gambling disorder usually involves counseling, and often support groups. In some cases, medication may also be helpful.

Counseling and Psychotherapy

Counseling and forms of psychotherapy (talk therapy) are first-line approaches to gambling disorder treatment. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most common and frequently studied form of treatment for gambling disorder.

CBT helps people with gambling disorder to identify damaging thought patterns and behavior and modify them into more productive patterns.

CBT for gambling can include components such as:

• Correcting cognitive distortions about gambling
• Developing problem-solving skills
• Learning social skills
• Learning relapse prevention

Other forms of therapy that may be used include:

• Psychodynamic therapy
• Group therapy
• Family therapy

Counseling can help you:

• Deal with gambling urges
• Manage stress and handle other problems
• Gain control over your gambling
• Heal family relationships
• Maintain recovery
• Avoid triggers

Family members affected by a loved one's gambling may also benefit from counseling. Financial counseling can be helpful for those in need of financial recovery and management.

Medications

While there are no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications for treating gambling disorders, medications that treat co-occurring conditions which can make gambling behavior worse, such as depression or anxiety , can be helpful.

Currently, medications are being studied for their potential in treating gambling disorder, particularly in reducing urges and cravings for gambling. Certain opioid antagonists have been found in randomized trials to be more successful than placebo in the treatment of gambling disorder.

More research is needed to determine if medications can be effectively used as a primary treatment for gambling disorder.

Support Groups

Some people with gambling disorder find peer support through groups such as Gamblers Anonymous to be helpful.

Gamblers Anonymous is a 12-step program in which participants attend meetings, share experiences, and offer each other support as they abstain from gambling.

Gambling Therapy is another organization, similar to Gamblers Anonymous, that offers online support groups to people with gambling disorder and their families.

Support groups are not a substitute for professional treatment.

How to Stop a Gambling Addiction

The first step to stopping gambling addiction is recognizing the problem . Once you realize you have a problem with gambling, it's time to reach out for help.

You can start by contacting your healthcare provider, a mental healthcare professional, or support groups and resources for gambling disorder. From there, you can be put in touch with the programs and resources you will need to start your recovery.

Resources and Support 

Places to find resources and support for gambling disorder include:

• Gamblers Anonymous
• National Council on Problem Gambling
• National Problem Gambling Helpline
• Gambling Therapy

Coping Through Gambling Addiction Treatment

Getting professional help for gambling addiction is paramount, but there are strategies you can use at home to help you cope while you go through treatment.

Give yourself actionable, realistic short and long-term goals to help you stay focused.

Distract Yourself

Keep yourself busy with other activities, and look for alternative ways to fill the time you used to spend gambling.

Practice Relaxation

Activities such as yoga , physical activity, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation, can help foster relaxation.

Avoid High-Risk Situations and Triggers

Stay away from gaming venues, avoid carrying cash and credit cards, or anything else that makes you more tempted to gamble . Some gambling venues and apps have options for you to have yourself voluntarily banned from using their services.

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Addictions have always been a problem to humanity. Many people tend to explain them as weaknesses, sicknesses, or on the contrary, something not worth attention. People tend to think that addictions are mostly connected to substance consumption; everyone is aware of alcohol or drug addiction, for example. Recently, there have also been talks about Internet addiction, video game addiction, sexual addiction, selfie addiction, and so on. Although they pose a serious threat to one’s mental and physical wellbeing as well, rather often they are not taken as seriously as substance abuse. Among them is also gambling addiction, which can ruin lives, and can be difficult to detect and treat.

So, what exactly is gambling addiction, and why is it considered to be so dangerous? Generally speaking, gambling addiction is a compulsive act of gambling. In other words, occasional gambling is not an addiction; systematic, frequent, and harmful gambling is. Compulsive gambling occurs regardless of a person’s financial status, family’s attitude, or work-related problems; a gambling addict will feel the urge to gamble even if he/she is already bankrupt, divorced, and fired—entirely for the thrill of the act of gambling itself. According to the American National Council on Problem Gambling, only in the United States, there are over two million people who meet the criteria of pathological gambling (meaning full-scale addiction), and about five more million whose gambling habits can be described as “problem gambling” ( LiveStrong.com ).

So, there is “healthy” gambling (meaning a gambling person does it for fun, has full control over this activity, and never harms themselves or other people through gambling, usually stopping when a money loss limit is reached, or earlier), and there is compulsive gambling; the latter possesses a number of attributes which allow to diagnose it rather accurately. These attributes are: constantly thinking about gambling, or about where to find more money to gamble (including theft and fraud); asking other people for money to continue gambling; gambling in an attempt to recover lost money; similarly to substance addiction, a pathological gambler needs the increasing amounts of money to feel the same thrill; gambling mostly is done to cope with difficult feelings such as anxiety, guilt, depression, or to get distracted from existing problems (including the gambling problem as well); lying to one’s family members about the scales of one’s gambling, or about the fact of gambling itself; losing precious relationships, jobs, reputations, and so on because of gambling ( MayoClinic ).

As it can be seen, gambling possesses attributes rather typical for any kind of addiction, so the reasons standing behind it may also resemble those causing other forms of addictive behavior. In particular, gambling may help a person escape from feelings of depression and anxiety; a gambler may dream of winning a significant sum of money, thus instantly increasing their own self-esteem, reputation, financial status, and achieving the sensation of accomplishing something important in life. Escaping from mundane reality may also be the subconscious purpose of a gambler; shiny casinos, loud arcades, being surrounded by people who occasionally actually win money—all this can create an illusion of welfare, luxury, and belonging to an elite society. Or, as it is in human nature to look for excitement (meaning thrilling or pleasant emotions and “the taste of life” they cause), gambling is often seen as a source of such emotions. Anticipating a jackpot, a gambler’s body produces large amounts of hormones responsible for pleasure and thrill (dopamine and adrenaline, for instance) causing a natural “high” not too much different from the one caused by substances. Besides, western society tolerates gambling much more than other forms of addiction, such as alcoholism or drug abuse. In fact, gambling is often seen as something thrilling but not dangerous, and mass media and advertising agencies only contribute to this image, producing pictures of a fashionable and stylish life connected to gambling; besides, many young people get introduced to gambling at a rather early age—for example, by playing cards or bingo with their parents; these family activities may look rather innocent, but it is important to remember they may also help a young person develop addiction at some point ( HealthyPlace ). If possible, it is better for parents to spend time with their children in some other ways.

Gambling is a form of addiction no different from substance abuse. It is a huge problem for the western world—just in the United States, there are roughly seven million people with varying degrees of pathological gambling behavior. Possessing a number of symptoms similar to less tolerated forms of addiction such as drug abuse, gambling is still seen as a relatively harmless activity. Mass media portrays gambling as an element of luxury, and many people having personal problems and trying to escape from them visit casinos, attempting to run away from their mundane lives. American society would benefit from gambling being treated as a form of behavior that can cause harm to both gamblers and their family members and friends, as it is already happens with alcoholism or drug addiction.

Works Cited

• Bergeson, Boyd. “What Causes Gambling Addiction?” LIVESTRONG.COM. Leaf Group, 17 Aug. 2015. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.
• “Compulsive Gambling.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 22 Oct. 2016. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.
• Gluck, Samantha. “Psychology of Gambling: Why Do People Gamble?” HealthyPlace. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.

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EDITORIAL article

Editorial: problem gambling: summarizing research findings and defining new horizons.

• 1 Institute of Psychology and Cognition Research, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
• 2 Department of Neurofarba, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
• 3 Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
• 4 University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
• 5 McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

Editorial on the Research Topic Problem Gambling: Summarizing Research Findings and Defining New Horizons

Introduction

More than a decade ago, Shaffer et al. (2006) reported that gambling-related research was growing at an exponential rate. Since that time, this trend appears to have continued, and much more is now known about this particular form of risky behavior. Nevertheless, there is still a general tendency to not perceive gambling as a potential danger for youth and other vulnerable populations.

The latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) included “gambling disorder” as the only condition in the section “non-substance-related disorders.” Moreover, it was specified that this disorder can indeed occur in adolescence, young adulthood or even late adulthood. Despite this fact, theoretical and applied research on problem gambling especially with regard to adolescence and other risk groups still remains fragmentary. For this reason, we felt it to be important to organize a special research topic on gambling. The primary goals were to highlight the necessity of considering excessive gambling as a potential harmful activity, to summarize the state-of-art of international research on different aspects of the topic and to offer important novel findings relevant for advancing knowledge in the field of gambling. Taken together, the contributions can be classified into four broad categories: (1) youth gambling, (2) risk factors in adulthood, (3) measurement issues, and (4) clinical research.

Overview of Contributing Papers

In total, 18 papers are presented in this special issue. The first central domain refers to gambling among youth. Even though regulated forms of gambling are generally prohibited to minors, there is a considerable body of research that proves their involvement in gambling activities. A significant minority of adolescents even show gambling-related psychosocial problems ( Calado et al., 2017 ). In addition, several studies have explored risk and protective factors in childhood, adolescence or young adulthood for the development of problem gambling symptoms ( Dowling et al., 2017 ). Four papers in this issue have specifically focused on youth gambling, contributing to the current knowledge by exploring less studied psychosocial constructs or subpopulations and offering guidelines for the conception of interventions. From the broader social perspective, Canale et al. presented the first study with a large-scale nationally representative sample of adolescents to examine the effects of income inequality on adolescent gambling, concluding that wealth distribution may have an impact on youth gambling. Gender issues were raised with the study from Huic et al. focusing on gambling predictors of adolescent girls who are a much less studied population than boys. Furthermore, empirical findings from Nigro et al. with regard to different emotional and cognitive factors confirmed the impact of impulsivity and emotional distress on the development of youth problem gambling. Last but not least, Donati et al. addressed mindware problems (i.e., cognitive distortions) and their influence both on youth gambling as well as the conception of theoretically founded preventive interventions.

In addition, four papers shed light on specific risk constellations for the development and manifestation of gambling-related problems in adulthood. Based on representative data from Austria, Buth et al. tackled the question of whether certain risk factors are equally relevant for at-risk, problem, and disordered gamblers. Overall, their findings indicated that the included risk factors indeed differ between these gambling groups, suggesting the need for more tailored prevention and treatment strategies. In contrast to this approach, the study by Hing et al. aimed at identifying risk factors for three forms of problematic online gambling [i.e., electronic gaming machines (EGMs), sports betting, race betting]. While the risk profiles of online sports bettors and race bettors were largely similar, a rather different pattern emerged for online EGM gamblers pointing again to the importance of differential activities in terms of prevention and intervention. Unique findings also stem from Olason et al. who conducted a population-based follow-up study in order to determine the impact of the economic crisis in Iceland on gambling behavior. Interestingly, past year problematic gambling figures did not change after the economic collapse. However, an increased participation in lotto and scratch tickets indicates that gambling forms with low initial stakes and large jackpots may then become more enticing, in particular for individuals suffering financial difficulties. In a very well-balanced opinion paper Zakiniaeiz et al. finally recalled the necessity to study gender differences in gambling patterns, especially with regard to preferred gambling forms, the onset of disordered gambling, co-occurring disorders and disorder progression.

Another important area in gambling research relates to measurement issues. In particular, the reliable and valid assessment of problem gambling patterns has received a considerable amount of attention for both adolescents ( Edgren et al., 2016 ) and adults ( Pickering et al., 2018 ). Five papers deal with the psychometric properties of novel measurement tools. Against the background that large-scale prevalence studies consistently represent high prevalence rates of gambling participation among youth (see above), two papers directly focus on this age cohort. While Stinchfield et al. developed and evaluated the psychometric properties of the Brief Adolescent Gambling Screen (BAGS), a three-item screen for adolescent problem gambling, Donati et al. tested the gender invariance of their Gambling Behavior Scale for Adolescents (GBS-A) applying item response theory. New tools that broadly aim at determining risk and protective factors associated with problem gambling in adults were also introduced. For example, Barbaranelli et al. reported the psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Gambling Self-Efficacy Scale (MGSES), an innovative scale to measure self-efficacy as a protective factor for problem gambling. In addition, Cowie et al. provided preliminary evidence for the predictive validity of the Gambling Cognitions Inventory (GCI) as a measure of cognitive distortions, showing its relationship to several gambling outcomes over a 1-month and a 6-month time period, respectively. In a similar vein, Jonsson et al. assessed the capacity of the different dimensions of the Jonsson-Abbott Scale (JAS) to predict increases in problem gambling risk levels as well as the onset of problem gambling over 1 year.

The final main subject of interest relates to clinical examinations of problem gambling. Researchers and treatment providers have sought to identify the underlying issues associated with problem gambling and have tried to identify both the barriers preventing individuals for seeking help and best practices in working with individuals with this disorder. Five informative papers have looked at this issue from multiple perspectives. Challet-Bouju et al. provided a systematic review of cognitive interventions highlighting that this common form of intervention represents a promising approach to gambling disorder management while Tremblay et al. documented the experiences of gamblers and their partners either individually or in couple therapy. Their conclusion was that both forms of treatment were effective but more positive experiences emerged for couple therapy. In yet another interesting paper, Gavriel-Fried and Rabayov examined the importance of self-stigma for individuals seeking treatment for gambling, alcohol or other substance use problems. They summarized that stigma among individuals with gambling problems tend to work in a similar way as among those individuals with an alcohol or drug problem. Jiménez-Murcia et al. analyzed the frequency of the co-occurrence of gambling disorders and food addiction. Their findings suggest that almost 10% of individuals having a gambling disorder concurrently experienced a food addiction. In addition, a far higher ratio of food addiction was found in women. Lastly, Giroux et al. provided a systematic review of online and mobile interventions for problem gambling, alcohol and drug use. While this may prove promising in the future, more rigorous research is necessary before definite conclusions can be reached. In sum, more research is clearly needed in understanding gambling disorders or problem gambling patterns before best practice treatment approaches can be identified. Clinicians and treatment providers are well aware that problem gamblers do not represent a homogenous group ( Blaszczynski and Nower, 2002 ) and that differential approaches may be required.

Overall, 94 different authors from 15 countries contributed to this special issue. We remain confident that these 18 papers significantly add to the understanding of problem gambling and will further stimulate high-quality gambling research in its many facets.

Author Contributions

All authors listed have made a substantial, direct and intellectual contribution to the work, and approved it for publication.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Blaszczynski, A., and Nower, L. (2002). A pathways model of problem and pathological gambling. Addiction 97, 487–499. doi: 10.1046/j.1360-0443.2002.00015.x

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Calado, F., Alexandre, J., and Griffiths, M. D. (2017). Prevalence of adolescent problem gambling: a systematic review of research. J. Gambl. Stud . 33, 397–424. doi: 10.1007/s10899-016-9627-5

Dowling, N. A., Merkouris, S. S., Greenwood, C. J., Oldenhof, E., Toumbourou, J. W., and Youssef, G. J. (2017). Early risk and protective factors for problem gambling: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Clin. Psychol. Rev . 51, 109–124. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2016.10.008

Edgren, R., Castrén, S., Mäkelä, M., Pörtfors, P., Alho, H., and Salonen, A. H. (2016). Reliability of instruments measuring at-risk and problem gambling among young individuals: a systematic review covering years 2009-2015. J. Adolesc. Health 58, 600–615. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.03.007

Pickering, D., Keen, B., Entwistle, G., and Blaszczynski, A. (2018). Measuring treatment outcomes in gambling disorders: a systematic review. Addiction 113, 411–426. doi: 10.1111/add.13968

Shaffer, H. J., Stanton, M. V., and Nelson, S. E. (2006). Trends in gambling studies research: quantifying, categorizing, and describing citations. J. Gambl. Stud . 22, 427–442. doi: 10.1007/s10899-006-9023-7

Keywords: gambling, problem gambling, adolescence, measurement, risk factors, prevention, treatment

Citation: Hayer T, Primi C, Ricijas N, Olason DT and Derevensky JL (2018) Editorial: Problem Gambling: Summarizing Research Findings and Defining New Horizons. Front. Psychol . 9:1670. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01670

Received: 13 August 2018; Accepted: 20 August 2018; Published: 06 September 2018.

Copyright © 2018 Hayer, Primi, Ricijas, Olason and Derevensky. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Tobias Hayer, [email protected]

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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The causes of gambling addiction: an examination of what characteristics and ways of thinking drive gambling issues

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Effects of Sports Betting Motivations on Sports Betting Addiction in a Turkish Sample

• Original Article
• Published: 07 June 2021
• Volume 20 , pages 3022–3043, ( 2022 )

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• Sevda Gökce Yüce   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2279-2139 1 , 2 ,
• Arif Yüce   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3756-3870 1 ,
• Hakan Katırcı   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2337-7711 1 ,
• Abel Nogueira-López   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6761-2907 3 , 4 , 5 &
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Many earlier studies conducted on sports betting and addiction have examined sports betting in the context of gambling and have not taken into account the specific motivations of sports betting. Therefore, the effects of motivational elements of sports betting on sports betting addiction risk are unknown. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of motivation factors specific to sports betting on sports betting addiction. Accordingly, three linked studies were conducted. Firstly, to determine sports betting motivations “Sports Betting Motivation Scale (SBMS)” developed and validated. Secondly, to determine the risks of sports betting addiction “Problem Sports Betting Severity Index (PSBSI)” was adapted from Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). Finally, the third study examined effects of the sports betting motivations on sports betting addiction risk. Study one ( n =281), study two comprised ( n =230), and the final study comprised ( n =643) sports fans who bet on sports regularly for 12 months with different motivations. The findings demonstrate that the SBMS appears to be a reliable and valid instrument for assessing sports betting motivations. Also, the findings provided PSBSI validity for the use of the Turkish and sports betting adapted version of PGSI. As a result of the main research, “make money,” “socialization,” and “being in the game” motivations were found to be positive predictors of sports betting addiction risk, while “fun” motivation was a negative predictor. The motivations “recreation/escape,” “knowledge of the game,” and “interest in sport” were found not to be significant predictors of the risk of sports betting addiction.

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Sevda Gökce Yüce, Arif Yüce & Hakan Katırcı

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Gökce Yüce, S., Yüce, A., Katırcı, H. et al. Effects of Sports Betting Motivations on Sports Betting Addiction in a Turkish Sample. Int J Ment Health Addiction 20 , 3022–3043 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-021-00563-6

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-021-00563-6

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Online Gambling Addiction Essay

Introduction, causes of gambling.

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Gambling can be defined as bets that result to material or monetary gain or loss. Also defined as a game whereby the player takes risk hoping to gain material or monetary value on an uncertain outcome. It entails taking risks on uncertain events outcome to make a gain (Smith, 2001, p. 1). A person is said to be addicted to gambling if he/she is unable to avoid gambling.

Online gambling popularity has grown enormously with development in technology. Computer addiction has lead to an increment to online gambling addiction, due to computer addiction one develop tolerance to computer usage. This leads to greater need of stimulating material in the internet, gambling provide the stimulation that one anticipate to gain.

One develops the urge to gamble, which eventually leads to an addiction. It can also be attributed from genetic disorder, persons born in a family with an online gambling addiction has a tendency of themselves inheriting the addiction. It is based on the assumption that the gambling genes are passed on by parents to their young ones (Ladouceur, 2002, p. 1).

Young age gambling can lead to addiction; as young people do it for the thrill. As they grow old they find it hard to stop, as it become habitual to them. Anxiety or depression shows a strong propensity to gambling addiction. Early win in gambling act as an enticement for one to continue gambling, this give one unrealistic success and always want to repeat the experience again and again.

Nowadays internet access is readily available to the majority of the population, as people search for satisfaction they engage themselves in online activities like gambling, since they are readily available (McCarthy, 2005, p. 1). The readily available internet access means one has complete control of his own online activities. Others are a case of immaturity, being rebellious, in secure and being detached from reality. This leads them to engage in online gambling to prove appoint to their colleagues (Catchall, 2005, p. 1).

Gambling is an addiction as one becomes dependent on the activity; he cannot do without it, it becomes a necessity to him (Woods, 2006, p. 1). Majority of the gamblers have unique psychological characteristics, it provide instant gratification and disassociation to the addicts. It is used as an escape from stressful situations and other unpleasant feeling.

They engage in the activity to drown their stressful life but with time it becomes a way of life to them (Dryden, 1996, p. 1). Due to the fact that people engage into it even when it hurts them and their loved ones, clearly shows it is not a normal undertaking but driven by a stronger uncontrollable urge for satisfaction.

Some take online gambling as a way of relaxing their mind, the thrill from the outcome anticipation distracts their thinking. This cools their mind and relieves it from stressful thoughts and experiences. It can also be a symptom to other disorders, especially mental related disorders. To other it is a game like any other, they play for the fun of it. They believe there are no side effects of being involved in the gambling game. This is just an escape from reality, if it is for relaxation one need not to be dependent on it.

Due to the fact that one is controlled by it, it ceases from being a game or a symptom to a condition (Aiden, 1999, p. 1). Majority of the victim continue to suffer from the addiction condition due to self denial, they hide in pretence it is just a game like any other. As much as it may be perceived as a way to relieve stress, it is a source of stress and depression itself to the participant. Online gambling is more of an addiction than a game to the players (Petry, 2002, p. 1).

As evidenced in the discussion above, most cases of addiction to online gambling start due to other minor problems. However, this develops to become a very serious problem that affects the individual adversely. It is thus of essence that people restrain from behaviours which could make them addicted to online gambling.

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