How Addictive is Gambling?

The UK has one of the biggest gambling markets in the world, generating an annual profit of more than £14.2 billion. Many people can enjoy the occasional bet without it being too much of a problem, but for others, gambling can quickly spiral out of control.

So how addictive is gambling and can a gambling addiction be successfully treated?

 

The Psychology of Gambling Addiction

Gambling is an activity that humans have participated in for many thousands of years, and many people experience a pleasurable aspect when gambling. When people win meaningfully (such as winning money) an area of the brain called the striatum is activated. This is an important part of the reward circuit that can also activate for food, sexual stimulation and ‘euphoric’ drugs such as cocaine.

With drugs, the act of ‘chasing the high’ or recreating the feeling of pleasure plays a key part in developing addiction. Problem gamblers also chase the rush of winning, but things are complicated by the fact that they do not always win. The odds tend to be stacked, in fact, to ensure that they lose considerably more often than they win.

Many forms of gambling provide a significant number of ‘near misses’, which keep the gambler believing that they are close to a win. An element of personal choice – such as being able to cast the ball onto a roulette wheel or choosing which cards to draw – also gives the gambler an illusion of control.

They may feel that they are exerting some kind of skill over an outcome that is actually defined by chance. Another issue is ‘loss chasing’, which is one of the hallmarks of problem gambling. This involves continuing to play in a bid to recoup losses, often in the belief that a big win is just around the corner.

Although the ‘hit’ of winning is less reliable than when using a drug like cocaine, it can be even more powerful when it does occur. One big win may represent a lot less money than has been lost over many smaller losses, but it will still stimulate those pleasure centres. This is sometimes known as ‘intermittent reinforcement’. As with alcohol and drugs, however, gambling can produce an increasing tolerance that requires more and more gambling as time goes on to feel satisfied.

 

Risk Factors for Gambling Addiction

The addictive potential of gambling means it can become a problem for anyone, but there are some risk factors that can make the potential of a gambling addiction developing greater for some people.

While anyone can develop a gambling addiction, there are some notable risk factors. A comprehensive review of existing studies on the subject found a link between substance misuse and gambling addiction, for example. In other words, people with a history of drug or alcohol problems were more likely to develop a gambling addiction – and vice versa.

Some other risk factors include:

• Age – Young people can have a higher risk of impulsive gambling, leading to gambling addiction. Anxiety, lack of self-esteem and peer pressure can all feed into this.
• Sex – Gambling addiction is more common in males, although females can also be at risk.
• Mental health issues – Including but not limited to depression, anxiety and personality disorders.
• Exposure to gambling – Just as growing up in a household with drinkers or drug users can increase the risk of substance misuse, growing up around gambling or experiencing it early can increase the risk of developing a gambling problem.
• Medications – Certain medications known as dopamine agonists may lead to issues with impulse control and could lead to pathological gambling.
• Personality traits – Some personality traits, such as thrill-seeking, impulsive behaviour and a lack of responsibility can increase the risks of gambling addiction.

 

Signs and Symptoms of Gambling Addiction

Some of the signs and symptoms of gambling addiction, which you may recognise in yourself or others, can include:

• Lack of control when it comes to gambling
• Gambling more than you can comfortably afford to lose
• Becoming preoccupied with gambling – getting excited at the prospect of gambling and losing interest in other things
• Regularly chasing losses
• Gambling more in search of a thrill which is harder to get
• Dishonesty with others regarding the extent of your gambling
• Stealing or selling items in order to fund gambling

See more signs of a gambling addiction here.

 

The Impact of Gambling Addiction

Gambling addiction and problem gambling can have a number of significant impacts on people with gambling problems, their loved ones others around them and society as a whole.

A government review of gambling harms found it could cause harm in a number of areas, including:

• Finances
• Relationships
• Mental and physical health
• Employment and education

The financial harm is the most obvious aspect. Gambling platforms of all kinds are set up so that the operator makes money over time and the gambler – on average – loses it. Even when gambling addicts do win big, they are likely to continue to gamble until they are once again at a net loss.

Financial problems can have a knock-on effect on other aspects of life, as can gambling itself. It can lead to dishonesty with a partner for example, which can put a huge strain on relationships.

 

Treatment and Recovery from Gambling Addiction

As with other types of addiction, gambling addiction can be successfully treated. The use of some medications has been explored with mixed results. The most commonly used techniques, however, are psychological therapies including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and group therapy.

These can help you explore the psychological aspects of your gambling addiction and change the way you think and behave around gambling. While most people think of rehab in relation to drug and alcohol addictions, it can also be very effective as a means of treating behavioural addictions such as gambling addiction.

 

Preventing Gambling Addiction

There are a number of things you can do to avoid some of the harms of gambling, including being aware of your own gambling habits, setting limits and seeking healthy alternatives to gambling for stress relief or leisure.

This can be easier said than done though, especially if you have a gambling addiction or fear you are developing one. Thankfully, gambling addiction can be successfully treated so if you are concerned about your own gambling or that of a loved one, get in touch today.