Gambling Addiction: Signs, Risks, Therapy and Treatment Options

Gambling addiction can have serious negative consequences for you and your family. It is crucial to understand the disorder, recognize the signs and treatments available to help you or a loved one facing a gambling disorder. Gambling addiction therapy can help.

What Is Gambling Addiction?

Gambling can mean more than going to a casino and dropping coins in the slot machine. It can also refer to betting on horse or dog races, playing poker, sports betting and internet gambling.

If you have ever played the lottery, you have gambled. Other forms are seemingly harmless, such as loot boxes, video game betting and an office fantasy football league.

Sports betting is now legal in at least 37 states, making it easier than ever to gamble on your favorite teams. Adolescents and adults can gamble 24/7 online if they have access to the internet.

With few regulations on gambling advertising, people of all ages are being lured into the exciting world of gambling. However, most quickly find that it can lead to less excitement and more addiction.

Gambling addiction is a behavioral disorder involving compulsive and recurrent gambling that leads to significant impairment or distress.

It has similar characteristics to substance use disorders, including the inability to stop and impulsive behavior, although it is hurting your life. As well, cognitive distortions are associated with gambling disorder, including thinking you are in control of your gambling when you are not.

Common Signs & Symptoms

Signs of gambling addiction vary based on your unique circumstances. While gambling can be an enjoyable experience for some people, it can be an activity that leads to problems in all areas of life for others.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), there are nine criteria associated with the diagnosis of gambling addiction.

You must exhibit four of the following within 12 months:

You need to increase the amount of money spent on gambling to achieve the desired excitement.
You are restless or easily agitated when trying to stop or cut back on gambling.
You have made repeated attempts to cut back or stop gambling, but have been unsuccessful.
You are preoccupied with finding ways to gamble, finding money to gamble or thinking of gambling.
You gamble when feeling negative emotions, like stress, anger and depression.
After losing money gambling, you continue gambling to win back money or chase losses.
You lie to cover up how much you are gambling.
You have lost relationships, a career or educational opportunities due to gambling.
You get money from others to relieve financial stress or problems caused by gambling.

Meeting four to five criteria represents a mild gambling addiction. Meeting six or seven criteria suggests a moderate problem and eight or nine criteria signify a severe addiction.

Emotional, Financial & Relationship Impacts

Gambling addiction, like many other addictions, can negatively impact your mental health, financial status and relationships.

Emotional Impact

Some people have mental health disorders before they begin gambling. Gambling may not cause the disorders, but it can worsen the symptoms you experience.

Examples of common mental health disorders associated with compulsive gambling include:

Depression
Anxiety
Bipolar disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

Some people may turn to drugs and alcohol to alleviate their symptoms. However, doing so only creates more problems and the potential of developing co-occurring disorders.

Financial Impact

Millions of people end up with large debts due to their gambling habits, specifically, credit card debt. The financial woes that can come from compulsive gambling include interest rate payments, lower credit scores, loan denials and bankruptcy.

Many people who engage in compulsive gambling are using money they need to pay bills, buy groceries and maintain a healthy lifestyle. They think they will win more money and be able to pay all their bills on time.

When this doesn’t happen, it negatively impacts their financial status. However, they continue the cycle in hopes that the next time will have a different outcome.

Relationship Impact

Problem gambling behaviors directly impact personal relationships. Gamblers often borrow money from friends and family, promising to pay it back. When they fail to repay the money owed, it breeds distrust and resentment, fracturing the relationship.

People who spend family household money on gambling rather than paying bills put family members in jeopardy of losing their home, electricity, groceries and other necessities. This makes loved ones feel unsafe and fearful.

Problem gamblers burden loved ones who have to pick up extra responsibilities, which can lead to anger, stress, loneliness, hopelessness and negative mental health symptoms.

Why It’s Hard to Stop Without Help

Gambling behaviors lead to addiction because they alter how the brain functions. This occurs by triggering a release of dopamine, the feel-good chemical that makes you feel pleasure and reward. Chasing that excitement and reward, or a high, keeps you gambling.

You become caught in a cycle of gambling, feeling high, feeling low, gambling again. It is challenging to break the cycle of addiction without the help of trained professionals who can teach you the skills necessary to quit gambling for good.

Without the proper coping skills, you may not be able to overcome daily triggers that encourage you to gamble.

Therapy & Treatment Options

Licensed mental health or gambling therapy professionals can help you stop gambling. They use various therapeutic methods, including medicines, behavioral therapies and support groups.

You can access these gambling treatment options through a standard or intensive outpatient gambling rehab program.

Types of Rehab for Gambling Addiction

The severity of your gambling addiction will determine the level of care you receive. A partial-hospitalization program (PHP) is the most intensive level of outpatient care. You meet at least 20 hours weekly, participating in individual and group therapies.

An intensive outpatient program provides comprehensive care and usually meets at least 9 hours per week. Standard individual counseling between you and a therapist is the least intense and best for people with the mildest gambling addiction symptoms, meeting one or two times weekly.

Medicines for Gambling Addiction

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any medication for gambling addiction. However, there are many medicines to help the symptoms associated with the disorder.

The most effective medicines include:

Antidepressants, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
Opioid antagonists, like naltrexone and nalmefene
Mood stabilizers, like lithium

These medicines are helpful in the treatment of underlying mental health disorders like impulse-control disorders, behavioral disorders and bipolar disorder.

Behavioral Therapies

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the gold standard of behavioral therapies. CBT is an umbrella for many other therapies based on its theory, which states that changing negative thought patterns or cognitive distortions can change feelings and behaviors.

Motivational interviewing (MI) is another behavioral therapy for gambling disorders. A therapist helps you understand the reasons why you need to change your gambling behaviors. You can analyze your gambling habits, compare them with the general population and determine why it would be best to change.

Internet-based CBT interventions offer greater flexibility and confidentiality for you and for family members who also seek help. Additionally, mindfulness-based therapies are beneficial for reducing symptoms, helping you be present and promoting self-care.

Support Groups for Gambling Addiction

Gamblers Anonymous may be one of the most well-known support groups for help in overcoming a gambling addiction. It follows the same twelve-step guidelines as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and the many other AA-based programs.

Gam-Anon is a twelve-step fellowship group for family members of individuals with a gambling addiction. Debtors Anonymous is also available for those who have accrued large debts due to gambling.

How to Seek Help

You deserve the best treatment available to help you overcome your gambling addiction, treatment that is confidential and fits the demands of your lifestyle. We can help by connecting you with licensed treatment professionals who specialize in compulsive gambling behaviors.

To begin your recovery journey, explore the Therapy.com directory of mental health specialists to find a care provider specializing in the treatment of gambling addiction or co-occurring disorders.

Gambling Addiction Therapy FAQs

Can Someone Be Addicted to Gambling?

Yes, gambling addiction is similar to other behavioral addictions. When you gamble, it produces a feeling of excitement and pleasure.

To keep feeling this way, you must keep gambling. It is a cycle that can be broken with professional help.

What Types of Gambling Addictions are Common Today?

Gambling is the act of spending money with the hope of winning more.

People can be addicted to bingo, lotteries, scratch-off cards, sports betting, internet gaming, slot machines, poker and other casino games.

Does Gambling Addiction Lead to Negative Consequences?

Yes, having a gambling disorder can create serious problems with your finances since you may spend your money on gambling rather than on meeting basic needs.

You may lose valuable items, such as your home or car, if you cannot pay the bills. It can also cause problems in relationships with family, friends, coworkers and employers. Further, gambling addiction can worsen existing mental and physical health problems.

Is There Help for Gambling Addiction?

Yes, gambling addiction is very treatable.

With the help of a mental health or addiction specialist, you can learn skills to help you cope with triggers, build relapse prevention skills and create a support network. Integrative gambling therapy is often used, including medications, behavioral therapies and support groups.

Gambling Addiction: Signs, Risks and How Therapy Can Help You Break Free