Gambling Disorder: When the Odds Are Stacked Against You

Warning Signs

• Needing to gamble with increasing amounts of money Tolerance develops over time, requiring higher stakes to achieve the same level of excitement.Example: What started as $20 poker nights now requires $500 bets to produce the same rush of excitement.
• Repeated unsuccessful efforts to cut back or stop Despite genuine attempts to quit, the pull to gamble remains powerful and overrides intentions.Example: He deletes his sports betting app every Monday, but by Wednesday the urge becomes so strong that he downloads it again.
• Chasing losses Returning to gamble after losing money in an effort to break even, which typically deepens the financial hole.Example: After losing $300 at the casino, she immediately withdraws another $300 convinced that her luck is about to turn, and ends the night down $900.
• Preoccupation with gambling Persistent thoughts about past gambling experiences, planning the next session, or strategizing ways to get money for gambling.Example: During a family dinner, he finds himself mentally calculating odds for the weekend games instead of following the conversation.
• Gambling to escape negative emotions Using gambling as a way to cope with stress, anxiety, guilt, or depression rather than addressing the underlying feelings.Example: After a stressful day at work, she heads to the casino because the noise and activity distract her from the anxiety she does not want to face.
• Lying to conceal gambling activity Hiding the extent of gambling from family, friends, or therapists out of shame or fear of consequences.Example: He tells his partner the missing money from their savings account went toward car repairs, when it was actually lost on online poker.
• Relying on others for financial bailouts Turning to family or friends for money after gambling-related financial losses.Example: She asks her parents for rent money for the third time this year, each time promising it will be the last.

Associated Consequences

Evidence-Based Treatments

Key Facts

• Onset patterns differ by gender Men tend to develop gambling problems earlier in life, while women often begin gambling later but progress to disorder more rapidly, a phenomenon known as telescoping.Example: A man may start betting as a teenager and develop problems in his twenties, while a woman may begin gambling in her forties and progress to disorder within just a few years.
• Genetic and family factors play a role Having a first-degree relative with gambling disorder approximately triples an individual's own risk.Example: A young adult whose father struggled with compulsive gambling may carry a higher biological and learned vulnerability to the disorder.
• Digital gambling expands accessibility Online sports betting and mobile gambling apps have increased access and exposure, particularly among younger adults.Example: A college student who would never visit a casino finds himself placing bets on his phone during class, because the app is always one tap away.
• Withdrawal-like symptoms are real Irritability, restlessness, anxiety, and depressed mood are commonly reported when a person with gambling disorder attempts to stop.Example: During his first week without gambling, he feels restless and on edge, snapping at coworkers over small things and struggling to concentrate.