Problem Gambling

Gambling involves risking money or something else of value with an element of chance or randomness. It’s an activity that has many different forms and includes all casino games, sports betting, horse and greyhound racing, football accumulators, lotteries, instant scratch cards and speculating on business or stock markets.

There are many reasons why people gamble, including socialising with friends, getting a thrill or high, or as an escape from boredom or stress. However, gambling can be problematic for some and if it’s taking up too much of your time, is ruining your relationships or causing financial problems then you should seek help.

Problematic gambling is a serious addiction that affects your brain and can lead to self-destructive behaviours. The addictiveness of gambling is due to a change in the reward pathway in the brain, which causes you to want to experience the same positive feelings again and again. This is similar to when you practice a skill, such as shooting basketballs into a net – each time you successfully hit the net you get that same dopamine reward. This can become addictive and lead to gambling addiction, even though the end result is usually a loss.

The negative impacts of gambling can be categorized as personal, interpersonal and society/community level. Personal/interpersonal impacts are mainly non-monetary and include the effects on a gambler’s health and well-being. External impacts at the society/community level are mostly monetary and consist of general costs, costs related to problem gambling and long-term effects.

A number of studies have shown that people with mental health issues are more likely to develop gambling problems. Problematic gambling can be a form of escape and many people who gamble do so to try and distract themselves from painful life events or cope with anxiety and depression. Gambling can also increase your feelings of loneliness if you’re struggling with these conditions and it is important to get support if this becomes an issue.

If you’re worried about your gambling, seek help from a friend or family member or talk to a trained counsellor at a specialist treatment centre. You can also find support groups for gambling addicts online or at a local centre. If your problem has reached a severe level, there are inpatient and residential programmes that offer round the clock care to treat gambling addiction. If you are struggling to pay your debts, contact StepChange for free, confidential advice.