Evidence Based Treatment for Gambling Addiction
What is Gambling Addiction?
Gambling addiction is a type of addiction where a person is compelled to repeatedly spend money on gambling activities, even when there are significant negative consequences as a result of their behaviour. Gambling activities include:
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Inperson Gambling
- Betting on sports events
- Going to casinos to play poker or card games
- Slot machines
- Bingo
- Buying large amounts of lottery or raffle tickets.
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Online Gambling
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- Online gambling platforms
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- Online investment trading in the financial markets
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- Cryptocurrency trading
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Gambling addiction is sometimes referred to as gambling disorder, compulsive gambling, pathological gambling or problem gambling.1
How Does Gambling Affect the Brain?
Repeated gambling can have a major impact on the brain. This is largely due to the role of dopamine, a neurotransmitter which plays an important part in the brain’s reward system.
Dopamine is a chemical which produces feelings of pleasure, such as when we eat, socialise, or have sex. Its release can also be triggered by gambling, not just when winning, but by the very possibility of winning.
The uncertainty and anticipation of what will happen in a bet causes a release of dopamine, which can make the you feel elated. These good feelings then encourage you to want to repeat the behaviour to try and achieve the same levels of pleasure.
The brain is not designed to handle the high levels of dopamine released as a result of the gambling, and so it responds by producing less dopamine, essentially becoming ‘rewired.’ This results in the need to gamble even more to achieve the same high as before.
Over time, you may start to experience more cravings to gamble. Alongside this, your decision making processes start to become affected and you may find it harder to control your gambling behaviour, which ultimately becomes a compulsion.
In this way, researches believe that dopamine release reinforces problem gambling.2
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What Are The Signs of Gambling Addiction?
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 (DSM-5), used by professionals to classify and diagnose mental health conditions, lists 9 criteria for gambling disorders.
The Common Signs and Symptoms of Gambling Disorder Include
- Increased tolerance: needing to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to achieve the desired excitement
- Restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling
- Not being able to stop: repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop gambling
- Often preoccupied with gambling: frequently thinking about past, present, and future gambling opportunities
- Gambling when feeling anxious, depressed, guilty or otherwise distressed
- Chasing losses: after losing money gambling, returning another day to get even
- Lying: not being honest about the extent of your gambling
- Jeopardising or losing a significant relationship, job, or educational or career opportunity because of gambling
- Relying on others to provide money to relieve desperate financial situations caused by gambling
- Another hallmark of addiction is denial, the inability to recognise and admit that there is a problem with a compulsive behaviour.
To be diagnosed with gambling disorder, you will have been experiencing at least four some of the above symptoms for at least 12 months. The severity of the disorder will be assessed according to how many symptoms you have and is likely to be classified as mild, moderate, or severe:
Mild: 4–5 criteria met.
Moderate: 6–7 criteria met.
Severe: 8–9 criteria met.
How Common Is Gambling Disorder?
Many people gamble occasionally and for fun, and for most it is nothing more than brief, light-hearted entertainment.
However, according to estimates, around 1 in 100 people will develop a gambling disorder, with a further 4 to 7 people gambling at levels which could become problematic in the future.1
What Causes Gambling Disorder?
There is no one clear cause to explain why someone develops an addiction, with various biological, environmental, and psychological factors likely to contribute.
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Risk factors for gambling disorder include:
- Being male
- Age – young people are more at risk
- Financial situation
- Family history
- Poor mental or physical health
- Lower level of education
- Use of drugs and alcohol
For example, a study in 2023 found the group most at risk of gambling disorder were young men who were single or married for less than 5 years, struggling financially, and with a lower level of education.3
Among older adults, men are also more likely to develop a gambling disorder than women, particularly if they are single, separated, or divorced. Older adults gamble to improve their emotional state or to compensate for no longer being able to take part in other activities.4
Other studies have explored the link between gambling disorders and mental health conditions, such as personality disorders.5,6
In addition, family history has been found to influence whether a young person starts gambling, particularly if a parent is a frequent gambler.7
We know that many people develop addictions due to unresolved trauma. In fact, a study in 2021 found that childhood trauma was a significant predictor of future gambling disorder.8
“The average person would be astonished how many people at Gambler’s Anonymous meetings have been involved in suicide attempts and had ruined their lives through gambling in a relatively short period of time.”
Chris Burn, Gambling Therapist, Castle Craig.
Phases of Gambling Addiction
Gambling often starts as a way to escape difficult experiences and to cope with uncomfortable feelings. For a lot of our patients, the path often progresses in the following manner:
- Winning phase – enjoying the “high” of winning
- Losing phase – the winning stops and gains are lost
- Desperation – the reality of the financial repercussions sets in
- Hopelessness – desperation gives way to despair
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When Does Gambling Become a Problem?
Many people gamble occasionally and know that they are likely to lose and that if they win, it is down to luck. They understand that gambling is a game of chance.
However, problem gamblers believe that they can forecast the outcome of a game. They believe that a big win will solve all their problems and that they deserve to win.
Compulsive gamblers spend more than they can afford to lose. Betting becomes a compulsion, with the gambler preoccupied about their next bet, and thinking of ways to get hold of the money they need to gamble.
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Do I Have a Gambling Disorder?
If you are worried about yourself or a loved one, the Royal College of Psychiatrists suggest you answer the following questions. Consider how things have been over the past 12 months, and choose a score from 0 to 3.
1. Have you bet more than you could really afford to lose?
Never (0), Sometimes (1), Most of the time (2), Almost always (3)
2. Have people criticised your betting or told you you had a gambling problem, regardless of whether or not you thought it was true?
Never (0), Sometimes (1), Most of the time (2), Almost always (3)
3. Have you felt guilty about the way you gamble or what happens when you gamble?
Never (0), Sometimes (1), Most of the time (2), Almost always (3)
Add up the numbers you chose for each question and score yourself below:0 = Non-problem gambler
1 = Low-risk gambler
2-3 = Moderate-risk gambler
4+ = Problem gamblerIf you scored four or more, we advise you to seek some help. Gambling affects not only your finances but also your mental health and overall well-being. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us for help, we can support you through every stage of the process.
Can You Get Addicted to Financial Trading?
Trading in the financial markets, also known as day trading, can become addictive, in the same way as gambling.
Cryptocurrency addiction is the compulsive trading in cryptocurrencies and related activities with resulting negative consequences on a person’s life. Cryptocurrency addiction is a behavioural addiction, similar to gambling addiction, and disrupts or damages personal, and family relationships & recreational pursuits.
What Treatment is Available for Gambling Addiction?
There are various gambling treatment options available, from inpatient to outpatient gambling treatment. The right method depends on the severity and progression of your gambling disorder, and a thorough assessment is advised before choosing a programme.
Inpatient rehab, such as the programmes run at Castle Craig, provides a gambling addiction programme based on a 12-Step treatment model incorporating further evidence-based therapies such as CBT, DBT, family therapy, complementary therapies, group therapy and an aftercare programme. Outpatient treatment, such as our 28-day outpatient programme, provides patients with individual and group therapy sessions and recovery coaching online.
Alternatively, one-to-one sessions with a private therapist, either in-person or online, can help you to address some of the issues associated with your gambling disorder.
Other Resources
The following organisations may be useful for information, advice and support. There are also many local support groups for people affected by gambling disorders.
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References
- Royal College of Psychiatrists, Gambling Disorder
- Sahakian B, Langley C, Bowden-Jones H, Chamberlain S. Gambling: what happens in the brain when we get hooked – and how to regain control. The Conversation.
- Moreira D, Azeredo A, Dias P. Risk Factors for Gambling Disorder: A Systematic Review.
- Subramaniam M, Wang P, Soh P, et al. Prevalence and determinants of gambling disorder among older adults: a systematic review.
- Slutske, W. S., Eisen, S., Xian, H., True, W. R., Lyons, M. J., Goldberg, J., & Tsuang, M. (2001). A twin study of the association between pathological gambling and antisocial personality disorder.
- Odlaug, B. L., Schreiber, L. R., & Grant, J. E. (2012). Personality disorders and dimensions in pathological gambling. Journal of personality disorders.
- Vachon J, Vitaro F, Wanner B, Tremblay RE. Adolescent gambling: relationships with parent gambling and parenting practices. Psychol Addict Behav.
- Horak NS, Eagle G, Stein DJ, Lochner C. Gambling Disorder and Childhood Trauma: A Complex Association. J Gambl Stud.
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If you need daily intensive therapy in a structured environment, away from access to online gambling, then get in touch. We can help you to recover. To find out more about gambling addiction treatment at Castle Craig. Call 01721 546 263 today.
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