Last updated: 08/5/2019
Author: Addictions.com Medical Review
Author: Addictions.com Medical Review
Reading Time: 3minutes
Gambling is a diverse activity, so different types of gambling addiction exist as well. It is not always obvious when someone is addicted to gambling. Contrary to popular belief, the act of gambling is not restricted to slot machines, cards and casinos. Studies show that gambling addictions light up the same areas of the brain as drug addictions — and treatment for gambling disorder is usually included in the same type of therapy settings as.
Even without the physical triggers so commonly associated with drug addiction, gambling disorders can wreak just as much havoc in a person’s life. While drug addiction works as a substance-based disorder, gambling addictions have more to do with a lack of impulse control.
Gambling addiction often affects people who also struggle with alcohol abuse.
Ultimately, it’s the loss of control that defines addictive behavior regardless of the substance or activity involved. Gambling addiction statistics present this “loss of control” factor in a stark and alarming light.
Gambling addiction statistics show how problem gambling can up-end a person’s life in more ways than one. Not unlike other types of addiction, people most susceptible to gambling also suffer from other disorders of which they may or may not be aware.
Probably the most glaring revelation to be had from gambling addiction statistics lies in the consequences that result when gambling disorders go untreated.
1. Gambling Trends
As with all types of data, certain trends or patterns of behavior start to surface within a given population. Gambling addiction statistics are no different. Some of the more prevalent gambling trends show:
- The likelihood of developing a gambling addiction increases 23-fold for people affected by alcohol use disorders
- Over 80 percent of American adults gamble on a yearly basis
- Three to five gamblers out of every hundred struggles with a gambling problem
- As many as 750,000 young people, ages 14 to 21 have a gambling addiction
2. Gambling & Criminal Activity
As far as gambling and criminal activity goes, gambling addiction statistics reveal a direct correlation between the severity of a gambling addiction and the likelihood of committing crimes. Rates of gambling addiction for criminal offenders far exceed rates found among non-offenders. On average, an estimated 50 percent of those affected by gambling problems commit crimes in order to support their addiction.
3. College Gambling
Gambling addiction statistics show people between the ages 20 and 30 have the highest rates of problem gambling.
- 75 percent of college students report having gambled during the past year
- The risk of developing a gambling addiction more than doubles for young adults in college settings
- An estimated six percent of American college students struggle with gambling problems
4. Gambling & PTSD Trends
People affected by post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD live with high levels of stress and anxiety on a daily basis. Gambling addiction statistics show high rates of gambling addiction among PTSD sufferers.
- PTSD symptoms affect anywhere from 12.5 to 29 percent of problem gamblers
- 34 percent of those who seek treatment for gambling addiction exhibit symptoms of PTSD
5. Gambling & Mental Illness
As addictions, in general, alter brain chemical functions in destructive ways, people struggling with gambling addiction have a higher likelihood of developing mental disorders. Gambling addiction statistics show a high incidence of certain types of mental illness, some of which include:
- Depression disorders
- Anxiety disorders
- Substance abuse disorders
- Anti-social personality disorder
Types Of Gambling Disorders Definition
As with any other type of addiction, a gambling addiction can only get worse when left untreated.
Gambling addiction, also known as compulsive gambling, may be a type of impulse-control disorder. Compulsive gamblers keep gambling whether they’re up or down, broke or flush, happy or depressed. Even when they know the odds are against them, even when they can’t afford to lose, people with a gambling addiction can’t “stay off the bet.” Problem and pathological gambling may affect anywhere from 2 to 4 percent of the population.
Persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behavior as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
Preoccupation: The person is preoccupied with gambling and has frequent thoughts about gambling experiences, handicapping or planning the next venture, or thinking of ways to get money with which to gamble, etc.
Tolerance: Similar to drug tolerance, the person needs to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to achieve the desired excitement or “rush”
Loss of Control: The person has made repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop gambling
Withdrawal: The person is restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling
Types Of Gambling Disorders
Escape: The person gambles as a way of escaping from problems or to relieve a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression)
Chasing: After losing money gambling, the person often returns another day to get even (“chasing” one’s losses)
Lying: Lies to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with gambling
Illegal Activity: The person has committed illegal acts such as forgery, fraud, theft, or embezzlement to finance gambling
Risked Relationships: The person has jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, job, or educational or career opportunity because of gambling
Bailout: Relies on others, such as friends or family, to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation caused by gambling
The gambling behavior is not better accounted for by a manic episode
Types Of Gambling Disorders Treatment Centers
Normal Gambling vs. Pathological or Compulsive Gambling
Gambling is defined as any betting or wagering for self or others, whether for money or not, no matter how slight or insignificant, where the outcome is uncertain or depends upon chance or “skill.” Gambling is classified into four types: social, professional, problem, and pathological.
Social gambling typically occurs with friends or coworkers. The gambling lasts for a limited period of time and the losses are predetermined and reasonable. In professional gambling, the risks are limited and discipline is exercised.
Problem gambling is marked by:
- Preoccupation
- Narrowing of interests
- Continued behavior despite adverse consequences
- Failed attempts to cut down
Pathological gamblers:
- Have distortions of thinking such as denial, superstitions, overconfidence or a sense of power and control
- Believe that money is the cause of and the solution to all of their problems
- Tend to be highly competitive, energetic, restless, and easily bored
- Tend to be generous to the point of mania or extravagance
- Often are workaholics or binge workers who wait until the last moment before working hard
Note: This disorder is now less considered an impulse-control disorder according to the updated DSM-IV. It is now classified as a non-substance-related disorder, which means it is conceptualized more as an addictive behavior.