What to Know About Gambling Disorder

Betting now and then can be fun, but it can get out of hand. With gambling more accessible than ever, the National Council on Problem Gambling reports that nearly 20 million Americans experienced multiple “problematic gambling” behaviors over the past year. If you struggle to stop gambling, you may develop a gambling disorder.

“Addiction is a very stigmatized field,” says Dr. Jonathan Avery, vice chair for Addiction Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine, where he also serves as program director of the Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship and the Stephen P. Tobin and Dr. Arnold M. Cooper Professor in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. However, with gambling so prevalent and addictive, “we need to talk about it as much as we can.”

Keep reading to learn more about how to recognize and ultimately stop unhealthy gambling habits.

One Step Before a Gambling Disorder

While they sound the same, a gambling addiction is not the same thing as a gambling disorder. You may have an addiction if you’re unwilling to stop gambling and experience other signs or symptoms, such as:

• Continuing to gamble in an attempt to recover money lost in previous bets
• Feeling restless or irritable, helpless or hopeless
• Having loved ones encourage you to reduce your gambling activities
• Lying about or minimizing the frequency of your gambling activities
• Maxing out one or more credit cards with gambling debt

What Makes Gambling Disorder Different

According to Dr. Avery, a gambling disorder goes a step beyond addiction.

“With a disorder, your gambling is starting to interfere with your function, getting in the way of things you’d rather be doing with your life,” he says. “Because of how it works in the brain, a gambling disorder behaves like other addictions.”

As a result, a gambling disorder can cause the following:

• Desire to chase losses (bet more money in an attempt to recoup lost money)
• Development of other mental health and substance abuse disorders
• Need to gamble with increasing amounts of money
• Withdrawal symptoms when not gambling

Risk Factors for Gambling Disorder

While it can affect anyone at any age, your risk of developing a gambling disorder is higher with the following risk factors:

• Gambling exposure. Frequently seeing or hearing advertisements for online or in-person gambling opportunities normalizes the activity and raises your risk.
• Life-changing events. You’re more likely to develop a gambling problem after the death of a loved one, divorce, retirement or other significant life event.
• Ongoing stress. Living in poverty, facing discrimination or experiencing other disadvantages may put you at greater risk for a gambling disorder.

There’s also one other connection, a link that Dr. Avery sees in most individuals who develop this difficult condition.

“The common pathway is often trauma,” Dr. Avery says. “A lot of people who have had trauma end up with gambling disorder or substance abuse disorders.”

Diagnosing a Gambling Disorder

Despite the rising popularity of and access to gambling, the likelihood of developing a gambling problem that becomes a disorder remains relatively low. The World Health Organization stated that approximately 1.2% of the world’s adult population has a gambling disorder.

To receive a diagnosis, you must display at least four specific diagnostic criteria within the past year, according to the American Psychiatric Association. A few of these criteria include:

• Failing multiple times to stop or reduce gambling activities
• Hiding losses and lying about them to family members and friends
• Losing close relationships or job opportunities due to gambling
• Seeking help from others to resolve gambling-related debts
• Using gambling to overcome or ignore stress or other problems

Treating Gambling Disorder

If you notice the symptoms above, the first step toward recovery is admitting that a problem exists.

“Addiction hides in the shadows,” Dr. Avery says. “If you’re struggling, tell anyone—your significant other, your parents, your clinician. Until you do that, there’s no way forward.”

Once you take that step and receive a diagnosis, your care team can develop a treatment plan for your gambling disorder. Options include:

• Blocking apps or software. Since a lot of gambling takes place online, it can be helpful to use blocking software or apps. These can help prevent access to gambling sites.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy. This form of psychotherapy teaches new ways of thinking. You learn to identify incorrect thinking, understand the motivation behind certain decisions and make different decisions moving forward.
• Medication. One particular medication, naltrexone, is particularly helpful in reducing the impulsive behavior that drives gambling issues.
• Motivational interviewing. A mental health professional uses open-ended questions, active listening and other techniques to help addicted individuals desire change.

To make these treatments as effective as possible, you may need to take another step. It can help to hand over the reins to your finances. If you put your money in the hands of a family member or trusted financial advisor, make sure you can’t access your money without their permission. Also, ask them to keep tabs on your credit cards and other lines of credit.

“You want as many steps as possible between your desire to use and actually using,” Dr. Avery says. “Doing this can feel powerless, but often that's the critical step that lets your brain reset.”

With that reset, you take a solid step toward restoring your relationship with money and gambling.

Gambling Disorder in Summary

Thanks to online gambling, it’s easier than ever to bet on sports, politics and more. Unfortunately, all this access comes at a cost, including increased risk of a gambling disorder.

1. Gambling addiction and disorder are similar, but the disorder is a more severe form. With the disorder, your addiction begins to negatively affect your life despite your efforts to quit.
2. To be diagnosed with a gambling disorder, you must experience at least four specific symptoms over the course of a year. These include lying about your gambling to loved ones and losing job opportunities or relationships over gambling.
3. Treatment options include therapy, medication and cutting off all access to money and credit for a period of time.

Take the first step toward recovery. Find a doctor at Weill Cornell Medicine today.