Gambling Addiction

Gambling is the act of putting money at risk in the hope of winning more than you lose. It involves deciding what you want to bet on – it could be a football match, a scratchcard or a casino game – and then matching your choice to a set of odds. The odds are the probability of winning, for example, 5/1 or 2/1. The outcome of the gambling event is then determined by chance.

Gambling can be a fun and enjoyable pastime, but it is also an addictive activity. Some people who gamble struggle to control their gambling and may find themselves losing more than they can afford to win. This can be devastating to their finances, family and health. It is important to understand why and how gambling can become problematic.

The main reasons people gamble include social, financial and entertainment reasons. For some people, gambling is a form of entertainment, they like to think about what they would do if they won the lottery or jackpot and it gives them a rush when they do win. Others enjoy it for the social interaction and they can meet new friends through gambling. Then there are those who take part in gambling to help them manage their money and budget and they often start off by thinking that it will be a good way to save, then it becomes a vicious cycle as they spend more than they can afford to lose.

Regardless of the reason, most people start to gamble for pleasure and to have fun. They like the adrenaline rush and excitement of trying to beat the odds. They feel happy as they bet, and this happiness helps to calm the brain and makes it work better. The key is to start with a fixed amount of money that you can comfortably afford to lose and stick to it.

Problematic gambling is a complex issue and can be attributed to a number of factors including an early big win, boredom susceptibility, impulsivity, a poor understanding of random events and the use of escape coping (i.e. avoiding negative emotions). These psychological factors, along with genetic predispositions mean that some people can fall down a slippery slope into gambling addiction.

In 2013, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) was updated to recognise pathological gambling as a compulsion and addiction. However, despite the DSM nomenclature, there is still debate around whether gambling is actually an addiction or a behaviour triggered by a range of other issues such as cognitive distortions, poor judgment and mental illness. These arguments have led to competing and contrasting paradigms or world views that influence the way individuals perceive and respond to gambling. Consequently, the nomenclature must reflect a variety of perspectives.