Understanding Compulsive Online Gambling Addictions

Sports betting soared after a 2018 Supreme Court decision legalised it in states other than Nevada. In 2020, five states and Washington, D.C. legalised sports betting, bringing the total to 21. The Covid-19 pandemic prompted a surge in online gambling, as casinos closed and Americans hunkered down at home.

Online gambling may appear harmless at first, but Sheldon Adelson, Chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp., the world's largest casino operator, calls it "fools gold" and "a societal train wreck waiting to happen."

It's possible that the ‘Richest Man in Vegas' is right.

With the proliferation of online gambling, where large sums of money can be lost with a few clicks on a smartphone, experts say federal and state governments are under-resourcing gambling addiction.

A Bristol University study found that online gambling among young people increased as the Covid-19 pandemic kept people at home. Despite the rise of online gambling, the federal and state governments still spend little on tracking and treating problem gamblers.

Compulsive gambling can harm your health, relationships, and finances. Anyone can develop gambling issues. A harmless diversion turns into a dangerous obsession with serious consequences. A gambling addiction can destroy relationships, disrupt work, and cause financial ruin. You might even do things you wouldn't expect, like run up huge debts or steal money to gamble.

If you have a gambling problem and want to stop, help is available. Gambling, like other addictions, can be successfully treated. Gambling addiction can be treated with psychotherapy, medication, and support groups. Cognitive behavioural therapy and behaviour therapy help identify and replace unhealthy thought patterns that lead to and support a gambling problem. The best results usually come from CBT.

People who want to stop gambling can get help and support. Gamblers in the UK can get free advice, support and counselling from sites like SlotBuzz and GamCare.

Of course, you can have a gambling problem without going insane. The act of gambling causes problems in your life. You have a gambling problem if you are obsessed with it, spending too much time and money on it, chasing losses, or gambling despite negative consequences.

Other behavioural or mood disorders frequently accompany a gambling addiction. In addition to gambling issues, many problem gamblers have issues with alcohol or drugs. To overcome your gambling issues, you must address these and other underlying causes.

Like any other addiction, steps can be taken to free yourself or your loved ones from gambling's grip. Whether you gamble constantly or go on uncontrollable binges, now is the time to seek help.

It's a progressive addiction with negative psychological, physical and social consequences. It's an impulse control disorder. It is in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5).

In clinical trials, naltrexone (an opioid antagonist), lithium (a mood stabiliser), and other antidepressant and antipsychotic medications have been used to treat gambling disorders.