How can we define pathological gambling ?

🔍Causes of pathological gambling
📌Characteristic effects
🚫Am I at risk of pathological gambling?
✨What support is available?
🔗Helpful links

Pathological gambling is when an individual continues to gamble, regardless of the social, emotional, financial or psychological problems that result. It can also be described as a compulsion to gamble, very similar to an addiction. Like other addicts, a pathological gambler will make poor, irresponsible or even unsafe or illegal decisions in order to facilitate making a bet.

A pathological gambler will feel a compulsion to bet on almost any market and it is likely they will need to bet with increasingly higher amounts to receive the same rush or endorphins from gambling that they seek. However, exploring the pathology of a gambler with issues is not straightforward and to understand pathological gambling more fully, its causes, characteristics, problems and the key indicators for those who may be at risk of pathological gambling, requires a multi-faceted approach to the topic. So let’s begin by looking at some of the causes.

Causes of pathological gambling

There is no one root cause of problem gambling. There are a number of different factors which can contribute in part, or in full, to a person becoming an irresponsible gambler. They include:

Biological factors

Medication - Some forms of medication, called dopamine agonists, can cause a compulsion to gamble as a known side effect. They include medications used to treat Parkinsons disease and restless leg syndrome.
Changes in Brain Chemistry - The act of gambling can affect the parts of the brain that engage with rewards and/or excitement. As the sensations of gambling start to lessen in their effect as they become routine, an individual will bet more often and larger amounts to recreate the excitement they once felt.
Age and Sex - More men suffer from gambling issues than women, but the gap is decreasing. Similarly, younger adults and middle-aged people are more likely to suffer gambling problems than those older.

Social factors

Family History - Individuals with a history of gambling problems in the family do seem predisposed towards developing a gambling problem.
Easy Access - The availability of so many gambling options online and on the high street makes it easy for people with gambling problems to hide the true scale of their betting by using many different providers and multiple types of bet.
Peer Pressure - If you are part of a group of friends for whom gambling is a shared interest, then pressure from these friends to gamble can make people bet, even when they know they really should not.
Trauma - A person suffering from trauma or stress of some sort may see gambling as an opportunity for release. This is often the case with women gamblers with problems, who may see it as a way to try and escape from financial or social issues, such as domestic violence.

Psychological Factors

Personality Type - Certain personality types are more predisposed to gambling problems. Including people who are easily bored, restless, competitive and impulsive. Others predisposed to other addictions are also at greater risk.
Mental Health Problems - Issues such as ADHD, anxiety, depression, Bipolar or other types of personality issues are more likely to develop a gambling problem.
Distortion of Reality - People who believe that they gamble far less often and with far less money than they actually do also have an illusion of being able to control their gambling. This inability to realise the reality of the situation from what they perceive as reality is another factor.

Characteristic effects of pathological gambling

Pathological gambling often sees the person suffering exhibit certain behaviours or have other problems affecting them. These characteristics can include:

Increased Stress and Anxiety.
Decreased mental well-being.
Inability to focus on a task if it is not related to gambling.
A feeling of a lack of control when gambling, or a compulsion to gamble regardless of the situation.
Financial problems.
Relationship problems.
Under-representing how often they gamble, or how much they spend.
Hiding the truth of their gambling from family and friends.
Legal problems.
Performance at work is affected, potentially leading to job loss.
General health and mental health affected.

In extreme cases, suicide, suicide attempts or suicidal thoughts can occur. If you start to encounter any of these problems, then you should seek support immediately.

Am I at risk of pathological gambling?

Fortunately, the percentage of those who suffer from problems with gambling is small, but even so, for those people affected, the issue is all-consuming. Many responsible betting sites and gambling support services have a simple Questionnaire you can complete to see if you are at risk of problem gambling.

While this is not a 100% accurate assessment, it can give you an idea of whether you should seek support, start using the safer gambling tools on your choice of bookmaker or if you are already gambling responsibly and should continue to do so, while being mindful of some of the behaviours that can indicate the start of a problem.

What support is available for pathological gamblers?

We have outlined some of the gambling support services available for Pathological gamblers in the section below. However, you can take pre-emptive action to avoid becoming a problem gambler by utilising some of the many different betting tools available on most responsible betting sites.

These tools can help you regulate your gambling in a number of ways, ensuring you bet responsibly and avoid slipping into habits that can lead to issues further along the line. Some of the tools commonly available with betting providers include:

The ability set daily, weekly or monthly deposit limits.
The option to set a Reality Check which will inform you of how long you have been using a betting site.
An option to track the number of bets placed and how much you have spent on the site over a selected time period
The option to take a break (time out) from gambling for a selected period of time.
The option to self-exclude from a site for either a stated time, or indefinitely.

Helpful links for pathological and other forms of gambling support

The following are a series of useful links for people who fear they are, or may become, problem gamblers, including those with pathological gambling issues.

The National Gambling Helpline for the UK is - 0808 802 0133

Only a very small percentage of gamblers develop problems and fewer still become pathological gamblers. However, it is always sensible to ensure that you bet responsibly at all times, with money you can afford to lose, with safe and reputable bookmakers who share a deep commitment to safe, secure and responsible gambling.