Online gambling is a sector that is worth trillions. The money that gets passed around from player to gambling site is obscene, but the availability of the product continues to rise.
Most players can control how much they bet and the frequency of when they bet. As a society, gambling is generally socially accepted, meaning that it’s talked about without stigma and in lots of cases it’s encouraged in many social circles.
The industry, like so many, has a deep, dark underbelly and that often comes in the form of compulsive gambling. People who are not able to control the stakes and the frequency can spiral incredibly fast, creating huge problems.
Throughout this article we want to look extensively about gambling addictions, talking about how they start, the signs of problem gambling and where people can get help if they need help.
What is Gambling Addiction and Problem Gambling?
Gambling addiction is where someone is unable to control the amount they are betting, usually to the detriment of their mental, financial or social wellbeing. In many cases, it’s a combination of all three.
Like all addictions, this is something that they are unable to control on a deeper level to most. The urge to gamble becomes too much and then eventually they give in and ultimately start gambling.
One of the biggest issues that problem gamblers face is that this is very much an addiction that can go unnoticed for many years and can also be relatively easy to hide. The influx of online gambling over the last 20 years has made gambling as accessible as ordering your shopping online.
There are literally thousands of gambling brands out there, usually made up of 4 key sectors: sports, casino, poker and bingo. Addicts aren’t just playing online, and they can access casinos, pubs, sports halls, stadiums and even the lottery would be something you would class as gambling.
Unlike a lot of addictions, such as alcohol or drug abuse as two examples, gambling addicts can easily hide what is really happening. If they are playing online, it may be as subtle as placing a couple of bets whilst at work or sitting down and playing slots for 6 hours straight on a night.
The addiction is the ability or lack of, to know when to stop. This can be players chasing their losses, which is the most common scenario or keep going when they are on top. With the latter, it’s usually at this point where eventually they will lose any profits they might have.
Lots of addicts are described as having a lack of control and this would definitely be something that applied to the gambling sector.
The Importance of Responsible Gambling
It is important for individuals to be aware of the potential risks associated with gambling and approach it with caution. By making informed decisions and maintaining control over their gambling habits, people can engage in gambling activities responsibly.
Setting limits is a key component of responsible gambling. This involves establishing a budget specifically for gambling and adhering to it. It also entails setting time limits to prevent excessive or compulsive gambling. By setting these limits, individuals can ensure that their gambling remains within reasonable boundaries and does not adversely affect their financial well-being or overall life balance.
Furthermore, seeking help and support when needed is an integral part of responsible gambling. Recognizing the signs of potential gambling problems and reaching out to appropriate resources can make a significant difference. Gambling experts Online-gambling.com have a page dedicated to the professional bodies that oversee responsible gambling in America. Seeking professional assistance allows individuals to address any underlying issues and regain control over their gambling habits, promoting a healthier approach to gambling.
How Many People are Addicted to Gambling?
In terms of statistics, the numbers range from country to country. Some are less forthcoming about issues that may occur given that the industry makes governments and private sector businesses so much money each year.
However, places like the UK and the US are very open about the problems they face and release data all the time about the issues in their country. It’s for this reason that we will use these two countries to include a little bit of data about problem gambling.
One of the most recent surveys in the UK was carried out in 2020 by an organisation called Gamble Aware. They are a charity that works with the government to help protect and rehabilitee problem gamblers.
They were able to question 16,000 people from their questionnaire that required people to talk about how gambling affected them. The results showed that a staggering 2.7% of the UK could be classed as problem gamblers based on their scoring protocol. This would equate to almost 1.4 million people as potential compulsive gamblers.
The report continued and with it stated that as many as 7% of adults in the UK have been negatively affected by someone else gambling. This is a common theme with the addiction and something that we talk more about later in the article.
It’s worth noting with these figures is that the UK Gambling Commission (the governing body for gambling in the UK) have stated that based on their research, these numbers are likely a little high. Nonetheless, even if they were off by 50%, which they won’t be, the numbers are a huge concern in the UK and are almost certainly emulated by other countries around the globe.
What is also highly worrying about the numbers is that in 2016 the UK Gambling Commission released figures stating just 0.7% of the adult population were identified as problem gamblers.
In just four years, this number has potentially increased by 4x that amount.
Gambling commission annual report
The US show a similar pattern to the UK, with a reported 10 million people with gambling problems. This is around 2.6% of the population. A worrying sign for them is that online gambling is just starting to re-open their doors, making gambling more accessible and likely will see this number increase unless stricter measures are put in place.
Statistics of gambling addiction
Australia, Norway, New Zealand and Canada all had lower numbers, but similar upward trends over the last 5 years.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Gambling Addiction?
As with all addictions, signs and symptoms of the issue can vary from case to case. What might be happening that is detrimental for one person, might be something that another person is very much able to cope with and manage.
Here are a few signs that someone might have a problem with gambling.
Hide the Amount in Which They Gamble
One of the most common factors is hiding how much or how often they may gamble. If someone is not keen on letting people know when they are placing a bet or telling someone how long they played slots for, then this could be an issue.
What happens in these scenarios is that the person with the problem likely doesn’t want to be judged by friends or family members and therefore bet when they are on their own or very discreetly.
It’s often going to be the case that when approached or questioned, they lie about how much they are playing. Lying and deceit is a trait that is common with a lot of addicts, and problem gamblers are no different. They may do it so often that they convince themselves they don’t play as often or bet as much money as they actually do.
Not Being Able to Stop
Not being able to stop is likely a term that you would use for most addictions. With gambling, it’s not being able to walk away either when they’ve lost, or they’ve won. Often you will see people placing a high volume of bets on sports or play online slots for hours on end. The key thing to note here is that this doesn’t necessarily have to be to do with money at this stage. You could be 10p a spin on a slot game for 6 hours and have wagered thousands of pounds in the process.
For the majority of players when they gamble they will have a set amount they want to win or are comfortable in losing. The latter is called a stop loss. A problem gambler may have one of these in place, but the action of actually coming away from the table is much tougher than in principle.
Gambling Even When Broke
Money always becomes a factor at some point. Rarely do you hear of gamblers who win big and then stop but admit to having an addiction. Getting out ahead is not generally something that you see as a problem gamblers trait.
The reality is that they will keep spending even when they don’t have any money left. This might be money needed for bills, rent, food, kids or fuel. Whatever money they can get their hands on they will gamble, regardless of where it comes from.
In extreme cases, you might see people pushed toward a life of crime to fund their habit. The level of crime can range, but it’s usually stealing to get cash to gamble. It has been known that people get involved with organised crime, such as drug dealers as another way to fund their habit.
Concerned Family and Friends
When friends and family start to notice, this is generally a sign that the problem is bigger than most people think. If someone has gone out of their way for a period of time to hide all this and they get to the point where they are no longer able to do so, then this is a sign things are really bad.
It’s likely at this point the problem gambler is starting to lose a grip on what they thought was a non-issue. However, it’s also the point where they are likely going to be able to come clean and get the help they need. It’s the last line of the signs and symptoms, but usually the most beneficial for the person to get their life back on track.
The Role of Gambling Governing Bodies and How They Work
Each gambling site across the world will be required to hold a license to legally operate within a certain country or state. These governing bodies are in place to not just oversee that games or products are fair, but now their role is increasingly more to do with problem gambling.
Pressure from the government, of whom many authorities represent at some level, has meant that given problem gambling is now regarded as a public health issue, their role to prevent it needs to be increased.
The follow up from that is that they are also required to help those that need it, to get the treatment to help cure them from what is essentially a disease. Treatment comes in many forms, so the role that the governing bodies take has to be diverse and acceptance of the fact that no two cases are ever the same.
What comes from both the prevention and the treatment is the aim, which is to reduce the gambling-related harms that can be inflicted.
To do this they take different routes. Many have set up authorities that are designed to help with the prevention, such as GamStop in the UK. Their role has been to work directly with the gambling sites online and offline to make sure that problem gamblers are spotted early and that they get the help they need.
Another key role that’s been played with these third party businesses and charities is that they have the power to ban or block players not just from one site, but all sites. Previously if a player was banned then could just sign up with another site and go again, without any knowledge they had previously been banned. This brings in the KYC (Know Your Customer) process…
KYC
KYC is a fairly recent addition to the online sector but has been rolled out in brick and mortar locations as well. This is a process where the gambling site has to know exactly who the player signing up is.
To do so, they require things like proof of ID and proof of address. Both need to be formal documents like passports or driver’s license and only when they have been approved can the player get access to a gambling site.
Why ID verification is important?
What’s clever about this is that the player who signs up is then processed on a country-wide database of players. So, if they sign up at X casino, the database will show that this has occurred, and it will be logged.
The reason why this is important is that if they are flagged as having a gambling problem or have self-excluded, then not only are they flagged from that one site, but then every site on that database. This then makes it impossible for that player to simply sign up for a new account at a different site.
As part of KYC one of the latest features is an affordability test that some sites run. This means the player would need to show proof of earnings to see how much they should be gambling.
For example, if someone signs up who is earning £20,000 per year, but placing over £2,000 worth of bets every week, then this will show that they likely can’t afford this spending for a prolonged period of time.
However, if another player signed up and also wagered £2,000 worth of bets per week, but was earning £250,000 per year, then they are much more within what would be an “acceptable” budget based on how much they earn.
Even though KYC is still a relatively new concept, it’s widely regarded as one of the most successful deterrents for problem gambling in the online sector.
The Role of Online Gambling Sites and How They Work
Governing bodies are in place to deal with the fallout of problem gambling as an industry, but they ultimately leave the spotting and then aftercare to that of the gambling sites. Given that they have data which will usually highlight if someone is gambling more than they possibly should, they are in the prime position to spot this early Gambling sites are the ones that the governing bodies trust to do their job and make sure players are betting within their means. The responsibility is with them and if they fail to spot issues, problem gamblers or do not have the correct protocol in place, then they are setting themselves up for a hefty fine.
The fines that are in place are pretty flexible, but neglect toward players who are flagged as problem gambling have seen many in fines into the 8-figure bracket. These are likely going to increase as technology improves.
Most gambling sites have dedicated sections set up to help those that need it. With it comes a range of features that can include deposit limits, self-exclusion, betting limits, limited time-on-site, on-site time reminders, reality checks and time outs.
Gambling sites will also need to assist players to follow up on where they can go with help with their gambling problem. This is usually charities or businesses who are dedicated toward this type of issue, of which there are many around the world.
Living with a Problem Gambler
Gambling addiction is not just something that affects the person with the problem, but it usually has some effect on people who are around them and also who live with them. Offering help and support is one of the best things that you can do if you do live with a problem gambler.
Issues arise based on how far the problem has come and how much it’s affected those around them. Family and friends might already be involved, and some may have ill feelings toward the person with the gambling addiction.
Each scenario is different and with each comes several ways in which you can best help. Here are some ideas about what you can do to look after yourself if you’re living with a problem gambler.
Do Not Blame Yourself
One of the most common issues that we see is that partners or spouses often blame themselves about where someone else’s addiction has led. This could be things like thinking you’ve not done enough to stop it or that you’re partly to blame.
This is seldom the case and what you must understand is that it is they who have the problem. It’s human nature to feel guilt and a feeling of helplessness with these things, but do not blame yourself as this will only increase anxiety for you and do nothing to help your subject.
Get Support
It’s going to be impossible to help people on your own. It’s highly likely you aren’t trained in this area and even if you are, it’s not always best to get involved with people that you know.
A third party professional is going to be of a lot more help to the both of you rather than trying to tackle this head-on, alone.
A key area for this to understand that it’s likely not a bad idea to get support for both of you. Most organisations that are set up to help problem gamblers will have areas that are accessible for the addict and their immediate friends and family.
Set Goals and Boundaries
You need to be able to set both goals and boundaries with the person you are living with. This might be things like time spent gambling or it could be things like not asking for money. Ever!
Having a set of goals that you both stick to will help develop the relationship. Setting short term goals can even help wind them down from the heights of their addiction. Going cold turkey is not always the best route, so limits on what can be wagered, and time spent gambling can help.
Do Not Enable
This is obvious, but you mustn’t encourage or enable them to wager any money. This includes things like lending money or offering them a tip in an upcoming horse race. It’s probably wise that if you really want to help, you need to stop gambling altogether as well. If this is a little too extreme, then make sure you are very discreet about placing wagers and any winnings or losses from these wagers. Online and mobile gambling makes it very easy to do this and will be a huge help for the person with the gambling addiction.
Problem Gambling by Age
Studies around the world have shown that there is a strong correlation about the severity of gambling problems and the age in which they first started to gamble. The younger they were first involved, the worse the gambling issues became later in life.
Even though the legal gambling age for most countries is between 18 and 21, many reports show that children as young as 12 can access online sites as well as demo (free play) games that mimic the same real money games.
A staggering stat in the US showed that approximately 1 in 25 teens has a gambling problem. Bear in mind that the legal gambling age is 21, which clearly isn’t a teen, highlights that a lot of issues stem from vulnerable people getting access to real money and demo games.
The majority of problem gamblers fall within the 25 to 45 age brackets. Older players aged 45 and up tend to be more vulnerable if they are lonely or live in relative isolation.
Gambling аddiction facts and statistics
Another major problem that older players have is that they are much less likely to recognise that they might have a problem. This is down to having higher disposable incomes which make it seem more manageable and also a mindset that they don’t want to be seen as weak. This is common in all addictions with older age groups.
Gambling Addiction and Criminal Activity
For many people who have a gambling addiction, it’s no longer about the money. It’s the thrill of the chase and the buzz that they get from winning. This lessens out to some extent, or at least the highs don’t last that long, but the lows can be incredibly low.
What happens is that eventually, the money runs out. No longer are people able to feed their addictions and the only way to do so is by getting more money.
At the start of an addiction, getting more money can be fairly easy. Loans, credit cards, friends and family are common sources of funding for an addiction. Eventually, these will dry up and there is no easy route to make money.
The next step is to turn to crime. Again, this will usually start small with petty crimes, but can escalate to get people into serious trouble with the law.
It’s widely reported that over half of compulsive gamblers commit crimes to fund their habit. Gamblers Anonymous have said that 80 to 90% of people who attend their meetings admit committing crimes of some sort. These include:
- Fraud
- Forgery
- Embezzlement
- Larceny
- Shoplifting
- Burglary
- Petty Theft
Problem gamblers are more likely to have issues with other addictions as well. 80% of problem gamblers were at risk of alcohol or drug dependency. Only 25% seek assistance to get any sort of help. Families with a compulsive gambler are more likely to become victims of abuse and even child abuse.
Gambling Addiction and Co-Occurring Disorders
Like so many addictions, there is often a range of underlying health problems that are or have developed since the gambling addiction started to take over. Some of the most common involve depression, anxiety and a range of other personality disorders.
The link with depression is probably the most common. The highs and lows of online gambling can be extreme and whilst initially for most, it’s excitement, this can quickly change and as a result, can be the start of the addiction.
Depression usually follows from a person knowing they are in a rut and not being able to drag themselves out on their own. What follows is that the lows begin to be crushing and the highs can also become non-existent.
What can, unfortunately, follow depression is suicide. Most countries are seeing an increase in suicide rates across the board, so add that in with gambling issues and you get a potent, yet devastating cocktail. Some reports have found that almost half of the people with problem gambling issues have had suicidal ideation.
Finally, substance abuse is another area that is highly linked to gambling. Often this will be used a release to try and forget one issue. In reality, it’s another devastating mix, with a range of players taking anything from alcohol to drugs.
Where to Get Help for a Gambling Addiction
A key point to note is that there are a huge number of cases where people have reached out to get help and been successfully treated. Addiction will be something that is battled likely for the rest of an addicts life, but lots of people go on to recover and lead very “normal” lives.
Getting help is the building blocks for this and it’s important to know where to start. The good news is that most countries have a wide range of options open to compulsive gamblers, so not only is help available, but there are prospects to best suit each case.
The first place to start for many is to reach out to the gambling site that they are using. Most have teams in place to know what to say, explain how they can help and where you then need to go.
What’s key about this stage is that accounts can be blocked across the board making access virtually impossible. From here they will refer you to someone like Gamblers Anonymous or a similar organisation who will be able to start treatment.
Additionally, it’s important to find help resources specific to your state. These resources can offer localized support and guidance tailored to your needs. For a comprehensive list of state-specific gambling help resources, you can visit this page.
An alternative would be to head straight to your local GP or health professional. Gambling addictions are very common, and they will have been in contact with people who suffer from this. They will be able to not only help directly but also again advise you on who best to talk to.
Lots of problem gambling organisations will be linked with national healthcare programmes, like the NHS in the UK. Some may even run and function as part of this.
If all this seems a little overwhelming, then as good a place as any to start would be to talk with friends and family. If they are aware, they will be able to help. Some people find this easier than talking to a professional, but eventually, the professional bodies will be best placed to help in the long run.
Treatment for Gambling Addiction
Treatment for addictions will range massively based on the type of issues that are afoot. They will range in severity in most cases, which may include rehab retreats or simply attending local meetings.
For those with the most severe conditions, rehab or residential treatment programmes are almost always going to be advised. This will allow the patient to access a remote facility (usually) for several days or even weeks until they are feeling better.
This is not an overnight cure, but its extreme measures mean that patients can see that life can still go on even without interaction with gambling.
Some forms of treatment might strip back the gambling addiction and look to see if that has stemmed from other addictions which need treating first. We spoke earlier about the link with things like alcohol and substance abuse with gambling, and sometimes these need to be treated before gambling problems.
Problem gambling has also been strongly linked with things like bipolar disorder. Again, this will likely be the cause of the issue for many, so this will be the course of treatment advised.
Counselling is another area that will be used in most cases of gambling problems. This will range and can include meetings with people who have similar issues or can even include friends and family to help create a plan of attack.
Self Help Tips for Problem Gambling
Whilst it is vitally important to have the right people around a problem gambler, it’s also necessary for them to take the right steps as well. It’s also very possible that self-help might be the only course of healing they need, which would be a great outcome if so.
Here are a few self-help tips for problem gamblers:
- Stay on top of bills such as mortgage, rent and utility bills. Make sure money is heading where it needs to be and that gambling funds are not taking over in this regard.
- Spend time away from gambling and more time with friends and family. Knowing the source of gambling helps here. So, if you bet on your phone all the time, don’t take your phone with you out of the house. If you bet on your laptop, maybe think about getting rid to avoid temptation.
- Deal with any debts or money issues head-on. Lots of people gamble to try and get out of debt, but this usually makes things worse. Some organisations will help consolidate debts and make what may seem like a huge issue, one that is now much more manageable.
- Don’t view gambling as a way to make money. The term “professional” gets thrown around a lot in the industry, but the reality is that few people consistently make money from gambling as the odds are almost always stacked against the player.
- Talk to as many people as you can about your problems. This might include friends and family or just medical professionals, but the more people who know the more people can help.
- Don’t be embarrassed about your situation. Millions of people around the world are in the same boat. Millions fully recover from gambling addictions as well.
How to Help Someone Stop Gambling
If you know someone who needs help or is getting help, then there are steps you can take to make sure that the best possible processes are put in place. Each of these suggestions below might not all work for each person, so a bit of trial and error is likely needed here.
- Try to keep in regular contact with them and be open about talking through their problems. Keep calm and reassuring and try to comfort them as much as you can.
- Look for support and try to get them to groups or to call helplines that will aid with these addictions. This is often the hardest part but will likely see the biggest change if you can help.
- Don’t preach or lose your temper. Getting mad is not going to help and the person is likely feeling pretty low anyway. You want to support them and not judge them.
- Don’t lend them money if you think they may gamble with it. If it’s to pay off a bill, make sure you pay the bill directly from your account and not via the person with the addiction.
- Try to move them away from however they were sourcing the gambling platform. Get them out of the house and partaking in activities that will take their mind of gambling.
- Be there for them. There will be many highs and lows along the way, and they are going to need friends and family to support on their journey.
Myths and Facts Surrounding Gambling Addiction
There is lots of stigma and misinformation about who or what constitutes someone as having a gambling problem. It’s not necessarily a hard and fast rule where each person has the same symptoms.
Here a few myths and facts surrounding gambling addiction.
Myth: Gambling addicts have to be betting all day, every day.
Fact: The volume of someone’s addiction can range dramatically. There will be people who are addicted that spend several hours every day playing or betting. There will be equal measures who might gamble just a few times a week, but for many sums of money that will cause them issues financially.
Myth: Problem gambling is based on if someone can afford to gamble.
Fact: Just because people can afford the sums of money they are gambling does not mean that they do not have a problem. A millionaire alcoholic will be able to afford to buy alcohol every day, but they are still an alcoholic. Same principles apply to gambling.
Myth: People with gambling addictions are weak and should be able to just stop.
Fact: Addictions can take over people’s lives in different forms. They can attack people who may seem the strongest, before then taking over. Once the addiction takes hold, it’s hard to just simply turn it off.
Myth: Problem gamblers are always in debt.
Fact: Whilst debt is often associated with problem gambling, this is not always the case. Many people wager sums of money that are relevant to their income, with no financial issues at all.
Short and Long Term Effects of a Gambling Addiction
As with any addiction, there can be quite serious short and long term effects that a gambling addiction might have. These are going to range from case to case and often the short terms issues combine to impact the long-term issues.
In the short term, the biggest effect is usually with gambling addicts turning to other drugs to help them manage the stresses that come with their initial addiction. Things like alcohol or prescription drugs are common, but a progression on to illegal recreational drugs are also a path that many take.
Long term addicts are usually battling multiple issues, be it for gambling and drugs/alcohol abuse. But they also have to deal with the social aspect as well. Bridges with friends and family are commonly broken, meaning that they can be left feeling quite empty.
This then brings on conditions like depression and anxiety. These are both key aspects that can shape someone’s life and are all knock-on side effects of their initial diagnosis.
Are There Tests to See If You are Addicted to Online Gambling?
There are online tests that will help someone realise if they have a gambling problem or not. It’s not always as easy as just filling in a form, but these platforms that have been set up by organisations in the industry and should give a pretty good idea if addiction is apparent.
However, the tests are only as reliable as the person who is answering them. If honest answers aren’t included, then tests can be manipulated to give negative readings.
To combat this a lot of tests recommend taking it with a loved one, friend or family member who is close and have seen the impact of gambling too much. They might be able to shed more light to create a more honest assessment for the person with the issue.
In terms of questions, these are a handful that we’ve taken from one set up by Be Gamble Aware in the UK. Most of these come with multiple choice answers of Never, Sometimes, Most of the Time and Almost Always.
Have you bet more than you could really afford to lose?
Have you needed to gamble with larger amounts of money to get the same feeling of excitement?
Have you gambled to win back money you have lost?
Have you borrowed money or sold anything to gamble?
Have you felt you might have a problem with gambling?
Have people criticised your betting or told you that you had a gambling problem, whether or not you thought it was true?
Have you felt guilty about the way you gamble or what happens when you gamble?
The tests are designed to allow a general outcome from the questions and then if the score is high enough, a route for the person answering these questions to get the gambling help they need.