Is gambling addicting?

Gambling can be addicting and of course it always depends on who you ask. If you ask a casino if it is addicting they say not if you play responsibly. Well that depends on who is defining what responsible gambling is. Studies show that 1-2% of the population have gambling problems. Gambling is an old past time with an ancient history that even dates back to roman times and beyond.

Gambling can be considered addictive based on the affect it has on the brain and the chemicals released when someone gambles. Gambling can trigger extreme emotion in players from a big win to frustration with losses and a sense of regret that the player gambled and lost their money. When it comes to actual results most players exaggerate bragging how they won money when either they didn’t or if they did they didn’t mention how they lost 25 previous sessions and are down money.

The key to determining anyone’s gambling addiction is their ability to control it. If they can manage their finances then they might have it under control no different than someone having a social beer with their friends. If they can admit they like to gamble but put restrictions on their play that they stick to, then they might have it under control as well. Say if they walk into a casino and say I will not spend more than $20. If they lose that in 5 minutes and leave then I would consider them to have it under control.

Do you know someone with a gambling problem?