Problem Gambling

Problem gambling or ludomania is an urge to gamble, wager money ignoring harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop.

Problem gambling:

is a behavior which causes disruptions in any major area of life: psychological, physical, social or vocational.
as an addiction is often idefined by whether harm is experienced by the compulsive gambler or his immediate environment, rather than by the player's behavior.

It's severe form may be diagnosed as clinical pathological gambling if the patient meets certain criteria.

Although the term gambling addiction is common in the recovery movement pathological gambling is considered to be an impulse control disorder.

What is responsible gambling? The focus is on gambling disorders, funding groundbreaking research on pathological and youth gambling and providing support for cutting-edge advancements in the field.

For addiction in order to be diagnosed, an indiviudal must have at least 5 (or more) of the following symptoms:

1. Preoccupation. The subject has frequent thoughts about gambling experiences, whether past, future, or fantasy.
2. Tolerance. As with drug tolerance, the subject requires larger or more frequent wagers to experience the same "rush".
3. Withdrawal. Restlessness or irritability associated with attempts to cease or reduce gambling.
4. Escape. The subject gambles to improve mood or escape problems.
5. Chasing. The subject tries to win back gambling losses with more gambling.
6. Lying. The subject tries to hide the extent of his or her gambling by lying to family, friends, or therapists.
7. Loss of control. The person has unsuccessfully attempted to reduce gambling.
8. Illegal acts. The person has broken the law in order to obtain gambling money or recover gambling losses. This may include acts of theft, embezzlement, fraud, or forgery.
9. Risked significant relationship. The person gambles despite risking or losing a relationship, job, or other significant opportunity.
10. Bailout. The person turns to family, friends, or another third party for financial assistance as a result of gambling.

Most of players suffering from ludomania have been unwilling to admit we were real problem gamblers. Ludomania can be defined as a progressive addiction characterised by frequently repeated episodes of compulsive gambling which dominate and seriously affect a person's life.

Voluntary exclusion - Some online casinos offer a Self or Voluntary Exclusion program. When a player signs up for the program, they are effectivley banned from the casino portal, and or they are not permitted to cash out winnings, thereby removing the positive incentive to gamble - joing the program results in permanent ban.

Gamblers Anonymous is a commonly used treatment for gambling problems and the program uses a 12-step model that emphasizes a mutual-support approach.

PROBLEM GAMBLING