The Spectrum of Gambling Severity

Gambling involves placing something of value on the outcome of a random event. This can include games of chance or skill-based activities such as sports betting, card games, dice games and horse races. It does not include bona fide business transactions, such as purchases or sales at a future date of securities or commodities, contracts of indemnity or guaranty and life, health and accident insurance. It also does not include the purchase or sale of lottery tickets.

The risk of gambling addiction varies from person to person. People can experience problems from all forms of gambling, from the lottery to casino games (e.g., slots), sports betting and even online gambling. The problem can occur whether the gambling is legal and regulated or not. It is important to understand that not all gambling is problematic, and most people who experience problems are able to control their behaviors.

Research shows that there are between 2 and 4 million U.S. adults (1%) who would meet the diagnostic criteria for a severe gambling disorder. Another 4-6 million (2-3%) of the population are at-risk for developing gambling disorders.

A person is considered to have a gambling disorder if his or her gambling behavior causes serious impairment in multiple areas of their lives, including relationships, employment and health. It is possible to develop a gambling problem in any age group, and any form of gambling can lead to an addiction.

It is common for people to ignore symptoms that indicate they have a gambling problem or for them to underestimate how serious it is. Symptoms can include lying about how much money they are spending, withdrawing from family and friends and hiding evidence of gambling activity. If you or someone you know is concerned about their gambling behavior, seek help as soon as possible.

Harmful gambling can be caused by many factors, including frequency of exposure, cultural influence, social and biological influences, availability of gambling resources and accessibility to those resources. It is important to understand these factors in order to assess the risk of harmful gambling behaviour and identify behavioural indicators of harm.

The concept of a continuum of gambling severity has been widely accepted for some time, and this theory is based on the belief that individuals can move along the continuum, from a more social or recreational level to pathological levels, and back again to a less serious level of gambling. It is also believed that individuals can move between different levels of the continuum at different times.

Many people with a gambling problem have other substance use or mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety or stress. These underlying conditions can make compulsive gambling worse, and they can continue to cause distress even after the individual has stopped gambling. Seeking treatment for a mood disorder is a good way to reduce the risk of gambling problems and prevent them from returning. It is also a good idea to avoid people who encourage or facilitate gambling and to stay away from gambling establishments.