What is a gambling addiction?

What exactly is a gambling addiction and is it actually an addiction at all? And how do you recognize problematic gambling behavior in yourself or another person?

 The answers to these questions are not always easy and straightforward. Loket Kansspel explains it according to different approaches.

According to the DSM-5

Excessive gambling is listed in the DSM-5 as a behavioral disorder (Gamble Disorder). The DSM-5 is the most recent manual that describes all psychiatric disorders. This manual is used worldwide by psychologists, psychiatrists and other healthcare professionals to diagnose people with mental health complaints, problems and symptoms. According to the DSM-5, you have a gambling disorder if you meet four of the following in a year:

•  You need to gamble with increasing amounts of money to get a thrill.

•  You are annoyed or agitated when you gamble less or quit.

• You sometimes try to gamble less or stop completely, but don't succeed.

• You think about gambling almost all day long. Or about ways to get money.

• You gamble when you feel uncomfortable. For example, when you feel anxious, depressed or guilty.

• You gamble to regain lost money.

• You lie about the number of hours you gamble or the amount of money you lose.

• You risk your relationship, job or education to gamble.

• You rely on others to help you get money or pay off your gambling debts.

There are also several tests you can take to see if you might have an addiction, you can find them here.

 Disorder or addiction?

Because this is not a substance abuse disorder, the DSM-5 (and mental health care in the Netherlands) does not diagnose excessive gambling as an addiction but as a behavioral disorder. In popular speech, however, gambling addiction is referred to, and gambling providers themselves regularly mention the word gambling addiction. Even when looking at the biological and mental mechanisms behind excessive gambling, there is much to be said for calling a gambling problem an addiction rather than a disorder.

In fact, scientific studies show that people who gamble, addicted or not, produce more dopamine (Potenza, 2013), (AMC, 2017). And that is exactly what happens with many types of drugs as well. With excessive drug use, however, the body starts making less and less dopamine, and with gambling this is not the case.

In addition to dopamine, people who gamble excessively also produce more endorphins, a substance that is narcotic. This also allows people who gamble to forget the problems around them for a while. So you could say that you do become addicted, but to the substances that your body produces itself by gambling.

How does a gambling addiction develop?

A gambling addiction develops gradually. You do not become addicted after just one gamble. Often you are not aware that gambling begins to take on a dangerous pattern.

Risky gambling behavior begins with loss of control. Also, withdrawal symptoms can occur. Do you recognize yourself in the points below? Then be alert.

• Recognize loss of control

• You are losing control of your playing behavior.

• You play longer and more often.

• You set limits for yourself, but don't stick to them.

• You push your limits further and further.

• You bet more and more money.

• You play a little longer.

• You borrow money to play because you want to win back the money you lost.

• You think you can pay back the money you borrowed when you have a good win.

You fall more and more under the spell of gambling. You spend less and less time on work, study or friends. You no longer realize the value of money. You play with credits or chips, but do not really realize that you are playing with money and what its value is.

 Do you want to know about your own gambling behavior? Do the self-test here.

Recognize withdrawal

Do you gamble often? Then the body sets itself up to process the substance endorphins. When not gambling, the body makes less of this substance. The lack of endorphins makes you feel uncomfortable and makes you want to gamble again. Withdrawal symptoms can also arise from stimuli that remind you of gambling such as certain sounds, clinking of money, flickering lights, or a certain situation, place, a feeling or smell.

•  You can no longer resist the urge to gamble. You have to gamble.

• You feel restless and bad when you don't give in to the urge to gamble.

• You feel restless and bad when you stop playing.

• You may experience tension, irritability, poor sleep or gloom.

Do you recognize the above symptoms in yourself or someone close to you, or do you have a question? Call, chat or WhatsApp about it with a professional from Loket Kansspel. This is free, anonymous and non-binding.