In my previous blog post about the growing rates of gambling and changes in the gambling landscape, I referenced the 2024 National Council on Problem Gambling report which estimated 10-15 million U.S. adults (3-4.5%) are affected by problem gambling. Problem gambling is not just an individual issue though, with a 2017 study showing that individuals with moderate to severe gambling problems directly affect on average 3 to 6 other people in their lives. Even people with low severity problem gambling were found to directly affect on average one other person. Whether you are someone who is concerned about their own gambling and trying to prevent things from escalating, a person affected by someone else’s gambling, or a parent/loved one looking to better understand gambling for the purpose of prevention, this blog post may be a resource for you.
Risks Factors for and Signs of Problem Gambling
Whether for yourself or someone you know, getting educated about gambling and problem gambling is a great place to start. The National Council on Problem Gambling website has several resources for education and even has problem gambling screening tools. In terms of what to be on the lookout for, some of the greatest risk factors for problem gambling include participating in many different gambling activities, gambling weekly or more often, having beliefs that gambling is a good way to make money, participation in sports betting, and gambling online. While the presence of any of these risk factors does not necessarily indicate problem gambling, they are flags to be aware of that indicate potential risk.
Other warning signs of problem gambling include thinking about gambling often, feeling the need to gamble/bet more often, going back to gamble to try and win money back (“chasing losses”), feeling lack of control of gambling, feeling restless or irritable when trying to stop, and continuing to gamble despite negative consequences, such as negative impacts on finances or relationships. If you are concerned that a family member, friend, or loved one may have problematic gambling, some behavioral signs to look out for are sudden, unexplained absences from normal routines, becoming uncharacteristically secretive about finances or phone use, sudden abnormal requests for money or loans, neglecting self-care or normal responsibilities, or shifts in emotions towards irritability, restlessness, or depression/hopelessness.
Resources
In terms of resources for people who are concerned about their gambling, finding a therapist who specializes in problem gambling can be a great step towards assessing the problem. For people who want to work on problematic gambling, a therapist can help set up barriers and accountability systems around gambling in order to stop things from escalating, while also then working on building healthy alternatives and coping skills. Most states, including Virginia, have voluntary self-exclusion programs where individuals can voluntarily block their own access to any licensed business that provides gambling in-person or online in the state. For people struggling with primarily online gambling/betting, blocker apps, such as BetBlocker or Gamban, also can provide barriers by allowing individuals to voluntarily block access to many different gambling apps and/or websites. Therapy can also help treat emotional challenges that underlie, co-occur with, or result from the gambling problems.
In terms of locating resources, the National Problem Gambling Hotline (1-800-MY-RESET) can help people find treatment within their state, and the International Problem Gambling and Gaming Certification Organization directory can help people locate clinicians in their state who have specific training in treating problem gambling. While in-person availability may vary depending on location, support groups or recovery meetings such as Gambler’s Anonymous or SMART Recovery can offer either in-person or online groups where people can get peer support. In my work with problem gambling, sometimes younger people with problems due to online gambling or prediction markets have told me that they worry about feeling less in common with older casino gamblers. However, with the growth of online gambling, there are more and more people attending meetings that share problems with online gambling. For people who think in-person or online recovery meetings could be helpful to them, I often suggest attending a meeting 2-3 times to get a feel for the attendance since that sometimes varies week to week.
If you are a loved one of someone with potential problem gambling, often the first thing you can do to help them is by helping yourself. This can start by creating space to explore how you have been impacted, whether that is financially, emotionally, or otherwise. Seeing a therapist who has specialty in problem gambling can help you find support and understanding of the unique challenges, and as needed, help you work on strategies for protection and boundaries. Online Gam-Anon meetings can be a resource to get support from other people who have relationships with loved ones with problem gambling. If you are a parent, particularly adolescents who may have exposure to gambling advertisements through social media or gaming platforms, having some conversations about the topic and providing some education to children on the risks of gambling can be a step you can take towards prevention of developing problem gambling.
While there certainly is a need for more research and resources for treatment and prevention of problem gambling, it is important to note that resources do exist today. If you or someone you know may have challenges with gambling, taking any steps towards getting help can be the start of some positive change.
