Definition of Pathological Gambling

From state lotteries to casinos to offshore poker websites, millions of people gamble every day. But to some, gambling is an addiction.

Definition

• Pathological gambling is when a person's gambling severely impacts, negatively, his job, relationships and possibly health.

Compulsive Gambling

• Pathological gamblers are compulsive and often lose much more than they can afford. They also "chase" their losings, or continue to raise the bet amount once they've lost. Many times, they will keep gambling until they are completely out of money.

Addiction

• Much like drug, alcohol or food addictions, gambling provides a high: action. Even though the high may last only a few seconds, pathological gamblers crave it and need to feel the high again.

Potential Consequences

• No matter which game a pathological gambler plays, the odds are mathematically stacked against him. In the long run, the more he plays, the more he will lose. This could cause a pathological gambler to steal or rob for money to feed his addiction, leading to problems with the law.

Prevention/Solution

• While there are no clear indicators of what may cause a person to gamble pathologically, there are some treatments. Psychotheraphy has been helpful with some pathological gamblers, as it tries to delve into and address the underlying causes of the behavior.