What is Gambling Addiction?

Gambling addiction is a mental health disorder of impulse control. It is a chronic and progressive disease that is both diagnosable and treatable. It is characterised by compulsive, at times uncontrollable, impulses to gamble and the sufferer often becomes preoccupied with the gambling experience and how to acquire money with which to gamble.

Compulsive gambling is often a hidden addiction. Unlike substance abuse, gambling addiction often goes unnoticed as there are no physical symptoms, until a crisis erupts which can be devastating, often amounting to huge debts and catastrophic relationship problems between the sufferer and their loved ones.

Gambling addiction can take many forms, including sporting bets, casino games, fruit machines, online card gambling and stock exchange betting.