Scientists in Cambridge have used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure patterns of brain activity while volunteers participated in a gambling game. Why do some people feel compelled to gamble when the odds are stacked against them? Advances in brain imaging techniques are providing some answers. Sports betting revenue in the US increased from US$431 million in 2018 to US$1,550 million in 2021 and much of this was generated by online sports betting.The US online gambling industry is growing at an annual rate of 11.6% and could be worth US$93 billion by 2023.The average adult lost US$421 dollars gambling in the US in 2017.1-3% of the adult US population, or over 5.1 million people, experience a gambling problem every year.85% of American adults have gambled at least once in their lifetime – with 80% having done so in the last year.Here are some key gambling statistics and predictions: New technologies have also made gambling increasingly accessible. The US gambling landscape has changed considerably over the last few years as opportunities for gambling have expanded with the explosion of sports betting after legislation was relaxed. Financial harm from gambling is also important to consider. While other criteria relate to preoccupation, chasing losses and the harms associated with problem gambling. Several of the criteria are based on the traditional addiction model for substance use disorders – relating to tolerance, withdrawal and difficulty controlling urges. The DSM-5 classification is based on nine criteria and requires a person to have displayed four or more symptoms during the last 12 months. This reflects research that shows the reasons why people engage in gambling are similar to substance use disorders – sufferers crave gambling in the way other people crave alcohol, cigarettes or drugs.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) has recognized gambling as a behavioral addiction. It can have far-reaching psychological, social, personal, professional, financial and legal repercussions. Gambling addiction – also known as pathological gambling, problem gambling and gambling disorder – affects people of all ages and from all walks of life. This blog outlines the psychology behind problem gambling and how it’s widely acknowledged as a mental health issue that requires specialist treatment. While the majority of people can gamble recreationally and experience no harmful consequences, psychologists are interested in what makes others continue gambling when it stops being fun.

Gambling psychological intervention