For most people, online gambling is a harmless way of passing the time and unwinding after a long day at work. For others, unfortunately, online gambling turns into an addiction which can quickly lead to a spiral of debt and depression. We often hear the term ‘an addictive personality’ but, is this really a thing and, is it preventable? In this article, we’ll explore why some players become addicted to online gambling:
A losing streak
In the 2018 / 2019 period, around £14.4 billion was lost by UK gamblers, many of which were online gambling. In the past 10 years, hospital admissions for health issues caused by gambling have doubled, leading governments to begin to invest in more clinics which specialize in people whose gambling addictions have spiraled out of control.
Who is at risk?
It’s estimated that there are approximately 340,000 problem gamblers in the UK and, the World Health Organization recently published the following statistics of people who are most at risk of developing a gambling addiction:
- Males aged 25 to 34
- Unemployed people
- Black, Asian and other minority ethnic backgrounds
- Those suffering from mental health issues
While this list is by no means comprehensive, studies show that people who fall into these descriptions tend to make up a significant percentage of problem gamblers.
All-time high
An addiction to gambling often starts and grows slowly, which makes it difficult to spot the signs, both for the gambler and his or her family. The problem often emerges after a player experiences the ‘high’ of a win at an online casino or site. This feeling of euphoria can be fairly intense and will often lead to the player looking to recreate the feeling by playing more games. Unfortunately, online gambling involves losing as well as winning and, in many cases, the player will spend much more than he or she can afford on chasing another elusive win.
The escape room
In some cases, people use online gambling to distract themselves from problems within their personal or professional lives. While this may work for a time, the player will eventually begin to spend more and more time online as they seek to escape whatever it is that is troubling them.
Conclusion
In our rational minds, we’re aware that spending more than we can afford on a pastime like online gambling is not good for us, however, the thing about addiction is that it is rarely rational. An online gambling addiction can quickly become an obsession, whereby the player is unable to focus on anything else in their lives, including jobs and relationships. The good news is that, in 2022, there is plenty of help available for those suffering with gambling addictions and, players who feel that their habit is turning into an addiction should seek help from a GP or specialist support organization such as Gamcare. What you can do, as a potential gambler, is searching for casinos, like online casino in India, that have all the necessary licenses and cooperate with responsible gambling charities.
