Symptoms of gambling addiction

Unlike alcohol and drug addictions, there are often no physical symptoms associated with gambling addiction. However, there are some signs to look out for.

Signs that a loved one may have a problem:

• Does your loved one become defensive or embarrassed when you ask them about gambling? Do they make excuses or lie about where they have been or how much money they have spent?
• Does your loved one try and make out that they are gambling to provide a future for you and the rest of the family? Do they try to blame you for their gambling habit? Are they disillusioned about gambling – do they think the big win is just around the corner?
• Are they spending long periods of time away from the family home? Do they become tense or frustrated when you ask where they have been?
• Are they becoming increasingly secretive about money? Do they hide bank statements or leave them unopened?
• Have you noticed valuable possessions or cash disappearing? Have you noticed that credit card statements have increased?

Signs that you may have a gambling problem:

• Are you constantly thinking about gambling?
• Are you always trying to find ways to get money for gambling?
• Do you lie to hide the fact that you have been gambling?
• Have friends and family started to question you about your gambling habits?
• Have you lost control of your gambling habit and started borrowing or stealing money?
• Do you gamble even when you don’t have any money left?
• Do you try and convince yourself that you do not have a gambling problem?
• Gambling is highly addictive and a small-scale, casual habit can soon develop into a full-blown addiction. If you start to notice any of these signs and symptoms, you should consider getting help before your problems spiral out of control.