Internet Gambling Addiction – Information, Statistics And Symptoms

It is estimated that between 2-5% of the population suffers from some type of gambling addiction. This may sound like a small percentage, but that translates to about 9 million sufferers in the US alone.

Men with this addiction tend to outnumber women 3 to 1. This number has increased over the last 5-7 years because of the easy access people now have to the online gambling sites that the internet provides.

Those that acquire gambling addictions, including internet gambling addiction, tend to be loners, individuals with mood disorders or suffer from manic depression (bipolar disorder). They all suffer from poor impulse control.

Legal gambling casinos and gambling sites took in over 92 billion dollars in 2007 (figures include state lotteries and charitable games such as bingo). The real danger in internet gambling is the unprecedented access that it allows anyone who has the urge to gamble – meaning no trips to Las Vegas or the nearest gambling establishment are needed. In fact, there is no need to even leave your home. While the vast majority of people who visit these sites gamble responsibly, others play unchecked without boundaries that they are unable to impose on themselves. The potential dangers of internet gambling addiction thus become magnified.

By far the most disturbing side effect of the online gambling trend is the growing numbers of younger people that are discovering and participating in the gambling craze at an earlier age.
As a matter of fact, internet gambling addictions are more prevalent in a college setting than in the population at large by a ratio of 2:1. Nearly 35% of all calls to gambling addiction hotlines are from students, or the parents of students who have lost control of the situation. The thousands of gaming sites that allow students to play poker online have created a major problem on campuses across the country.

Problem gambling is not a weakness of character but a condition brought on by a combination of past experiences and / or environmental circumstances. It is classified as an emotional problem by psychiatric experts. These emotional problems are often responsible for disrupting the lives of the gambling addict and their loved ones, as well as affecting their personality and their relationship with others.

Some of the signs and symptoms of a gambling addiction, including internet gambling addiction, are lying about finances to cover losses, restlessness, irritability, the need of financial assistance from family and friends, and eventually resorting to illegal activity to fund their needs. Problem gamblers have a higher incidence of successful and unsuccessful suicide attempts.

Gambling issues affect people in the same way as any other addiction by distorting a person’s mood, and it leads to isolation. Like drugs or alcohol, it is possible to build up a tolerance to the experience, so larger and larger wagers are needed to satisfy the craving to gamble.

Over time, the gambler who suffers from internet gambling addiction becomes irritable when not online. When they are online, they are gambling so much that it seems it is the only time that they are happy. When things are at their worst, the gambler withdraws from others, experiences depression, or may turn to substance abuse to help “hide” from their troubles.

If you or a loved one are suffering from internet gambling addiction, please seek help.