Problem gambling is also called ludomania, compulsive gambling or pathological gambling and its harmful influence is discussed by many scientists and other people faced with this problem.
This is a mental-health problem and there are many people who suffer from it. There are no more or less risky games. Everything depends on the person and his or her mental peculiarities. You may engage in sports betting, lottery, poker, slots, roulette and many other games. Moreover, while many people prefer gambling in a casino, the other are fond of online gambling and the number of players who have online gambling addiction continues to increase. The first reason is raise of Internet use in general.
To estimate somebodies addiction you may ask some questions noticed below. They were developed by psychological specialists and now you may check yourself or somebody you are worried about.
1. Have you ever choose gambling when you had to stay at school or at work?
2. Did gambling make unhappy your home life?
3. Does gambling affect or influence your reputation?
4. Have you ever felt pity after gambling?
5. Have you ever gamble to get money for paying debts or solving other financial difficulties?
6. Did you have any decreases in your efficiency because of gambling?
7. Have you ever returned after losing to win back your losses as soon as possible?
8. Have you a strong desire to return and increase your win after a successful play?
9. Have you ever gambled until your last dollar? If yes, do you often do it?
10. Have you ever borrowed money to finance your gambling?
11. Have you ever sold anything to finance your gambling?
12. Were you pity about use of "gambling money" for common expenditures?
13. Have you ever played longer than you had planned before?
14. Have you ever gambled when you had troubles or were worried?
15. Have you ever considered committing a forbidden or illegal act about finance gambling?
16. Did you have problems with sleeping because of gambling?
17. Have you ever celebrated your fortune for a few hours of gambling?
18. Have you ever been made careless of your or your family's welfare because of gambling?
19. Have you ever considered suicide in a result of your gambling?
Most compulsive players usually answer yes at least to seven of these questions.
Speaking about peculiarities of gambling addiction among men and women, one must admit that although men are more inclined to it and in earlier age than women, females suffer from gambling addiction later and in more difficult forms.
There are some subtypes of problem gambling, like binge gambling which appears only within discrete periods.
Anyway, this problem exists and must be solved as soon as possible, especially when it harms your friends or relatives. Like any other addiction it may be rather hard to leave it at once.