Online gambling addiction can adversely affect any individual from any walk of life. One minute you're having limitless fun ( online-casino-dollar ), the next minute you are grappling with an unhealthy obsession. Let's unpack what online gambling addiction is and how you can tell you've slipped into this form of addiction.

What is Online Gambling Addiction?

Online gambling addiction - also referred to as compulsive gambling - is categorised under Impulse-control disorders. It is characterised by the failure to resist a gambling temptation or urge. More often than not, you find yourself incapable of resisting the impulse to gamble even if it brings negative consequences.

Gambling Addiction Sign 1 - You Try To Hide Your Gambling

Online gambling addicts typically try to deny or hide their gambling problem. If you find yourself gambling in secret or lying to friends or family about how much you gamble, perhaps feeling that they won’t understand why you're doing it, then you might be having a gambling problem.

Gambling Addiction Sign 2 - You Gamble When You Don’t Have Money

You may find yourself gambling on your favourite casino site to the extent you exhaust your account balance. Worse still, you may take out money from your savings account or money intended to pay your bills or children's expenses to spend it on gambling.

Other Signs Of Online Gambling Addiction

Have you found it hard to get off your computer or mobile phone when gambling on one of your favourite sites? In fact, a vicious circle may develop whereby you find yourself gambling whenever you have time on your hands. If so, this might be a sign of gambling addiction.

One other sign that might show you are teetering on the edge of gambling addiction is that friends and family may start to worry about you. If friends and family are fearful of your current state, then you need to listen to them keenly and accept any help being offered.

The Prevalence Of Online Gambling Addiction

According to studies conducted in recent years, Internet gambling addiction mostly affects young populations and in terms of gender, males make up the largest number of young adults that are vulnerable to this form of addiction. Poor physical and mental wellbeing also increases the likelihood of someone getting into gambling.

Self-help For Online Gambling Addiction

Once you accept you have a gambling problem, it's time to embark on the road to recovery. You can reach out to your family and friends for support, find other ways of relieving boredom or even join peer support groups of gamblers in the same predicament as you are.

Gambling Addiction Treatment

To overcome an online gambling addiction, cognitive-behavioural therapy shows you how to resist gambling urges caused by gambling. In addition, mood stabilizers or antidepressants can assist in the management of symptoms and illnesses that may show up with gambling addictions such as anxiety, OCD, or ADHD.

Online Gambling Addiction - Smartphones Are Precipitators

Ever since smartphones and tablets became ingrained in our daily lives, access to your favourite casino was made super easy. Downloading casino apps on your phones meant you could access your favourite game anywhere, anytime. If you feel your phone precipitates the addiction, how about ditching the apps?

Online Casinos Have a Role To Play

Apart from offering online gambling services to players, online casinos have a responsibility to create awareness. As such, information about gambling responsibly plus should be readily accessible on the site. Also, if an account holder asks for their account to be de-activated, then an online casino should heed this request.

It's A Personal Choice

While compulsive gamblers need support from their friends and family to assist them to quit gambling, in the long run, overcoming this struggle boils down to your personal decision. You cannot force an individual to stop gambling, but you can encourage them in their efforts.

What is Online Gambling Addiction - Conclusion

Online gambling addiction falls under Impulse-control disorders and can anyone. Before you sign up with an online casino site to embark on gambling it's imperative you keep in mind that it can be addictive. Enjoy your gameplay, but as a famous quote goes - "anything in excess is a poison.”