5 Signs You May Be Addicted to Gambling

Older adults are susceptible to gambling problems

The National Council on Problem Gambling estimates that about 2.5 million U.S. adults meet the criteria for severe problem gambling, and another 5 to 8 million are experiencing problems due to their gambling behavior.

Older adults may be particularly susceptible to gambling addiction because they tend to have more unstructured time than younger people and they’re more likely to be socially isolated, Kraus and Pasik say.

“Postretirement, people are looking for something to fill space and time,” Pasik says. “Being recently widowed … is another risk factor.”

In some cases, cognitive decline makes it difficult to understand odds, recognize risk and stick to financial limits.

So how do you know when betting has crossed the line into something harmful? These warning signs can help you figure out whether you or someone you love has a gambling problem.

1. Red flag: Thinking about gambling frequently

An early sign that your gambling might be a problem is if you find yourself spending a lot of time thinking about gambling, Kraus says. You may be reliving past experiences, planning future bets or thinking about ways to get more money to gamble with.

If you’re into sports betting, “you’re thinking about betting on a game before it, not about watching the game,” Kraus says. “Betting takes up more of your time, your mental time.”

You may also find that the need to make larger and larger bets to get the same feeling of excitement, or that you feel restless and irritable when you try to take a break from gambling.

2. Red flag: You think you can win back your losses

Another danger sign of a gambling addiction is “chasing losses,” or believing that one more bet will erase your losses and make you whole again after you’ve lost money.

“If you’re spending good money after bad [bets] just to ‘get even,’ the game is running you,” Pasik says.

It may seem like one more big win is around the corner, but statistically, the wagers that promise the biggest payouts — like parlays, a single bet that links multiple wagers together — are actually the hardest to hit.

Statistically, when people have four or five options in a parlay, you have very little chance, Kraus says.

3. Red flag: You can’t stick to a limit

Can you walk away once you start gambling? Or are you compelled to continue gambling and raising your bets in a bid to win lost money back?  

Gambling games are designed to make you feel as if you almost won, like when you hit three out of four legs of a parlay, Kraus says. Those “near misses” fire up the same reward pathways in the brain as an actual win, even though you lost. That tricks your brain into thinking you’re getting closer, which keeps you chasing your next bet, Kraus explains.

If you are worried you may have a problem, try setting a firm spending limit and see if you can stick to it.

4. Red flag: You gamble even when you can’t afford it

You know you’re in trouble when you are gambling with money you can’t afford to lose, Kraus says. That might mean putting bets on a credit card or using cash that’s supposed to go toward rent, bills or everyday essentials.

“When you’re chasing money, when you say, ‘I don’t have enough money to buy my prescriptions, so I’m going to go gamble’ … you’re really in deep water at that point,” Kraus says.

5. Red flag: You keep your gambling secret from friends and family.

If you’re hiding your gambling habit from your spouse, children or other loved ones, that’s a strong signal you have a problem. Some people hide receipts and bank statements, gamble in secret or lie about how much they’re betting.

Keep in mind that the amount of money lost or won does not determine when gambling is problematic. For older adults who have money to spend, “secrecy around money or phones during games is a bigger red flag than any single dollar amount,” Pasik says.

What to do if you think you have a gambling problem

If you think you might be losing control, start by taking some immediate, practical steps to slow things down.

Pasik recommends a 72-hour “money pause”: freeze your credit, lower your ATM withdrawal limits and remove any saved cards from gambling or sportsbook apps. At the same time, do a phone cleanup by deleting betting apps, turning on bank spending alerts and adding purchase blocks if your bank offers them. 

If you’re into sports betting, also take a break from watching sports, Kraus suggests.

Next, tell at least one trusted person what’s going on. You can say something like “I’m worried about my betting. Can you look at alerts with me for a month?” Having someone who can check in with you regularly adds accountability and breaks the secrecy that fuels the habit, Pasik says.

Once people slow down and see clearly how much they are losing, many are willing to make changes, Kraus says.

If that doesn’t work, don’t hesitate to get professional help, he and Pasik say. Your primary care doctor or your state’s problem-gambling helpline can do a quick screening and refer you to someone who specializes in gambling disorders.

Gambling problems are “super treatable,” Kraus says, “but you have to be willing to get help.”