• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Pathological gambling

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Definition:

Pathological gambling is the inability to resist impulses to gamble, leading to severe personal or social consequences.

Alternative Names:

Gambling - compulsive; Compulsive gambling; Addictive gambling

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Pathological gambling affects 1-2% of adults, and up to 4% of adults living within 50 miles of a casino. It typically begins in early adolescence in men and between ages 20 and 40 in women.

Pathological gambling is a brain disease that seems to be similar to disorders such as alcoholism and drug addiction. These disorders likely involve problems with the part of the brain associated with behaviors such as eating and sex. This part of the brain is sometimes called the "pleasure center" or dopamine reward pathway.

In people who develop pathological gambling, occasional gambling leads to habitual gambling. Stressful situations can make gambling problems more severe.

• Review Date: 11/1/2005
• Reviewed By: Daniel W. Haupt, M.D., Instructor, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.