For some people, gambling becomes a health problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) includes gambling disorder in the International Classification of Diseases, 11th revision (ICD-11), under code 6C50. According to the WHO, the disorder is described alongside substance use disorders both in ICD-11 and in the diagnostic manual of American psychiatrists (DSM-5). In everyday language it is also called gambling addiction, problem gambling or compulsive gambling.
This article summarises the signs described by public health bodies and medical societies. It is not a diagnostic tool: only a doctor or another mental health professional can make a diagnosis. Recognising some of the signs does not automatically mean a disorder, but it is a good reason to talk to a specialist.
How the WHO describes the disorder
In ICD-11, gambling disorder is a pattern of persistent or recurrent gambling behaviour, online or offline, shown by three features:
- Impaired control over gambling. The person can no longer control when they start, how often they gamble, how intensely, for how long, when they stop or in what context.
- Increasing priority given to gambling. Gambling takes precedence over other interests and daily activities.
- Continuing or escalating gambling despite negative consequences.
The pattern may be continuous or episodic and recurrent. It causes significant distress or significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational or occupational life. These features are normally evident for at least 12 months before a diagnosis is made, although the period may be shorter if all the requirements are met and the symptoms are severe.
The WHO stresses that gambling harm also occurs well below the threshold of a diagnosis, for example when money is diverted from essential household spending.
Signs the person who gambles may notice
The UK National Health Service (NHS) and healthdirect, the Australian public health information service, describe signs such as:
- stakes that are more than the person can afford to lose;
- needing larger amounts of money to get the same feeling;
- trying to win back money that has been lost by gambling again ("chasing losses");
- borrowing money or selling things to get money to gamble;
- spending more time and money on gambling than intended;
- thinking about gambling often, and feeling irritable or restless when trying to stop;
- using gambling to cope with stress or bad moods;
- lying to hide how much they gamble;
- missing important events (family gatherings, work, appointments) because of gambling;
- gambling having caused health problems, including stress or anxiety, or financial problems for the household;
- other people having criticised their gambling or told them they have a problem;
- feeling guilty about the way they gamble or about what happens when they gamble.
Signs people close to them may notice
People with this problem sometimes try to hide their behaviour. According to healthdirect, family or friends may notice:
- financial signs: frequent borrowing, several loans at the same time, unpaid bills, a lack of food or household essentials, missing money or valuables;
- behavioural and mood signs: conflict, missing important events, poorer performance at work or school, more sick days, withdrawing from family or colleagues, changes in mood or personality, increased use of alcohol or drugs.
Beliefs that often come with the problem
The UK Royal College of Psychiatrists notes that people with gambling disorder often think differently about gambling. They may believe that they are more likely to win than other people, that in a game with random numbers such as roulette some numbers come up more often, that two wins in a row mean a "winning streak", that certain rituals bring luck, or that losses can be won back by gambling more. The articles on the gambler's fallacy and on the house edge explain why these beliefs are not supported by the mathematics of the games.
Consequences
Medical sources describe financial consequences (debts, loans, possessions sold or pawned), family consequences (arguments, relationship breakdown), health consequences (anxiety, depression, poor sleep and appetite, suicidal thoughts) and consequences at school or work. The WHO states that gambling can lead to an increased incidence of mental illness and suicide. The effects reach not only the people who gamble but also those around them.
Anyone can develop this disorder. According to the WHO, significant life events (a separation, retirement, an injury, the death of a loved one) and social stressors such as poverty can increase the risk.
Help exists
Gambling disorder is recognised as a health condition and it can be treated. According to the WHO, the most effective therapies at present are long-term cognitive behavioural therapy and motivational interviewing. Stigma and shame often stop people from asking for help.
Anyone who recognises themselves in the signs above, or who is worried about someone else, can talk to a family doctor or a mental health specialist. The article Where to find help describes the general steps, and the article on self-exclusion explains how a person can cut off their own access to gambling in Romania. Where there are suicidal thoughts or immediate danger, the emergency services should be contacted without delay.
Sources
- World Health Organization, International Classification of Diseases, 11th revision (ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics), code 6C50 "Gambling disorder".
- World Health Organization, "Gambling", fact sheet, 2 December 2024.
- NHS (UK National Health Service), "Help for problems with gambling", page last reviewed 8 December 2023.
- Royal College of Psychiatrists, "Gambling disorder", November 2025.
- healthdirect Australia, "Gambling addiction", page last reviewed October 2024.