A diagnosis of gambling disorder requires at least four of the following during the past year:
1. Need to gamble with increasing amount of money to achieve the desired excitement
2. Restless or irritable when trying to cut down or stop gambling
3. Repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back on or stop gambling
4. Frequent thoughts about gambling (such as reliving past gambling experiences, planning the next gambling venture, thinking of ways to get money to gamble)
5. Often gambling when feeling distressed
6. After losing money gambling, often returning to get even (referred to as “chasing” one’s losses)
7. Lying to conceal gambling activity
8. Jeopardizing or losing a significant relationship, job or educational/career opportunity because of gambling
9. Relying on others to help with money problems caused by gambling

A person with gambling disorder can experience periods where symptoms subside and gambling doesn’t seem a problem in between periods of stronger symptoms.

Gambling disorder tends to run in families, but environmental factors may also contribute. Symptoms of the disorder can begin as early as adolescence or as late as older adulthood. Men are more likely to begin at a younger age and women are more likely to begin later in life.
© 2021 American Psychiatric Association https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/gambling-disorder/what-is-gambling-disorder