Addiction expert explains gambling addiction myths

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by Change | 8 Jun 2010

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A US addiction expert has explained the myths surrounding problem gambling.

There are almost as many myths about gambling addiction as there are ways to gamble, a leading problem gambling expert has suggested.

Rose Gruber, the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling's executive director, wrote in the Greenbay Pressgazette that one of the most popular misconceptions about gambling addiction is that an affected person has to gamble every day.

Another myth, she explained, is that problem or compulsive gamblers will bet on almost anything. The reality is that the majority of people in need of gambling addiction support have a preferred form of gambling, and it is this that is causing them problems.

"Research by the National Council on Problem Gambling finds that six million to nine million Americans will have a gambling problem in a given year, yet only a small fraction seek out services, such as treatment and self-help recovery programmes," she wrote for the news provider.

Another common myth, Ms Gruber went on to state, is that gambling isn't a problem if the gambler is able to afford the losses they make.

"Excessive gambling is not just a financial issue. If gambling becomes a problem, it can affect the gambler's career, family life and much more," she explained.

Last year, the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling received 14,604 calls on its 24-hour helpline.

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