It may not be a drug like cocaine or heroin - or even alcohol - but a gambling addiction can be just as hard to throw off.
As a result, many people need a gambling addiction program to help them beat their problems and overcome their addiction.
For some people, the thrill of gambling can produce an almost identical response in the brain as the high that a drug addict experiences. This means such people are at a heightened risk of developing a gambling addiction and beating that compulsion needs to be treated in the same way to tackling a drug addiction.
A gambling addiction program can help get a person's life back together. It will give them the framework in which to live their life and help them to become strong enough to put an end to their gambling once and for all.
Perhaps crucially, most gambling addiction programs developed by rehab centers focus on not only the addiction, but also the triggers that have led to the person taking up gambling in the first place.
During these tough economic times, many people have been known to turn to gambling in an effort to win their fortune and secure their future, so confronting those fears can be an important starting point for gambling addicts.
By being aware of their insecurities and the fears that led them into gambling in the first place, the addiction treatment can help a person to recognise the warning signs in future and avoid the situations that gave rise to the gambling addiction in the first place.