Gambling is one of the popular ways of entertainment amount modern users of various ages. The development of the iGaming industry and then the well-known epidemic made people pay more attention to online video gambling. There exist hundreds of diverse games, including pokies, table games, lotteries, card games, and many others. However, gambling isn’t an innocent thing. It’s a frequent case when such activity leads to the addition known as ludomania. Today, we’re going to speak about this serious issue, tell our readers about the main signs and causes of it, and give recommendations on how to deal with problem gambling and where to address to get professional support.
The Issue of Ludomania
Ludomania is an addition to gambling, which makes a punter continue playing despite any kind of negative consequences. The latest include problems with the family, money losses, anger, debts, etc. In certain cases, ludomania might be even considered a mental disorder. To be classified this way, it should meet definite criteria.
Due to a wide expansion of various gambling facilities, the problem has become even sharper these days. The colorful design of today’s gambling venues attracts punters and creates an idea of an easy profit. In addition, people have a constant desire to win their money back or get more significant prizes. With the development of the iGaming industry, access to Internet gamble games has become even easier. At the same time, not every Internet casino has a strict policy concerning responsible gambling and is ready to support problem gamblers.
Due to the modern situation with gaming facilities, many countries have severe restrictions concerning such an online business. And still, there’re many jurisdictions, which issue licenses for online gambling establishments. That’s why it’s punters’ responsibility to be wise and responsible. At the same time, people who already have such problems need help and support.
The Signs Of Ludomania
The most prominent symptoms of the disorder are as follows:
- A person is preoccupied with the activity and can’t think about anything but how to win more cash
- A person needs to gamble with greater sums of money to enjoy the same excitement
- It’s impossible to stop playing or control gambling somehow
- There’s a feeling of irritation when trying to reduce the amount of time/money, which is spent on gambling
- Gambling is used as a way to avoid/forget about any negative feelings and emotions in real life
- A person wants to play more in order to win back the money
- A person lies to the relatives and friends to hide the level of addiction
- Social and family problems caused by gambling (a person can lose a job, spoil relations with the beloved ones, etc.)
- Readiness to participate in a criminal/fraudulent activity to get money to gamble
- A person tries to borrow money or bail him/her to help get rid of financial troubles.
When punters have no serious problems, they are able to stop after a significant loss. Besides, in a normal situation, gamers can play free online popular casino games and have fun.
If anyone of your family members or close friends says about gambling problems you’re having, it’s better to consult a specialist or address one of the organizations dealing with ludomania. Otherwise, it might lead to real problems with family, loss of a job, financial problems, troubles with law, poor health, and even suicide.
Causes of the Disorder
In most cases, gambling doesn’t lead to addiction. Thus, millions of men and women play without any negative consequences. The truth is that there’re certain factors, which can increase the risks of ludomania. In most cases, problem gaming develops due to the compulsiveness of punters. Thus, people with the following characteristics have more risks to suffer from the disorder:
| Factors | Description |
| Mental disorders | According to the statistics, people with various mental problems are more liable to ludomania. Thus, those who have disorders of personality, depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar, and other disorders have higher risks. |
| Younger and middle age | As the research proved, people of such ages are more liable to the problem. If users start playing from childhood/teenage, the chances they will experience compulsive gambling are much higher. At the same time, the disorder might develop in older age. |
| Male gender | As the statistics says, guys are more liable to the problem than girls. However, the tendency started to change during the last year. And today, the possibility is almost equal. |
| The impact of family/friends | When someone from the surrounding suffers from ludomania, the chances for a person to have the same problem are much higher. |
| Special drugs | When punters take dopamine agonists due to certain diseases (for instance, Parkinson’s), they might have a side effect leading to compulsive behavior. |
How to Deal With Problem Gambling?
The following recommendations might help punters suffering from ludomania:
- Try to find a healthier way to deal with stressful situations and negative emotions. Very often, gambling is a way to hide from any type of problem. It’s possible to start attending a gym instead or find an interesting hobby. Various relaxation techniques will also be helpful.
- Try to find support. Your relatives and friends can be very helpful. Their support will be precious in fighting ludomania. Even if you have nobody to address, try to contact colleagues at work, join a sports team, or any other community to communicate with people.
- Join a support group. There exist diverse organizations, which help deal with the troubles. Some of them can be even found at reliable Internet casinos, which support responsible gambling, for instance, Uptown Aces casino. Examples of supporting organizations are Gamblers Anonymous, GamCare, GamblingHelpOnline, etc.
Finally, try to battle your psychological problems, which might have led to ludomania. There might be anxiety, depression, etc. Even if you overcome ludomania, those problems will still remain. Thus, find a good specialist to work with you.
How to Avoid Ludomania?
To prevent such a problem, it’s enough to follow a few simple tips:
- Choose reliable gaming facilities, which support responsible gambling and provide all the necessary information on the issue.
- Select online casinos with minimum deposit. It will prevent huge spending in the very beginning.
- Set a time and money limit. It will allow a punter to stop at the right time and not go too far.
- Don’t set an aim to earn money. When a gamer chooses to play for fun, such problems are unlikely to develop.
Conclusion
Ludomania is a widespread problem in the modern world. It’s only a punter’s responsibility to protect themselves from such an addiction. Besides, it’s important to define the problem if it already exists. After this, a gamer should ask for professional help and work at self-improvement.
It’s much better to prevent ludomania from the very beginning. Simple tips and a little bit of wisdom will help avoid a wide range of negative consequences, which might make the life worse and require longtime rehabilitation.
