The Compulsive Gambler's Behavior

Compulsive gamblers' behavior absolutely affects everything, in the long run.

Compulsive gamblers lie to family and friends about their gambling activities, their losses, and their gambling debts.

They attempt to keep their gambling, their losses, and their gambling debts a secret as long as possible. They construct elaborate lies and charades to conceal their activities and related problems.

When opportunities arise or when their financial situation becomes desperate, compulsive gamblers engage in illegal activities in order to obtain money for gambling or to pay off gambling debts.

Hey eventually become mired in a cycle of indebtedness in which they are constantly seeking funds to pay off their debts and continue their gambling.

In three studies of members of Gamblers Anonymous (GA) that included a total of 394 people in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Connecticut, 56.6 percent admitted to stealing in various ways to finance their gambling.

The total amount of money stolen by these people was $30,065,812--- an average of $76,309 per person. One had stolen $8 million and another had stolen $7.5 million.

A study of 306 Australian compulsive gamblers found that 59 percent had committed at least one gambling-related crime during their gambling careers.

The most common crimes were larceny, embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, breaking and entering, and shoplifting.

Armed robbery, drug dealing, and other crimes were less frequently reported.

While the similarities between compulsive gamblers and alcoholics and other drug addicts are striking, compulsive gamblers do not ingest, inject, or inhale chemical substances.

Just what is it that they are addicted to?

The answer appears to be 'action', Action has been described in many ways. It is an aroused, euphoric state. It involves excitement, tension, and anticipation over the outcome of a gambling event.

It is the thrill of living 'on the edge', of having one's fate riding on the turn of a card or the roll of a dice.

Compulsive gamblers have described action as a 'high' similar to that experienced from cocaine, heroin, or other drugs.

Some report these sensations as they anticipate engaging in a gambling activity as well as when they are actually gambling.

Compulsive gamblers also describe action as 'rush' that may include rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms, even nausea.

One compulsive gambler with described his first big win--- $600 on a long shot at Arlington race Track near Chicago--- this way: 'It was as if a bolt of lightning went off my brain. Looking back [over a gambling career of twenty years], from that moment on, I was hooked. I keep trying to get that lightning bolt to go off again.'

They have been known to go for extended periods of time without sleep, food, water, or using a bathroom. Compulsive gamblers have reported experiencing trance-like disassociative states in which they lose track of time and have out-of-body experiences.