Gambling, ADHD, and Online Casinos: Not a Good Bet

Placing a bet or a friendly wager can be a fun game between friends. Casinos and bingo halls are alluring places for an evening’s entertainment. And who doesn’t sometimes daydream about winning the big lottery and using the money to start a new adventure in life?

In the last few years a new form of gambling has been increasing, though. While you once had to go to a casino, plan a card game with friends, follow the lineup of your lucky team, or study which horse had the best odds, now all those gaming options are available on your smartphone wherever you are.

“The accessibility is now 24/7,” says Heather Wardle, PhD, professor of urban studies, social policy, and health at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. “They can target advertising to you that they know you will respond to. It makes it incredibly difficult to switch off.”

When you have ADHD, it is even more difficult to switch off the gambling app and walk away from the table.

Gambling and ADHD

It’s estimated that gambling is more common among adults who have ADHD. Researchers in Japan found that gambling through online casinos and gambling apps is the strongest predictor of whether an individual with ADHD is likely to develop problem gambling or a gambling addiction. They also found that adults with ADHD, as a group, have higher rates of gambling in all forms than adults who don’t have ADHD. The rush of winning triggers neurochemicals that can momentarily help them to feel more focused, and the brain just wants more.

“The vast majority of people who gamble are able to do so without any long-lasting problems or harm,” says Timothy Fong, MD, an associate clinical professor of psychiatry and the co-director of the UCLA Gambling Studies Program. “But, like alcohol, tobacco, or drugs of abuse, gambling can become an addiction, and recent research has shown that up to one percent of the population is currently suffering from a gambling disorder.”

The majority of states now have some form of legalized gambling. Several popular, and widely advertised, sports-betting websites and apps operate across state lines. The apps are designed to keep interest, offer small rewards with the promise of bigger ones, and use the continuous scrolling feature perfected in social media to keep a player’s eyes on the screen.

“Online sports gambling is a fundamentally different and more dangerous product than ever could have been imagined,” gambling therapist Harry Levant told Congress during a hearing on online gambling.

When gambling is unhealthy

Frequent gambling can lead to the development of a severe problem, most especially for individuals with ADHD. Some studies show that as many as ten to twenty percent of people with an ADHD diagnosis who gamble often may become “problem gamblers,” meaning they keep gambling even after it is having a negative effect on their life and hurting their relationships.

What is the connection between gambling and ADHD? It’s likely due to the same reasons that many people with ADHD have co-occurring substance abuse issues. Those may be caused by impulsivity associated with ADHD, or they may come about because people use substances as a way to cope with their symptoms, including social difficulties, feelings of underachievement, and difficulty completing tasks. The same is true of gambling. Impulsivity—a need for instant gratification—plays a bigger role in ADHD and gambling than other symptoms, including hyperactivity and difficulty focusing. Boredom and a need for stimulation may also be involved when someone with ADHD begins gambling.

Teens who have ADHD are more likely to start gambling than their peers. Adults with ADHD who started gambling at an earlier age tend to develop more serious gambling problems that disrupt other aspects of their lives and cope with longer-lasting difficulties than their peers.

Online gambling options increase these risks and their associated fallout as teens grow older. Andrew, one of Levant’s clients, says he began gambling online before he was eighteen and knows other teens struggling with it now. Even though it is illegal for teens to gamble, he says many will use information from an older relative to open betting accounts.

“They’re sixteen, fifteen, and they’re openly in school talking about all the wagers they got,” he says.

Gambling behaviors to watch for

Families need to have open conversations about the place of gambling in their lives. Parents, especially, should share with teens their expectations when it comes to gambling.

“Families are encouraged to have a conversation discussing the purpose of gambling, reasonable amounts of time and money to be spent, and the goals of the gambling,” says Dr. Fong. “Families are also encouraged to discuss the warning signs of addiction and to educate all family members about what to do if signs of gambling problems emerge.”

Both adults and teens can struggle with gambling behaviors related to ADHD symptoms, making it even more important for parents to know the signs of problem gambling and be able to recognize those signs in themselves or their teens. Some of these include:

  • Unhealthy preoccupation with gambling
  • Increased risk-taking
  • Failed attempts to stop
  • Restlessness when attempting to quit
  • Gambling to escape
  • Chasing losses
  • Deceit to conceal the extent of gambling

Someone may be struggling with gambling if they feel the need to gamble with higher amounts of money, or if they become restless or irritable when they’re not gambling. It’s appropriate to be concerned if they spend a lot of time thinking about gambling and planning how to win “next time” or start lying about their time, behaviors, or finances. With online gambling the signs also include spending increasing amounts of time gambling on the app, even in unusual places.

“I got a waterproof case on my phone, just so I could gamble in the shower,” Andrew says, noting how difficult it can be for some people.

“The core of gambling disorder is about harmful consequences caused by ongoing gambling,” Dr. Fong points out. “The total amount of money lost is not nearly as important to understand as the total impact of gambling on a person’s lifestyle and environment.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling behaviors, discuss those behaviors with your ADHD specialist or contact the National Council on Problem Gambling helpline at 1‑800‑426‑2537 and online at www.NCPGambling.org for resources and support.

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