While millions of people participate in gambling activities with few or no apparent problems, this is not the case for everyone. Approximately three to four percent of the population report some gambling issues, while one to two percent report serious gambling issues. In addition, it is estimated that a problem gambler affects at least seven other people: spouses, children, distant relatives and friends. Problems with gambling can damage not only finances, but also physical and mental health, as well as relationships.
Family members may feel embarrassed, hurt, scared, angry, confused, and distrustful. These feelings make it more difficult to solve problems. The person who plays may even deny that there is a problem. See Box 4 for examples of strategies they found to be effective and ineffective in dealing with family members with gambling problems.
According to research, early exposure to play in the family plays an important role in whether or not children and adolescents resort to play themselves. However, additional research would be advantageous to better understand these issues and how they could be effectively addressed through gaming services and public health initiatives. From this research, several important and innovative findings emerged, especially the detrimental impacts that gambling problems had on the emotional well-being of couples, their mental and physical health and their relationships. In addition to emotional problems, participants also reported having suffered mental and physical health symptoms as a result of their partner's gambling problems.
Some participants were concerned that they might have contributed to fostering their partner's gambling or gambling problems, most often because of their lack of knowledge. It's easy to forget about this aspect of the game, but these feelings often build up, even if you don't play a lot or very often. This perspective argues that the chronic stress of having a gambling problem in the family causes family members to experience physical and emotional health problems, but that the ways in which family members cope with it and the social support they receive may provide greater or lesser protection against the effects of this stress. This study contributes to the development of research on the negative impacts of gambling problems on couples by providing a greater understanding of the emotional, psychological, physical and relationship problems that partners may experience.
A person may discover that when better personal and relationship resources are used to navigate life's challenges, gambling as a problem disappears. Dr. Franco Manes, a neurological researcher, points out in a WebMD interview that there is a possibility that deficiencies in the prefrontal cortex of the brain will make it difficult for a player with problems to reasonably consider future consequences. Troubled players often use the game as an escape from unpleasant feelings of helplessness, guilt, depression and anxiety.
Many people whose partners have gambling addictions often report that they initially think their partner was having an affair, as the signs are very similar. Teenage children of those with gambling problems are at increased risk for depressive feelings, behavioral problems, and gambling problems. When bills cannot be paid because the player has wasted all the money chasing losses, more than just money is at stake.
