Gambling involves wagering something of value on the result of an event whose outcome is uncertain. In essence it is a game played with probabilities; the person who correctly predicts the outcome wins something valuable from the one who does not. Games differ along a number of dimensions. In order to understand problem gambling, it is necessary to know some characteristics of the games, and how these characteristics affect the player.

One parameter of games is whether their outcomes can be predicted at all through skilled or knowledgeable play. For instance, bingo, slot machines and lottery tickets all have random outcomes; you cannot predict what will happen based on what has happened in the past. On the other hand, horse racing and sports betting involve some knowledge or skill; it is possible to increase the odds of winning through a greater understanding of the game. However, there is still so much randomness in these activities that it is almost impossible to predict outcomes well enough to win consistently. Also, betting venues make money by ensuring that the odds are with the house.

Whatever the type of gambling, people tend to search for patterns in the outcomes in order to predict what will happen the next time. These attempts can range from intensive research on game factors to superstitious beliefs about lucky days of the week. Such beliefs are given credibility by the fact that wins occur relatively frequently, even though overall losses are greater than wins. The longer a person gambles, the more money he or she is likely to lose. However, wins provide intermittent reinforcement which, as any behaviourist knows, is one of the best ways to ensure that a behaviour continues.

Another set of game characteristics has to do with how quickly a bet and outcome are completed, and how soon the next bet can be made. The old weekly lotteries gave a long break between the bet and the result. Now corner stores are filled with instant-win tickets. Horse racing used to offer only as many chances to bet as there were races in that location on that day. Off-track betting venues now allow continuous wagering on races all over the world. Slot machines and VLT's can complete a betting cycle in seconds. The quicker the betting cycle, the more potentially addictive the behaviour becomes (see Schwarz, 1984, for a discussion of schedules of reinforcement as they affect learning behaviour).

The literature has tended in the past to divide games into “action” and “escape” types, and the people playing them at problematic levels as “action” and “escape” gamblers. These two types tended to be associated with males and females respectively. There is some truth to this division. Interactive, higher-stakes games with a skill component tend to attract people who are looking for challenge and an adrenaline rush. Solitary, smaller-stakes random games such as slot machines are often preferred by people who want to get away from the stresses in their lives. However, there are many overlaps in both the game characteristics and in the motivations of the people who play them. For example, an escape game may be approached with excitement or with pseudo-scientific research, while an action game may be engaged in out of a desire to escape unpleasant feelings. When gambling becomes a problem, motivations will likely change; the initial enjoyment of play may become a desire to win, and then to win back losses. In the end some people play chiefly to avoid thinking about the destructive effects of their gambling.

A couple of further points should be made about the games. First, private games or bets are somewhat different in that there is no “house edge”; odds are potentially equal. While this does not prevent problems from developing, playing against friends tends to limit the financial damage. Second, some activities, such as stock market trading, can be defined as gambling under certain conditions These include rapid trading rather than investment over the longer term, an excessive focus on the behaviour and a preference for high-risk, high-yield trades.

Clearly not all gambling leads to problems. Most people gamble safely, either for entertainment, to socialize or to try their skill or luck. They limit their time and spending to what they can afford, see their losses as the cost of the entertainment, see their wins as due to chance rather than ability and have many activities besides gambling to meet their needs.

The level of gambling involvement may be seen on a continuum:

These are not discrete categories but possible points along a range of involvement. People who engage in serious social gambling may enjoy their game more than other activities, and may dedicate considerable time to it, but not to the point where it damages their relationships or other pursuits. Problem gambling varies in intensity, from mild to severe. The term “pathological gambling” arises from medical models, and is generally used to identify the most severe gambling problems.

Professional gamblers are missing from the list above. Such individuals do exist, but are unlikely to come to the attention of counsellors. Gambling for the sake of income must be done as a business, in an orderly fashion, without emotional involvement. Margins tend to be low, so considerable self-discipline is needed. Many people seeking treatment say that, after a series of wins, they began to think of themselves as professional gamblers; so this persona, although rare in fact, is important to consider when dealing with the belief systems that underlie problem gambling.  

The following are the criteria for pathological gambling from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2000):

A. Persistent and maladaptive gambling behaviour as indicated by five (or more) of the following:

1. is preoccupied with gambling (e.g., preoccupied with reliving past gambling experiences, handicapping, or planning the next venture, or thinking of ways to get money with which to gamble)
2. needs to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to achieve the desired excitement
3. has repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop gambling
4. is restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling
5. gambles as of a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression)
6. after losing money gambling, often returns another day to get even (“chasing” one’s losses)
7. lies to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with gambling
8. has committed illegal acts such as forgery, fraud, theft, or embezzlement to finance gambling
9. has jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, job, or educational or career opportunity because of gambling
10. relies on others to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation caused by gambling

B. The gambling behaviour is not better accounted for by a manic episode. 

Some additional common indicators of problem gambling are:

• spending more time and money on gambling than the person can afford
• experiencing health problems, including stress and anxiety, due to gambling
• attempting to use gambling as a source of income
• borrowing money to gamble or cover losses
• believing a system of gambling will produce wins.