Online Gambling involves betting or playing games of chance for money on a computer, mobile phone, tablet, or any device with an internet connection. While online gambling can be a fun and exciting pastime, it can also lead to serious problems. Many people who engage in Online Gambling suffer from addiction, which is a mental health condition that affects an individual’s control over their behavior and leads to negative consequences. The American Psychiatric Association classifies online gambling addiction alongside other substance-related disorders like alcohol and drug addiction.

The most common sign of online gambling addiction is escalation, where an individual needs to wager higher amounts of money to feel the same excitement from the initial gamble. This can lead to significant financial losses and mounting debts. Individuals may even resort to pawning personal possessions to fund their gambling habits. They may also experience poor sleeping and eating habits, which can cause overall health deterioration.

Research suggests that some personality traits elevate the likelihood of developing a gambling addiction. A 2023 study published in Frontiers in Psychology reported that people with high levels of neuroticism and low levels of conscientiousness were more likely to develop a gambling problem. Other studies have found that individuals with high impulsivity are more likely to be problematic gamblers.

In addition, studies have found that individuals with an addiction to online gambling tend to have smaller volumes in the amygdala and hippocampus, two brain regions associated with emotional learning and stress regulation. These brain changes can lead to increased gambling and an inability to control their impulses.