Gambling addiction, also called pathological gambling, is the uncontrollable and continuous desire to gamble, despite the risks that lie behind such behavior and despite the initial desire not to give in to gambling.
The precise causes of this particular mental illness - which is comparable to addiction to alcohol or drugs - are unknown.
According to some researchers, it is the result of a combination of biological, genetic and environmental factors.
Although it is widespread among young adults (aged 20 to 40), pathological gambling is a disorder that can also affect adolescents.
Moreover, according to different statistical studies ...
- In the United States, 30-40% of children participate in some form of gambling.
The most popular gambling games are the slot machines and the so-called "scratch cards" (NB: the fact of playing once in a while does not mean being pathological gamblers, however it could represent a risk for the future).
- In the United Kingdom, 91% of children under the age of 18 have tried to place a bet at least once.
- In Canada, 4-6% of high school students are gambling addicts and 10-14% are at risk of developing an addiction to gambling.
- In the United Kingdom, around 3 million children between the ages of 13 and 17 falsified an online account in order to be able to make some bets.
