Countless people intervene when they see their loved ones suffering from this problem. These are the stories we hear. And we seldom hear about the other side of the story—when intervention helps a loved one with a gambling addiction. The gambling addiction statistics in South Africa present an incredibly grim picture, and lawmakers have been working hard to address the issue. We've put together some ways that both gamblers and the family members of online players can use to help someone with a gambling addiction.
What is Gambling Addiction?
A gambling addiction is an incessant craving to place bets on anything that can be staked. There is, quite frankly, nothing intrinsically wrong with gambling. The issue occurs when individuals who partake in gambling cannot manage the impulse to engage in the activity. To put it another way, a gambling addict is a person who is unable to resist the temptation to gamble, even when they are aware that they have a significant chance of losing money. A gambling addict's life is often a precarious balancing act where they try to stave off the paradoxical pull of the next bet while trying to fulfill their obligations at work and at home. Below is a list of the different types of gambling addicts you might encounter.
Pathological Problem Gambler
Problem gamblers are at the elementary level of players with gambling issues, typically not as harmful as other addiction. They have a tendency to deceive people about their where they are and have inconsistent behavioural patterns. For example, they will ignore curfew and return home in the wee hours of the next day and pretend that they had an emergency.
Binge Gambler
Binge gamblers generally bet on gambling games in spaced out interval that are indicative of periods of absolutely no involvement in gambling of any sort at one point in time. In other instances, when they start gambling again, they are helpless to stop it. Binge gamblers do not display signs of responsible gambling, they are just a likely to gamble their house away.
Compulsive Gambler
The worst of them all is a compulsive gambler. They are not deterred by the risk of using money that they do not have. Compulsive gamblers have the urge to gamble with no limitations, even when they’ve won, their desire remains insatiable.
Causes of Gambling Addiction
The motivation to gamble for many people differs from individual to individual. Some people start dabbling in gambling as a hobby and cannot stop once it has escalated to a problem. Most of the time, people will readily assume that the cause is related to a person’s failure to sustain a certain standard of living. It actually goes further than that. Some people are predisposed to have addictive personalities. This is based on their sex, age and even genetics.
How to Deal with Gambling Addiction
There are several avenues to seek help for gambling addiction in South Africa. The negative effects gambling addiction can only be detected by a professional that can prescribe long-term gambling recovery treatment to an addict. There are rehabilitation clinics for addiction to gambling around South Africa. Here’s a list of places you can visit to get assistance with your habit:
- Cape Town Gambling Addiction Clinics
- National Responsible Gambling Programme (NRGP) toll-free gambling helpline 0800 006 008
- South African Responsible Gambling Foundation (SARGF) contact details: WhatsApp/SMS HELP To 076 675 0710
- helpline@responsiblegambling.org.za