Gambling becomes a problem when it negatively impacts any area of your life. It doesn’t matter how much you’ve lost or won — nor how much you know about a sport or team.
Someone with a gambling problem, also known as a gambling disorder or gambling addiction, becomes more preoccupied with gambling over time. Like any addiction, gambling disorder causes disruptions to your well-being, job, and relationships.
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Discuss Voluntary Self-Exclusion with Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Problem gambling can be tough to spot and easy to hide. Common signs include:
Needing to gamble with more money to achieve the same desired excitement
Feeling restless or irritable when trying to cut down or stop gambling
Gambling when feeling stressed, sad, or anxious
Chasing losses or returns to get even
Lying to conceal the extent of gambling
Relying on others for money to continue playing or to try to fix situations caused by gambling
Gambling at risk of jeopardizing a relationship, job, or one’s finances