**3. Consequences of gambling disorder**

The practice of excessive gambling has negative consequences on the gamblers as well as on the society per se, starting with poverty, family dismantling, and illegal behavior in terms of obtaining the necessary money gamble. The main consequences of gambling disorders are the following [9]:


adult population has participated in a game of chance, out of whom, approximately 40% have

When a person is gambling more and more and is allocating more and more money to gambling to the detriment of other daily activities, a compulsive disorder may be seen as emerging and developing, which risks becoming a gambling disorder. The consequences of compulsive gambling are many, ranging from financial problems to intensified or prolonged stress, from dismantled families to lost fortunes, academic abandonment, and more. It is becoming more and more important that the young population especially, but also the rest of the population seen entering casinos on an increasing larger scale, should understand what it means to

Raylu and Oei [6] consider that there are three categories of factors that can contribute to the emergence and development of gambling disorder: family-related factors, individual factors,

In terms of **family factors**, specialized studies in the field have demonstrated that both parental models of behavior and genetic factors represent for any gambler at the risk to develop a

**Individual factors** are involved in the emergence and maintenance of the gambling disorder and they include the gamblers' personality traits (especially impulsivity and sensationseeking), his/her cognitions (the ability to influence or predict gain), negative emotional states (depression, anxiety or stress), and biological factors (frontal lobe deficits, neurotransmitter

**Sociological** factors which are tied to the emergence of gambling disorder refer to the existence of a socio-economic status of the gamblers, unemployment, and a lower education level.

The practice of excessive gambling has negative consequences on the gamblers as well as on the society per se, starting with poverty, family dismantling, and illegal behavior in terms of obtaining the necessary money gamble. The main consequences of gambling disorders are

• Professional problems: job loss, compromising one's career due to the preoccupation on gambling, which is the cause for the loss of one's efficiency at work and the rising levels of

• Problems with one's family, friends: the compulsive gambler hides the truth about this addiction which rules over him/her, he/she abuses the family or neglects his/her familial

gamble responsibly and how to avoid the slippery slope to gambling disorder [5].

**2. Factors involved in the development and maintenance of** 

malfunctions, and changes in the functioning of the brain's reward system).

gambled at least once a week.

162 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Clinical Applications

**gambling disorder**

and sociological factors.

the following [9]:

absenteeism;

responsibilities;

compulsive gambling behavior [7–8].

**3. Consequences of gambling disorder**

• Stress-related afflictions: insomnia, nervousness, depression, anxiety, culminating in suicide attempts.

Studies conducted by Blaszczynsky [10] have revealed that gambling disorder determines the following negative effects on gamblers: depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, alcohol and drug consumption, difficulties in keeping a work-place, lies and deceits, the decrease of cognitive performance, and physical symptoms.
