Eighty million adults worldwide have a gambling disorder, and online gamblers are estimated to lose $205 billion by 2030. A large percentage of adults with gambling problems had difficult childhoods and started gambling as teenagers. Also, 17.9% of adolescents engage in some form of gambling each year. Gambling addiction is increasing.
Robert Custer was a psychiatrist who, in the 1970s and ‘80s, advocated treating gambling disorder as an addiction. He started the first inpatient treatment program in 1972 and worked with thousands of people facing gambling issues. In 1985, he coauthored a book with Harry Milt titled When Luck Runs Out. He found that few people with gambling problems sought help until they experienced depression and suicidal thoughts. Custer died at age 63, but his efforts helped recognize gambling as an addiction.
During Custer’s era, gambling casinos were mainly limited to Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Now, there are physical casinos across the country and casino apps on phones. Sports betting has been legalized in many states. Video slot machines and mobile gambling options enable people to lose money anytime, anywhere. Gambling addiction is increasing, and it will likely worsen until people understand that, like alcohol and drugs, gambling is dangerous and destructive to families, as well as to physical and mental health. As with alcohol and drug addictions, the key is to avoid it altogether.
— John N. Clayton © 2026
Reference: Science News for January 2026, pages 52-54, and sciencenews.org