Gambling as an addiction?

According to a survey of the BZgA (Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung – Federal Center for Health Education), about 87% of Germans between 16-65 years of age gamble at some point in their life; more than half of all Germans in this age group have even participated in gambling in the last 12 months. For most of them this presents no difficulties and they can integrate gambling into their day-to-day life.

Some people, however, cannot achieve this; they develop risky playing behaviour. They cannot stop gambling despite, e.g., large financial losses. Such behaviour can develop into addiction, the so-called pathological gambling.