What Is Gambling Addiction?
Gambling addiction, clinically known as gambling disorder, is a behavioral addiction characterized by persistent and recurrent problematic gambling that leads to significant distress or impairment. Unlike substance addictions, gambling disorder involves compulsive engagement with an activity rather than a chemical substance, but the neurological mechanisms are remarkably similar—gambling activates the same reward pathways in the brain as drugs and alcohol, releasing dopamine and creating patterns of tolerance, craving, and withdrawal.
At Trust SoCal in Fountain Valley, California, we recognize that behavioral addictions like gambling disorder require the same evidence-based therapeutic approaches used for substance use disorders. Our JCAHO-accredited treatment programs address the underlying psychological, emotional, and social factors that drive compulsive gambling, including co-occurring depression, anxiety, and trauma. Many individuals with gambling disorder also struggle with substance use, making integrated dual diagnosis treatment essential for lasting recovery.