Sports betting is gambling – and it can be addictive. But when is the limit crossed? Seven signs show whether the game has already become an addiction.
Whether online or in a betting office: the range of sports bets on offer is enormous and continues to grow. According to the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA), this makes participation easier and thus increases the already considerable risk of addiction from sports betting even further. But when does the occasional sports bet become a real gambling addiction? Certain signs give it away.
According to the BZgA, the appeal of sports betting lies primarily in the combination of passion for betting and enthusiasm for gaming. Sports betting offers a variety of different betting options with a quick sequence of games. This poses the risk of losing a lot of money in a short period of time.
The statement by sports betting providers that sports-related knowledge increases the chances of winning also leads people to greatly overestimate their own ability to predict. In fact, sports results depend heavily on chance.
In general, addiction occurs when those affected cannot control or overcome their desire for a substance or a certain behavior. This also applies to addiction to sports betting or other games of chance. Those affected repeatedly and compulsively engage in sports betting in order to temporarily satisfy their need – despite negative consequences for themselves or their social environment.
According to the State Office for Addiction Issues in Baden-Württemberg, young men between the ages of 18 and 35 are particularly at risk of developing a gambling addiction. Most dangerous for them: live sports betting.
Overall, the addictive potential of online sports betting appears to have increased significantly. According to the specialist in psychiatry and neurology and honorary chairman of the Interdisciplinary Center for Addiction Research, Prof. Dr. Jobst Böning, online sports betting would have almost reached the level of the most dangerous slot machine gambling to date. This emerges from statistical and neurobiological data.
But how do those affected or those around them recognize whether it is an addiction?
The transition from fun to problematic betting behavior is often fluid and not always immediately recognizable as an addiction. However, there are symptoms that indicate gambling addiction:
