The Diagnostic Standards Manual of the American Psychiatric Association indicates that pathological gambling behavior is indicated by the presence of at least four of the following characteristics:
- Frequent preoccupation with gambling or with obtaining money to gamble.
- Frequent gambling of larger amounts of money or over a longer period of time than intended.
- A need to increase the size or frequency of bets to achieve the desired excitement.
- Restlessness or irritability if unable to gamble.
- Repeated loss of money by gambling and returning another day to win back losses (“chasing”).
- Repeated efforts to reduce or stop gambling.
- Frequent gambling when expected to meet social or occupational obligations.
- Sacrifice of some important social, occupational or recreational activity in order to gamble.
- Continuation of gambling despite inability to pay mounting debts, or despite other significant social, occupational or legal problems that the person knows to be exacerbated by gambling.
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