Should pathological gambling be considered an addictive disorder?

Abstract

Although pathological gambling is a relatively common disorder, there are only limited data available about the validity of its diagnosis as an impulse control disorder. Interestingly, there is no single conceptual widely accepted model that adequately accounts for the multiple biological, psychological and ecological variables contributing to the development of pathological gambling. In this paper, the authors demonstrate aspects of addictive behavior of pathological gambling. It is suggested that despite conceptual difficulties associated with the variable of self-control, contemporary research into the addictive behavior of gambling has clearly demonstrated its closeness to addictions as compared to impulse control disorders.