Screening for gambling problems carries wide-ranging benefits, from protecting finances and relationships to safeguarding mental health, and one of the most striking is its potential to lower suicide risk.
For anyone weighing addiction treatment, whether for themselves or a loved one, the takeaway is that identifying a gambling problem and connecting the person to care can prevent serious harm before it escalates.
What the New Study Found
A 2026 study published in Scientific Reports examined the link between gambling disorder and suicidal thinking in a sample of 775 medical students at a French university.
Students who screened positive for probable gambling disorder had a prevalence of recent suicidal ideation more than double that of their peers, about 35 percent versus 15 percent.
After accounting for other factors, students with probable gambling disorder had roughly five times higher odds of reporting suicidal ideation.
Notably, the researchers found that probable gambling disorder and moderate-to-severe anxiety were independently associated with suicidal ideation, even after controlling for depression, substance use, and socioeconomic status.
The authors concluded that suicide prevention should not focus only on depression and that screening for gambling problems should be built into high-stress settings.
Those findings echo longstanding observations in the field. The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin describes problem gambling as a modifiable risk factor for suicide, meaning that when it is identified and addressed, the worst outcomes are preventable.
It reports that suicidal ideation among problem gamblers has been estimated across a wide range, from 12 to 92 percent depending on the study, with a meaningful share reporting one or more suicide attempts.
Lower Suicide Risk Is One of Many Benefits of Screening
Reducing suicide risk is the most urgent reason to screen for gambling problems, but it is far from the only one. Because problem gambling is often called a hidden addiction, many people do not seek help until a crisis forces the issue, and early screening can head off a cascade of harms long before that point.
Catching a gambling problem early can help protect a person’s finances before debt becomes overwhelming, ease the strain on relationships and family life, and surface co-occurring conditions that often travel with gambling.
The FBI bulletin notes that roughly half of people with gambling problems also experience substance use disorders, and that depression is a key link between gambling problems and suicidal behavior. Screening creates an opening to treat all of these together rather than one crisis at a time.
Simple tools make early detection realistic. The widely used Lie/Bet questionnaire asks just two questions: whether a person has ever felt the need to bet more and more money, and whether they have ever lied to people close to them about how much they gamble. A yes to either signals the need for a fuller assessment.
Gambling Disorder Is a Treatable Behavioral Addiction
Gambling disorder is classified as a behavioral addiction, meaning it activates many of the same reward and compulsion pathways as substance use disorders even though no drug is involved.
Like other addictions, it tends to escalate and proves hard to stop despite mounting consequences, which is why it responds to structured addiction treatment rather than willpower alone.
The warning signs are concrete. The FBI bulletin, summarizing the National Council on Problem Gambling, describes growing preoccupation with gambling, needing to bet more money more often, restlessness or irritability when trying to stop, chasing losses, and continuing despite the harm it causes.
A person may also lie to family about how much they gamble or borrow money to cover losses. Spotting these signs is the first step toward getting someone screened and into care.
What Addiction Treatment for Gambling Looks Like
Gambling disorder is treatable, and effective addiction treatment often mirrors care for substance use disorders. Evidence-based therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy help people identify the thoughts and triggers that drive compulsive betting and build healthier coping strategies.
Because anxiety, depression, and substance use frequently occur alongside gambling problems, integrated care for these co-occurring disorders is often part of an effective plan, and it directly addresses the conditions that drive suicide risk.
Treatment can take place across different levels of care, from outpatient counseling to more intensive programs when a person also needs support for a co-occurring mental health or substance use condition. Peer support groups such as Gamblers Anonymous add community and accountability, and many people combine them with professional treatment.
## What This Means for Treatment Seekers
If gambling is harming your finances, relationships, work or mental health, that is reason enough to seek help, and you do not have to sort out whether it qualifies as an addiction on your own.
Asking for a screening or assessment is a practical, potentially life-saving first step, especially if you have also noticed anxiety, depression or thoughts of self-harm.
Finding the Right Rehab
When exploring treatment options, it helps to look for programs that screen for and treat gambling disorder specifically and that can also address any co-occurring anxiety, depression, or substance use.
Comparing rehab centers on the therapies they offer, the levels of care available, and whether they handle co-occurring disorders will help you find the right fit. It is also worth understanding your insurance coverage for behavioral health treatment, since many plans cover care for gambling disorder.
If you or someone you know is struggling, the National Problem Gambling Helpline is available 24/7 at 1-800-522-4700, and the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can be reached by call or text at 988.
You can also search Rehab.com’s directory to find verified treatment centers or call
800-985-8516
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to speak with a treatment advisor today.
