Your Doctor Asks About Alcohol and Tobacco Use. Should They Also Be Asking About Gambling?
Posted on: March 3, 2026, 09:55h.
Last updated on: March 3, 2026, 09:55h.
- Should a primary care doctor be asking about gambling?
- The National Council on Problem Gambling thinks so
Gambling participation in the United States is at a record level. While tobacco use and alcohol consumption are dwindling, should primary care doctors be more on the lookout for gambling disorders, which health experts say can lead to physiological and psychological problems?
This week, The Harris Poll, commissioned by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), released a national survey on gambling participation.
Nearly eight in 10 Americans (79%) agreed that gambling addiction is as serious or more serious than other forms of addiction, including alcohol and drugs.
“What we’re seeing is that the majority of Americans recognize gambling addiction as a legitimate behavioral health issue,” said Heather Maurer, the executive director of the NCPG. “The next step is ensuring our public health systems, policies, and prevention strategies reflect that understanding.”
Almost three in 10 (29%) of the respondents felt that excessive gambling leads to stronger consequences than do drug and alcohol disorders.
Health Care Intervention
A regular checkup with a primary care doctor typically includes the patient revealing their personal routines, including sleep schedules, eating habits, and daily exercise. Doctors also want to know how much alcohol a person drinks, if they smoke or chew tobacco, and whether they use any legal or illegal drugs.
Rarely, however, is the patient asked about gambling. The NCPG reports that only 15% of Americans report ever being asked about their gambling behaviors by a primary care doctor.
This represents a significant missed opportunity for early identification and intervention. Gambling-related harm is often invisible until it becomes severe,” explained Maurer.
“Screening in healthcare settings can help normalize [gambling] conversations and connect people to support earlier,” Maurer added.
The repercussions of gambling addiction are not limited to financial harm. Along with debt, bankruptcy, and asset losses, problem gambling is linked to anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation.
Gambling problems have also been associated with insomnia, headaches, stomach issues, and hypertension due to stress.
Younger People Gambling
The need for gambling screenings in the medical field is perhaps only further warranted by the fact that the American public is being exposed to gambling at younger ages. The Harris Poll study found that 65% of adults aged 21 and older gambled at least once before becoming of the legal drinking age.
Forty percent said they played a lottery game. The legal age to buy a lottery ticket in the US is 18, with exceptions being Arizona, Iowa, and Louisiana, all 21, and Nebraska at 19.
More than 20% of the under-21 gambling crowd played an illegal online casino or made an unlawful mobile sports bet. Almost four in 10 (37%) said they gambled amongst friends.
“Youth are at significantly greater risk for developing gambling problems, and as gambling becomes increasingly normalized in media, sports, and online spaces, the risks grow,” said Maurer. “Prevention and education are essential to ensure young people, families, educators, and policymakers understand the potential harms and are protected from early exposure.”
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