Gambling Disorder: Screening, Diagnosis, and Management (2025-2026 Recording)-Gambling Disorder: Screening, Diagnosis, and Management Recording

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Video Summary

This didactic session from ACAM covered gambling disorder as an addiction pathology that often receives little formal training in medical education. Dr. Michael Rodeos and colleagues reviewed the definition, DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, severity levels, risk factors, screening tools, treatment options, and special populations at risk.<br /><br />Key points included that gambling disorder is persistent, problematic gambling causing distress or impairment, with severity based on how many DSM-5 criteria are met. The lecture emphasized common features of addiction across substances and behaviors, including preoccupation, tolerance, loss of control, chasing losses, concealment, and functional decline. Risk factors discussed included youth, older adults, men, LGBTQ/transgender populations, people with trauma histories, mental health disorders, substance use disorders, and low socioeconomic status.<br /><br />Screening tools mentioned were the LiveBet questionnaire and more detailed instruments like NODS-GD, the Problem Gambling Severity Index, and others. The presenters also addressed internet gaming disorder, loot boxes, gacha mechanics, and social media exposure as modern gambling-adjacent risks for adolescents.<br /><br />Treatment evidence remains limited, but cognitive behavioral therapy has the strongest support, with some benefit from motivational interviewing and 12-step groups like Gamblers Anonymous. Preliminary evidence suggests opioid antagonists such as naltrexone may help, while evidence for mood stabilizers and antidepressants is weaker.<br /><br />The session also introduced research domain criteria (RDoC), arguing for a transdiagnostic, brain-based approach to addiction and psychiatric illness, and highlighted the potential role of psychedelics and the default mode network in future treatment models.

Keywords

gambling disorder

addiction pathology

DSM-5 criteria

severity levels

risk factors

screening tools

LiveBet questionnaire

problem gambling

cognitive behavioral therapy

motivational interviewing

naltrexone

internet gaming disorder

RDoC

default mode network