Like alcohol addiction, gambling may be the source of a serious complex of personal, social and economic problems. Gamblers who stop betting report depression, irritability, impairment of concentration and a variety of physical complaints. Despite the absence of a psychoactive agent, compulsive gambling may be classified as an addiction on the basis of loss of control, escalation of stake size and withdrawal features following cessation of the activity. A useful approach to therapy is modification of the situation in which the addictive behavior develops.