Age affects pathological gambling therapy

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BELLVITGE, Spain, March 15 (UPI) -- There is a relationship between age and pathological gambling -- the older the patient, the more gambling-related problems, researchers in Spain say.

Susana Jimenez-Murcia of University Hospital of Bellvitge in Spain and colleagues examined the effect of age on clinical outcomes among 2,309 Spanish patients seeking treatment for pathological gambling.

The study, published in the Journal of Gambling Studies, found the youngest patients had been gambling for shorter periods than both middle-aged and older adults. They also reported fewer gambling-related health problems and lower debt, the study said.

In addition, the average age of onset of the gambling disorder was significantly lower among the youngest patients than among the middle-age or older groups, suggesting younger people took up gambling early.