Higher Rates of Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions Found in Patients with Gambling Disorder

A recent study analyzed data from 13,533 U.S. patients diagnosed with gambling disorder during outpatient visits from January 2017 to May 2026. These patients were compared with 54,132 individuals who had outpatient visits but were not diagnosed with gambling disorders, matched by factors such as age, sex, and social vulnerability. Researchers evaluated the prevalence of other mental health diagnoses over three periods: more than 18 months prior to the gambling diagnosis, within 18 months before, and within 18 months after.

Among women, those diagnosed with gambling disorder had significantly higher rates of co-occurring mental health conditions compared to those without such a diagnosis. Over 18 months prior to the gambling diagnosis, 61.9% of women who later received a gambling disorder diagnosis had a history of depression, compared to 30.8% of women without a gambling diagnosis. Additionally, 60.0% had anxiety compared to 35.7%, and 24.0% had PTSD versus 10.3%. In the 18 months following the gambling diagnosis, 3.0% of women with gambling disorders were diagnosed with personality disorders, significantly higher than the 0.3% rate among comparison women. Suicidal ideation was reported in 4.9% of women with gambling disorders compared to 0.6% who did not have the disorder.

For men, a similar pattern was observed. Although the baseline rates for other mental health conditions were lower, the increases post-diagnosis were notable. After being diagnosed with gambling disorder, 14.6% of men were diagnosed with depression, compared with 3.5% of their peers without the disorder. Rates for anxiety, substance use disorders, and suicidal ideation were also elevated among men with gambling disorders compared to the control group.

The study suggests a bidirectional relationship between gambling disorders and other mental illnesses, indicating that both may influence each other rather than one precede the other. One reason for these observed relationships could be that patients already involved in mental health care are more likely to have their gambling issues recognized. Conversely, those seeking help for gambling may be more thoroughly evaluated for other mental health conditions. This association persisted across various demographic groups, including age and rurality.

The research utilized the Cosmos dataset, which encompasses over 310 million patient records from thousands of hospitals and clinics across the U.S., Canada, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted by two independent teams, each comprising clinicians and research scientists who reached similar conclusions.