Is someone who gambles a lot a compulsive gambler?
A. Not necessarily. Many people who gamble frequently are simply people who enjoy gambling as entertainment. Generally these people set aside a predetermined amount of money for gambling, gamble for fun rather than for the “certainty” of winning, recognize that they are likely to lose, and don’t bet more than they can afford to lose. It’s also possible to have gambling problems without being a compulsive gambler — someone can go out and lose a lot of money at a casino after being denied a promotion, for example. Often this sort of problem resolves itself without professional intervention.
