A study of pathological gambling and its correlates among patients seeking treatment for substance use disorders in North India

Background: Gambling, although being a common leisure activity in India, and it has been studied scarcely. There is a dearth of research regarding the rates of problem gambling among substance users in India. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at a tertiary care de-addiction center in India. Male patients aged 18-65 years were included. Diagnosis of gambling disorder or pathological gambling were made using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-Fifth edition (DSM-5) and International Classification of Disorders-10th Edition Diagnostic Criteria for Research (ICD-10 DCR) respectively. Pattern of gambling as well as the prevalence of probable pathological gambling was assessed using South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). Results: A total of 114 substance users were recruited in the study. The occurrence rate of pathological gambling according to ICD-10 DCR was 6.1%, gambling disorder according to DSM-5 was 11.4%, and probable pathological gambling according to SOGS was 12.3%. Playing cards for money was the most common type of gambling. Pathological gamblers had higher rates of injection drug use and high-risk sexual behaviors as compared to non-problem gamblers. Conclusion: Our study suggests pathological gambling to be a common comorbidity among substance use disorder patients. There is a need to study the impact and course of pathological gambling among the Indian patients with substance use disorders.