In January 2025, Norway published the largest cohort study to date exploring the relationship between gambling disorder (GD) and suicide mortality. Led by researcher Joakim Kristensen and colleagues, the study included approximately 7,000 individuals diagnosed with GD who were then compared to a group of around 400,000 individuals with other mental or physical health conditions.
The findings were deeply concerning. Suicide emerged as the leading cause of death among those with GD, accounting for 25% of all deaths in that group. Additionally, it found those with GD are five times more likely to die by suicide than the general population.
GD is the only behavioural addiction currently recognized in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Also referred to as compulsive gambling, GD is a chronic mental health condition that is characterized by recurrent, maladaptive gambling behaviours that cause significant functional impairment in many aspects of a person’s life including their relationships, work, and finances.
While most people who gamble do not develop GD, the act of risking something valuable to win something of greater value triggers the reward centers in the brain. This stimulation releases a surge of dopamine, inducing an…
