Loneliness is more prevalent amongst the elderly. Gambling should not be seen as a means of alleviating loneliness. If you find yourself resorting to gambling to combat social deprivation, please reach out to a helpline like GamCare as a matter of urgency.

Cognitive decline is, unfortunately, part of the reality of our golden years. This may stem from poor mental health or be a natural result of aging. However, cognitive impairments obstruct your ability to plan ahead, calculate an amount that you can reasonably afford losing without incurring financial hardship, resist urges, and decrease your reaction time. Medication may also dull your senses and impair decision making. 

Retirees and those nearing retirement may face greater financial hardship if they develop a gambling addiction. Retirement benefits are capped, savings are finite, and if the funds run out it is more difficult to find alternative sources of income due to reduced work opportunities. As a result, incremental losses quickly add up, and one may be tempted to begin chasing losses – the start of a vicious cycle.

The signs of addiction amongst elders are the same as for other players. Refer to the section “Spotting the signs”.

Because the root causes of addiction are more varied amongst senior players (and can be due to aging), prevention and treatment needs to be tailored to the individual.

For those suffering with chronic loneliness, structured social programs and community support services can offer another outlet for pent up energy or unmet social needs.

Persons experiencing cognitive decline can benefit from recurring reminders about safer gambling tools and having a trusted and attentive person oversee their spending.

Where appropriate, players should be encouraged to seek out professional help for their physical and/or mental health. Organisations like GamCare operate 24h helplines across the world to help you overcome any unwanted behaviours.