合法的赌博，很容易成为这个世界上增长最快的行业之一。比起美国的棒球比赛和电影，它每年吸引了更多的客户。虽然大多数人认为在互联网上赌博是很好玩的事情，现在在业余时间，每一个人都喜欢到网上赌博，但是同时，也有越来越多的人正在陷入赌博成瘾的陷阱里。

　　根据对人们的研究，赌博成瘾可能是一个渐进性的经历，也可能是瞬间形成的，但它可以成为一个成瘾赌徒生活中唯一重要的事情。

　　虽然这只会发生在少数人当中的事情，但是这样的事情对于我们来说确实已经发生了，并且它是一个具有极大破坏性的问题。许多对网上赌博成瘾方面的研究表明：目前大约有5％的人出现网上赌博成瘾的问题。

　　平均来说，一个人从在赌场赌博彩乐发展到强迫性赌博所需的时间是8年，但是这些数字只是表现了在现实赌场赌博的情况。网上赌博在这一问题上演变得更快。

　　以下是最常见的网上赌博成瘾的迹象：

　　1、专注于赌博

　　2、在赌注中的投注额越来越大

　　3、当想逃避赌博的时候感到沮丧和失望

　　4、因为赌博而忽略了家庭、事业，将大部分的时间花在赌博上

　　5、为了筹备赌资而变卖重要的产业

　　以下是帮助判断赌徒是否赌博成瘾的问题：

　　1、你有因赌博而从工作或学校中浪费时间吗？

　　2、赌博有使您的家庭生活不愉快吗？

　　3、赌博是否影响了您的声誉？

　　4、你是否因赌博而感到后悔？

　　5、你有因赌博而需要拿钱还债，或者通过其他方式来解决财政困难吗？

　　6、赌博有造成您的效率下降吗？

　　7、失利后，你觉得你必须尽快赢回你的损失？

　　8、赌博使你有睡眠障碍？

　　9、你经常赌博，直到输光了所有的钱？

　　10、你有没有借钱来赌博？

　　11、你曾今想过通过非法行为来筹备资金？

　　12、你是否挪用其他开支来作为赌资？

　　13、赌博是否让你忽视你的家庭福利？

　　14、你赌博时有超过你预定的赌博时间吗？

　　15、你曾经有通过赌博来逃避烦恼和麻烦吗？

　　译文

　　Beating the Habit

　　Legal gambling is easily one of the fastest growing industries in the world. It already attracts more customers per year than baseball games and movies in the United States. While the majority of people view internet gambling as something fun to do every now and then during their spare time, there is a growing number of people who are being caught in the gambling addiction trap.

　　Depending on the person, it may be a gradual experience, or it could be almost instantaneous, but it can become the only thing important in a person’s life without their even realizing. Although this is an occurrence in only a minority of people, for those of us to whom it does happen, it is an extremely destructive problem. Many studies have been performed with regards to Internet gambling addictions, and they have indicated that approximately 5% of the population currently experiences a problem with Internet gambling.

　　On average, the time span needed for a person to move from recreational gambling to compulsive gambling is 8 years, but these numbers are based on offline studies as well as online. Online gambling seems to involve a much faster progression.

　　The following are the most common signs of Internet Gambling Addiction:

　　A preoccupation with gambling

　　A gradual augmentation in the size of bets, as well as trouble cutting back in the size of bets when on a roll.

　　Using gambling as an escape while disappointed or frustrated

　　Neglecting a family, education job or career due to time spent on gambling or thinking about gambling.

　　Selling important possessions to create finances to gamble.

　　There are 20 questions provided by Gamblers Anonymous to help gamblers determine whether or not they have a problem.

　　1. Do you lose time from work or school due to gambling?

　　2. Does gambling make your home life unhappy?

　　3. Does gambling effect your reputation?

　　4. Do you ever feel remorse after gambling?

　　5. Do you ever gamble to get money with which to pay debts, or to otherwise resolve financial difficulties?

　　6. Does gambling cause a decrease in your ambition or efficiency?

　　7. After losing, do you feel you must return as soon as possible and win back your losses?

　　8.  Does your gambling cause you to have difficulty sleeping?

　　9. Do you often gamble until your last dollar is gone?

　　10. Do you every commit, or consider committing, an illegal act to finance your gambling??

　　11. Do you ever sell or finance your gambling?

　　12. Are you reluctant to use gambling money for other expenditures?

　　13. Does gambling make you careless about the welfare of your family?

　　14. Do you ever gamble longer than you planned?

　　15. Do you ever gamble to escape worry or trouble?