White-Collar Gambling Addiction

Contrary to normal sociological patterns, the typical National Problem Gambling Clinic (NPGC) patient is a office worker in his mid-30s who has one or even two jobs to help to fuel his addiction. Gambling addiction normally tends to be more common among the working classes but psychologists at this clinic were surprised at the number of City workers and graduates who had checked in with a gambling addiction.

Two-thirds of the 260 patients were employed, with many of those described as "highly functioning". Only three percent were women. Lifetime gambling debts of the intake so far range from £2,000 to £250,000.