Gambling Addiction in South Korea, Its Impact on Quality of Life, and Recovery from It

This chapter investigates the impact of gambling addiction on individuals’ quality of life across six critical domains: physical health, mental health, financial status, employment, interpersonal relationships, and living status. Firstly, individuals struggling with gambling problems face numerous mental and physical health challenges. Particularly noteworthy is the heightened prevalence of suicidal thoughts and attempts, highlighting the severity of their mental health struggles. Additionally, the adverse effects of gambling addiction extend to employment, often resulting in job termination and subsequent financial hardships. Unemployment, in turn, worsens financial woes, as accruing interest on debts remains unpaid, frequently leading to bankruptcy. This dire financial situation often triggers conflicts within families, resulting in separations or divorces and eventual estrangement from family and friends. Homelessness becomes a stark reality as individuals lose their residences, exposing them to the inherent dangers of street life, where they frequently become targets of criminal activities. These adversities create a self-perpetuating cycle, intertwining interpersonal conflicts, family breakdown, unemployment, bankruptcy, deteriorating mental and physical health, and precarious living conditions. In conclusion, gambling addiction exerts a profound and far-reaching impact on individuals’ quality of life. Urgent intervention is essential to help individuals combat and prevent addiction, empowering them to actively access the Korean government’s policy and clinical interventions.