Compulsive gamblers fall into two main types – action and escape gamblers.
Action gamblers tend to appear egotistical, controlling, successful, and outgoing. They gamble primarily because they believe they can become skillful enough to beat the odds.
Escape gamblers often gamble to escape from problems, feeling they can free themselves from pain while gambling. The pain they are often trying to escape is emotional pain; depression, relationship difficulties, changes in marital status, or the ‘empty nest syndrome’ is particularly common for women gamblers.