The World Health Organization makes "gambling disorder" a medical dependency

• "Gambling Disorder" is now a medical diagnosis, according to the World Health Organization.
• To be diagnosed with this addiction, a person must have 12 months of "serious" symptoms, including the priority given to gambling rather than to work, education and social relationships.
• According to eMarketer, about 167 million Americans played a video game or mobile game last year.

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Playing video games excessively is now a medical condition recognized as an addiction disorder by the World Health Organization. WHO has updated its official diagnostic manual to include "gambling disorders".

It is important to note that the new diagnosis is not just about "playing excessively". According to the WHO definition, gambling becomes a disorder when it interferes with everyday life. This is seen when a person loses control over the game, gives priority to the game rather than to other interests and daily activities and continues to play despite the negative effects on work, schooling , family life or social relations.

In most cases, a person must have 12 months of symptoms to receive the diagnosis, in accordance with the guidelines of the WHO.

The diagnosis comes at a time when the influence of the gaming sector is unprecedented. Video and online games generated sales of nearly $ 44 billion last year – more than theaters or streaming services. According to eMarketer data, some 167 million Americans played an electronic game in 2018, the vast majority of them playing online. Games are replacing older social media platforms, reducing the time spent on Facebook or Snapchat.

The video game industry has been strongly opposed to this classification since it was first proposed by WHO in 2018. The Entertainment Software Association, which represents video game makers in the United States, said that 'a gambling disorder designation' carelessly insignificant mental health problems'.

"The World Health Organization knows that common sense and objective research prove that video games do not create addiction," said ESA.

But many mental health professionals say this is not the case. Dr Richard Graham, an addiction specialist at Nightingale Hospital in London, told the BBC last year that he was seeing about 50 new cases of "digital addiction" each year. To determine if a person is suffering from this disorder, he examines whether their digital life interferes with work, sleep, socialization or education, he told the BBC.

Trouble of the game "is not about [the number] hours played. This is when the game takes precedence over health, hygiene, relationships, finances, and so on. The game is not a mess, "emergency doctor Dr. John Jiao said on Twitter, calling the new diagnosis" cruelly necessary. "

"[O]As a result, people with real and legitimate video game addiction can often struggle to pay for their treatment, especially if they do not match any other diagnosis, "tweeted Dr. Jioa.

The American Psychiatric Association estimates that between 0.3% and 1% of the world's population suffers from gambling disorders, or more than 75 million people.