GAMBLING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS: AN UNDERSTANDING THROUGH THE LENS OF THE PERSON-CENTERED APPROACH

Abstract

This article discusses the relationship between online gambling and psychological distress from the perspective of the Person-Centered Approach (PCA). The expansion of digital betting platforms has altered access to games and introduced new challenges regarding mental health, family relationships, and financial well-being. While betting can be a form of leisure, problematic gambling behavior may involve a loss of control, indebtedness, conflict, isolation, and emotional distress. This study is qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive in nature, conducted through a narrative literature review of articles, books, and official documents concerning gambling, mental health, public policy, and the PCA. The discussion is organized around three themes: the expansion of betting and Brazilian regulation; gambling as a potential attempt to cope with anguish, frustration, and loneliness; and psychological care grounded in empathy, congruence, unconditional positive regard, and listening to the individual's lived experience. It is argued that betting should not be understood merely as a moral failing, an act of impulsivity, or a neurobiological mechanism, but rather as a behavior that acquires unique meanings within each person's life history. The Rogerian perspective fosters a non-stigmatizing understanding without denying personal responsibility, the associated harms, or the need for social protection and mental health care.