When hormones dictate gambling behaviour
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14 Jan 2026 •
Reading time: 2 minutes Can hormonal variations in women influence their gambling behaviour? That’s precisely what British researchers set out to find out in a ground-breaking study that could revolutionise our understanding of addiction.
A scientific avenue explored for the first time
A consortium of UK researchers, including the Gordon Moody Gambling Charity and the University of Birmingham, has launched an ambitious research project to study whether hormonal fluctuations (such as during the menstrual cycle, ovulation, the menopause or after childbirth) can modify women’s vulnerability to compulsive gambling behaviour. This initiative, which will span several years, could open up new avenues for the prevention and treatment of gambling problems in women.
Dr Rosalind Baker-Frampton, Clinical Director of Gordon Moody, describes the approach:
“Women are more likely to engage in risky behaviours during hormonal fluctuations. During ovulation and the week before menstruation, there is an increase in impulsivity. This can take the form of spending more time gambling, spending more money or trying to win back losses.”
The current study is not limited to documenting this potential link. It also plans to explore whether medical approaches such as the use of hormonal contraceptives or substitution treatments could attenuate these behavioural effects.
The menstrual cycle and risk-taking
Initial findings suggest that certain phases of the menstrual cycle are particularly sensitive. For example, the period just before menstruation or around ovulation is associated with increased impulsivity. For some women, this translates into a propensity to gamble for longer, to commit larger sums or to try to recoup losses.
Kiki Marriott, one of the women interviewed as part of this initiative, recounts how she could gamble for more than 24 hours at a time, to the point of ignoring basic needs such as shopping to save money in order to spend more on internet access and electricity. Fortunately, the turning point came when she contacted a specialist helpline and joined a care centre.
Another woman, Abbie Harvey, lost more than £20,000 over ten years of compulsive gambling. She explains that gambling was often used as a mechanism to deal with difficult emotions, rather than simply as entertainment.
An under-recognised public health issue
While much research into gambling addiction focuses on behavioural or psychological aspects, the role of hormones remains largely neglected. Preliminary studies suggest that other addictive behaviours, such as the use of alcohol or certain substances, may also fluctuate with hormonal variations, reinforcing the interest in specific investigations on women.
This lack of data is all the more worrying given that rates of gambling and problem behaviour are not negligible among women, even though statistically more men gamble and develop serious problems.