Top Celebrity Gambling Addicts in 2025 — Famous Faces Battling Addiction

Online gaming is one of the most popular and fun ways to unwind and try new games. You get to try out new games and possibly win some money. While online gambling is meant for entertainment, it can get out of hand, leading to gambling addiction.

This type of addiction has affected celebrities from all divides, from actors and athletes to high-profile people and musicians. Let us take a look at what gambling addiction is, the celebrities that have been affected, and how they came out of it.

What is Gambling Addiction?

Gambling problems evolve when a person is no longer able to control the urge to gamble responsibly. Some of the symptoms will include restlessness when not gambling and irritability when you try to stop.

Gambling addiction has been seen to have the same effects on the brain’s chemistry as substance abuse disorder.

People with a gambling habits disorder enjoy the high of the big wins and opt to wager more to chase the losses. This addiction has proven that it can happen to everyday people, the rich, and celebrities.

Why Do Celebrities Become Gambling Addicts?

When high-stakes gambling becomes an addiction, it affects the pleasure centers of the brain. This makes a gambling addict thoroughly enjoy the highs and take losses more seriously. We have seen numerous celebrities suffer from gambling addictions over time.

A common question is why an affluent person would become addicted to gambling. Some of the reasons these famous gambling addicts have gambling problems include the following:

  • Peer Pressure: The need to fit in and engage in the same activities as people in their circles.
  • The Thrill: Gambling raises dopamine levels whether you win or lose, forming a gambling habit over time.
  • Lifestyle: Gambling has been marketed as part and parcel of the celebrity lifestyle. This beautiful idea of gambling has led to a relaxed approach towards the issue of excessive gambling.
  • Money: Celebrities have access to more money, making it easier to gamble for a long time. Exclusive gambling events with generous payouts add to the desire to gamble.
  • Brand Deals: Celebrities have been known to advertise on different sports betting platforms. These work relationships put them at the forefront of gambling and betting, which could lead to a gambling disorder.
  • Pre-Existing Issues: While they are wealthy, celebrities still suffer from other mental health issues like alcohol addiction and depression. These issues are exaggerated by their lifestyle, which makes them more susceptible to gambling addictions.

Top Celebrities with Gambling Addiction in 2025

Famous Actors with Gambling Addiction


Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck is best known for his roles in award-winning movies like Good Will Hunting, released in 1972. The 52-year-old has admitted to having a gambling addiction that started in his 20s. His gambling addiction is more apparent in blackjack.

Affleck was banned for suspected card counting during a blackjack game at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas. Ben was facing other challenges at the time, including alcohol addiction. He went to rehab for his gambling addiction in 2001. But Ben Affleck isn’t the only one among the Las Vegas-banned celebrity gamblers.

Charlie Sheen

This 57-year-old Two and a Half Men lead actor has had a few run-ins with the law due to gambling. He was banned from several Las Vegas casinos for debts totaling millions of dollars. His wife, Denise Richards, divorced Charlie in 2006, with excessive sports betting being cited as one of the grounds for the marriage ending. Denise noted that he would spend at least $200000 every week on gambling.

Charlie Sheen’s gambling addiction was coupled with substance abuse and alcohol addiction. According to Sheen, he no longer bets and is a retired gambler.

Tobey Maguire

High-stakes poker was Tobey Maguire’s vice. The actor has reportedly won millions from playing high-stakes poker games with Wall Street Executives, which shot up his gambling addiction.

He has had his fair share of trouble with the law after he was sued for participating in an illegal poker ring in 2011. This case was settled out of court for $80000. Maguire had filed for bankruptcy in 2009 due to his addiction to high-risk/high-reward poker. Molly’s Game is a movie based on Tobey’s memoir that details his involvement in the underground poker rings.

Matt Damon

Matt Damon is known for his talent in different fields, including acting, screenwriting, and producing. He is best known for his role in the 2011 movie Rounders, which was centered around Poker. Matt has been known to participate in Texas Hold’em games at luxury hotels.

Matt was embroiled in a scandal when he joined invite-only games where Brad Ruderman also played. Ruderman was sued for embezzling money from the hedge funds he managed and used the funds to play poker. There are no mentions of Matt winning or losing significant amounts in betting.

Jennifer Tilly

Jennifer has been quoted as saying that she could be genetically predisposed to gambling as her father had a poker addiction. She is one of the celebrities who actually plays professional poker with her professional earnings standing at $700000.

Tilly has said that gambling is like drugs and one can get easily addicted; that is why Tilly took 8 years off at one time. She focused on her acting career and still plays professional poker. Jennifer is a gold bracelet winner at the World Series of Poker Ladies No-Limit Hold’Em.

Athletes and Their Struggles with Gambling


Michael Jordan

One of the things that made Michael Jordan a great basketball player was his competitiveness. He admittedly used gambling as a way to counter this competitive spirit. Michael has had a gambling addiction since he was a teenager and has lost over $100 million over time.

Perhaps one of the most detrimental results of his gambling addiction was when he lost over $1 million in a single blackjack game. He was also on the verge of a lawsuit in a casino in Atlantic City after he lost millions in 1 week. He lost many more across different casinos all over the world.

Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley’s gambling disorder saw him lose $2.5 million in 6 hours during a single game. The former basketball and now NBA analyst has reportedly lost over $30 million in sportsbook and casino gambling, losing $10 million in 2006 only.

Charles has admitted to having a gambling problem, terming the habit as bad and stupid, especially when he cannot afford it. Barkley sought help in 2000 for his gambling problem. He still gambles but in moderation, as he claims.

Floyd Mayweather

Floyd was banned from the Bellagio Casino in 2012, and this was one of the incidences that marked his love for gambling. He places bets worth millions on different sports, including college football.

Floyd is known for posting his bet slips online to prove his winnings, estimated to be $4 million between 2010 and 2012. The boxer does not publicize his losses, which are reported to be about $50 million since 2017.

John Daly

The largest amount that has reflected John Daly’s gambling addiction is when he lost $500000 in 1 sitting and $1.65 million in 5 hours. Throughout the 15-year gambling addiction, he has lost over $50 million, which left him in a dire financial situation.

The golfer also battled an alcohol addiction, which further worsened his gambling between 19991 and 2007. In his autobiography, he revealed that he would play all 7 hands at blackjack, wagering between $5000 and $15000 on every hand.

His addiction got worse as he would play slots or blackjack for 2 days without taking a break. Daly now gambles but places lower wagers of not more than $25.

Paul Hornung

Nicknamed the Golden Boy, Paul Hornung played as a halfback, kicker, and quarterback between 1957 and 1966. However, despite taking home 4 NFL championships in the 1st Super Bowl, he was infamous for his gambling addiction and antics.

The league suspended him after he was found betting more than $500 on the NFL games. After his coach, Vince Lombardi, championed his reinstatement to the NFL in 1964, Paul played until he retired and turned his back on gambling.

Musicians and Other High-Profile Figures


Pamela Anderson

Pamela is best known as a Baywatch beauty and also for losing $250000 in 2007 at the Las Vegas strip. Pamela lost the game to Rick Salomon, who she later got married to, and she jokes that that is how she paid off her poker debt.

Pamela has also participated in various poker tournaments and was even involved in promoting a poker room. The Baywatch star says that she enjoys poker with her family now.

Nelly

Nelly was shot to global fame in the 2000s with gold and platinum-selling hits like Hot in Here, Dilemma, and Country Grammar. This fame, coupled with other business endeavors like his drink, Pimp Juice, lined his pockets with substantial cash.

This fueled and funded his love for poker, and he even went on to play in the World Series of Poker Main Event in 2007. The rapper was arrested in Missouri after failing to produce the required identification procedures following a $50000 win on a slot machine. His former manager, Slim, has said that Nelly has a gambling problem.

Allen Iverson

Allen was among the greatest point guards in NBA history but was also famous for his gambling troubles. In 2004, Allen was ejected and banned from Bally’s Casino after losing millions and causing a disruption.

Allen has also been banned from different casinos for unusual behavior, like relieving himself at a casino in Atlantic City. Although he was once worth $200 million, he is said to have lost over $1 million in gambling.

Allen filed for bankruptcy in 2012. Inversion got help and says even though he craves gambling, he is no longer addicted.

50 Cent

50 Cent is a great rapper who is well-known for placing high bets on a single game. He once wagered $1 million on the New York Giants to take the Vince Lombardi Trophy during the 2012 Super Bowl game.

The Giants defeated the New England Patriots, and 50 Cent won substantial cash. His willingness to place million-dollar wagers has also left the rapper with equally huge losses. 50 Cent has been honest about the darker side of gambling by saying that the losses are always bigger and more regular than the wins.

Scott Disick

Scott is better known as Kourtney Kardashian’s lifelong partner, and they share 3 kids. He has made headlines following his raving drinking addiction and numerous rehab stints.

Most of his struggles with substance abuse and alcoholism have been documented on the family’s reality show. He is currently on a weight loss journey after coming from rehab.

The Impact of Gambling Addiction on Celebrity Life

When gambling is no longer used for recreation and has drifted off to a disorder, it wrecks the person’s life. At one point, celebrities have had to face the consequences of gambling.

A good number of these celebrities’ marriages have ended, and gambling was cited as a significant reason for the divorce, as was the case in Charlie Sheen’s marriage to Denise. Other times, the celebrity will lose all their money and file for bankruptcy.

Financial distress is at the top of the list as it affects the celebrity’s career. Gambling addiction has been classified as a behavioral disorder that affects the mental and even physical health of the person with an addiction.

How Celebrities Overcame Gambling Addiction

While it seems like all is doom and gloom with gambling addiction, many celebrities have been able to come out of its claws.

Different celebrities have faced their gambling addiction head-on, got the help needed, and went on to lead better lives. Going for rehabilitation is a primary way to overcome a gambling addiction. They are taught ways to recognize situations that could lead to a gambling addiction and avoidance mechanisms.

Some celebrities have opted to reduce the amount of time spent on betting. This has helped to reduce compulsive gambling to healthier levels. Some of the celebrities who have successfully kicked off their gambling addiction include Paul Hornung, Tobey Maguire, Charlie Sheen, and Allen Iverson.

Raising Awareness and Preventing Gambling Addiction

Gambling addiction is so potent because almost all people who enjoy betting can potentially slip into it. Best online casinos usually have responsible gaming tools such as deposit limits, playtime limits, and self-exclusion programs.

Celebrities who acknowledge the need to create awareness of gambling addiction by supporting various charities geared towards this goal. Gambling celebrities who donate to gambling addiction and awareness charities include Lamar Odom, Tobey Maguire, Charlie Sheen, Ben Affleck, Shannon Elizabeth, John Cena, and Conor McGregor.

How to Make Sure You Are Not Falling Into Compulsive Gambling?

There are some steps you can take to ensure you do not become a compulsive gambler. They include:

Celebrity Gambling Addicts FAQ

What celebrities are addicted to gambling?

Some of the most popular celebrities whose gambling disorder is well-known include Michael Jordan, Charlie Sheen, Tobey Maguire, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck. Their struggles with gambling have been widely publicized due to their careers and social standing.

What personality does a gambler have?

People who gamble will usually have similar traits regardless of their finances, social status, or occupation. The common personality of a gambler is that they are impulsive, risk-takers, competitive, compulsive, and an optimist.

Will a gambler ever change?

Yes, there is hope for a gambler to change, as is evidenced by the many recovery stories. If gamblers get the help they need and use the tools given, they can lead normal lives. Gambling addiction recovery requires the person with an addiction to work with the tools and assistance available to them.

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Steven Madden Written by Steven Madden
Last updated on 25 October 2024