Can gambling be addiction? 

Sure thing. It seems different than the substance use addiction and it has indeed its own category - behavioural addiction. Nowadays, growing evidence tells that behavioral addictions is extremely similar to substance addictions in domains such as natural history, phenomenology, tolerance, comorbidity, overlapping genetic contribution, neurobiological mechanisms, and response to treatment (Grant et al., 2010). The DSM-V (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) Task Force proposed new category of Addiction and Related Disorders encompassing both substance use disorders and non-substance addictions. Current data suggest that this combined category may be appropriate for pathological gambling and a few other better studied behavioral addictions, e.g., Internet addiction. Crypto gambling seems to be an unique combo. It contains the classical gambling aspects and also the Internet addiction's specifics like general accessibility. Compared to oldschool gamblers, nowadays it's extremely easy to do some online bets. Also it was proved that the schedules of reinforcement found in gambling interact with the ways in which people tend to use smartphones that may expedite the acquisition of maladaptive learned behaviours such as problem gambling (James et al., 2016).

Am I addicted to crypto gambling?

According to DSM V criteria for substance abuse (which is also used for behavioral addiction diagnose), there are 11 benchmarks: 

1. 1. Hazardous use: You've used the substance (behaviour: crypto gambling) in ways that are dangerous to yourself and/or others, i.e., exhaustion, malnutrition. 
   2. Social or interpersonal problems related to use: Your substance use (behaviour: crypto gambling) has caused relationship problems or conflicts with others.
      
      
   3. Neglected major roles to use: You've failed to meet your responsibilities at work, school, or home because of your substance use (behaviour: crypto gambling) .
      
      
   4. Withdrawal: When you've stopped using the substance (behaviour: crypto gambling), you've experienced withdrawal symptoms, i.e. anxiety, distress, difficulty concentrating.
      
      
   5. Tolerance: You've built up a tolerance to the substance (behaviour: crypto gambling) so that you have to use (gamble) more to get the same effect.
      
      
   6. Used larger amounts/longer: You've started to use larger amounts or use the substance (behaviour: crypto gambling)for longer amounts of time.
      
      
   7. Repeated attempts to control use or quit: You've tried to cut back or quit entirely, but haven't been successful.
      
      
   8. Much time spent using: You spend a lot of your time using the substance (behaviour: crypto gambling).
      
      
   9. Physical or psychological problems related to use: Your substance use (behaviour: crypto gambling) has led to physical health problems like i.e. insomnia, malnutrition, or psychological issues, such as depression or anxiety.
      
      
   10. Activities given up to use: You've skipped activities or stopped doing activities you once enjoyed in order to use the substance (behaviour: crypto gambling).
       
       
   11. Craving: You've experienced cravings for the substance (behaviour: crypto gambling).

The DSM 5 allows clinicians to specify how severe or how much of a problem the substance use disorder (or any other addiction) is, depending on how many symptoms are identified. Two or three symptoms indicate a mild substance use disorder, four or five symptoms indicate a moderate substance use disorder. If you've answered 'yes' to six or more statements, you may be an crypto gambling addict (via Hartney, 2019).

So what? 

Gambling can affect your health (both mental and physical) and your social life as well. Subramaniam et al. (2011) researched gamblers' life quality and showed following results:

• pathological gamblers scored significantly lower on physical health compared to the contol group,
• they were also in higher risk of developing mental issues such as depression, anxiety, had problems with emotional control,
• gamblers' social relationships were unsatisfying,
• the global quality of life among pathological gamblers was lower compared to the control group. 

Be aware that gambling involves psychological mechanisms that can lead to addiction.

But gambling has its pros - it fulfills some of the human needs, such as the need of autonomy, play or meaning. The point is to find out, what will you miss when the gambling is gone (or reduced). Once you know it, you may get to know your needs and try to find out alternative ways to meet them. You can figure it yourself or get some professional help from a psychotherapist.