Adam Roarty is a journalist covering sports betting, regulation, and industry innovation for CasinoBeats. His coverage includes tax increases in the UK, covering breaking stories in the ever-evolving landscape of US betting such as the...
Read Full BioA study has shown that the drug cariprazine, marketed as Vraylar in the US, is linked to compulsive gambling behavior. Over 5 million prescriptions have been written for the drug in the US, but the study’s findings question whether it should continue to be used.
The research was published this week on Cureus and involves a case study of a 42-year-old woman with schizoaffective disorder. After being prescribed cariprazine, the woman soon developed a gambling problem.
The paper states, “Despite no prior history of impulsive behaviors, the patient had been compulsively playing online slot machines for the past eight weeks. This escalated to the point that their bank account had gone into the negative, yet she was unable to control these behaviors.”
Just two weeks after discontinuing the use of cariprazine to treat the patient, she reported “improvements in impulse control, stating that she felt more in control of her urges to gamble.”
Drug Heavily Prescribed in US During Sports Betting Boom
The drug is heavily prescribed around the world, including in the US. According to pharmaceutical company Gedeon Richter, since 2016, more than 650,000 patients have been treated with cariprazine in the US. During that period, over 5 million prescriptions have been issued. It is used in 48 countries worldwide.
The timing of the drug’s release to the market coincides with the legalization of sports betting in the US. A recent study in Massachusetts suggests that legalization has led to increased rates of problem gambling.
The drug cariprazine, under its brand name Vraylar, has been approved as a medicine to treat several mental health conditions, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression in the US.
Its link to problem gambling, however, creates complications in how widespread its use should be. The authors of the paper emphasized that clinicians should be aware of the risks and monitor patients for potential gambling problems after prescribing cariprazine.
Past Research Shows Link Between Psychotic Drugs & Gambling
In this study, the patient developed a gambling problem after switching her prescribed drug from aripiprazole to cariprazine. While taking aripiprazole, she experienced a 40-pound weight gain, which was suspected to be a side effect of the medication.
Aripiprazole has also been associated with increased risks of developing impulse control disorders, including compulsive gambling. In fact, other studies have shown it has a stronger association than cariprazine.
A previous study showed that aripiprazole accounted for 94% of reports of impulse control disorders developing after taking anti-psychotic drugs. Of these, 75% related to problem gambling. It has a longer history of use following approval in 2002. Cariprazine, on the other hand, was first approved for use in 2015 as a treatment for schizophrenia.
The drug’s use has expanded, and it was approved as a treatment for depression in 2022. There is a well-established link between depression and gambling disorders. Many studies report the relationship as bi-directional. Patients with depression use gambling as a means of escape, while excessive gambling can also lead to depression developing.
The relationship between depression and problem gambling is further complicated when the medicine used to treat depression may also increase problem gambling. During the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of depression increased considerably, and rates remain elevated in many countries. However, a recent study conducted by the National Council on Problem Gambling reported a 27% decline in problem gambling across US adults since the pandemic.
