Research commissioned by Gamble Mind has uncovered concerning figures regarding gambling behaviour across Yorkshire and the Humber.
The study found that 41 per cent of gamblers in the region confessed to engaging in potentially harmful activities in order to sustain their betting habits or recover financial losses.
These activities included staying awake through the night, neglecting essential bill payments, and foregoing meals to fund continued gambling.
The findings were drawn from a survey of 2,001 UK adults who reported having gambled.
Nationwide, the proportion of gamblers who acknowledged similar conduct reached 49 per cent.
Specifically, 23 per cent of UK gamblers had stayed up throughout the night to place bets, while 13 per cent reported gambling secretly during working hours.
A further 12 per cent admitted to skipping meals in order to wager money.
Within Yorkshire and the Humber, regional statistics painted a similar picture.
Some 17 per cent of local gamblers acknowledged staying awake all night to gamble, and 11 per cent confessed to gambling while at work.
Seven per cent had gone without food, six per cent had failed to pay bills, and two per cent had used funds designated for children or dependants.
At a national level, three per cent of those surveyed admitted to gambling during a hospital stay or even while a child was being born.
Paulius Cubera, an iGaming specialist and chief editor at Gamble Mind, commented on the findings.
Cubera noted that when significant numbers of individuals resort to secret gambling at work, missing meals, or failing to meet financial obligations simply to continue playing, the relevant question becomes why so many feel compelled to conceal their behaviour rather than acknowledge when it has become problematic.
According to Cubera, gambling represents a leisure pursuit for most people.
However, when the surrounding culture leads someone to forego food or fabricate explanations for missing rent payments rather than accept a loss openly, the issue extends beyond the wager itself.
Cubera suggested that the difficulty lies in the reluctance of many to openly acknowledge when gambling has ceased to be enjoyable.
Cubera also observed that gambling frequently attracts shame rather than honest discussion.
The behaviour of remaining awake through the night pursuing losses, Cubera noted, does not stem from enjoyment but from the psychological difficulty of accepting defeat.