This study conceptualizes ludomania (gambling addiction) not merely as an individual behavioral disorder but as a socially embedded form of dependency that reshapes patterns of well-being, institutional responsibility, and social inequality. We argue that while the prevalence of behavioral addictions has intensified in the context of digital transformation and market liberalization, the scholarly field examining gambling addiction remains unevenly structured and theoretically fragmented. Despite the considerable expansion of empirical research over the past two decades, existing knowledge has not been sufficiently integrated into a coherent interdisciplinary framework. This fragmentation limits the capacity of the field to move beyond biomedical explanations toward structurally informed sociological analysis. In response, the present study seeks to identify dominant research trajectories, structural imbalances, and methodological tendencies in gambling addiction scholarship. Methodologically, we employ a bibliometric analysis of Scopus-indexed publications (2000–2024), examining publication dynamics, citation hierarchies, geographical concentration of knowledge production, and conceptual clustering using VOSviewer. Rather than treating bibliometric mapping as a purely descriptive exercise, we interpret it as an epistemic diagnostic tool that reveals paradigmatic tensions within the field.Our findings indicate three dominant research orientations: neurocognitive, clinical-behavioral, and sociological. While the field demonstrates formal interdisciplinarity, we observe a pronounced skew toward biomedical paradigms. High-impact publications are disproportionately concentrated within neurocognitive and psychiatric frameworks, whereas sociological constructs such as stigma, social capital, institutional accountability, and regulatory governance remain comparatively peripheral.

Geographically, knowledge production is heavily concentrated in high-income, English-speaking countries, reflecting structural asymmetries in global research infrastructure. This concentration raises questions regarding epistemic bias and the limited representativeness of prevailing models in non-Western contexts.We suggest that future research must strengthen macro-social perspectives, integrate institutional and regulatory analysis, and expand empirical inquiry into underrepresented regions. By foregrounding structural determinants alongside individual-level mechanisms, addiction research can evolve toward a more comprehensive and socially responsive framework.