Gambling involves placing bets on events with the potential to win prizes that can range from a small amount of money to a life-changing jackpot. Different types of gambling can be found in brick-and-mortar and online casinos, including lottery, slot machines, table games, and sports betting. Regardless of the type of gambling, people are at risk for developing a gambling problem because all forms of gambling can be addictive.
The impacts of gambling can be observed at the personal, interpersonal, and community/society level. Personal level impacts affect the gambler and include invisible individual costs such as financial distress, social isolation, and anxiety disorders. Interpersonal level impacts affect those who are close to the gambler, such as family members, friends, and work colleagues. Community/society level impacts are visible and include the social cost of gambling, such as increased crime and cost to society from pathological gambling.
While there are many reasons to gamble, the main motivation for gambling is a desire to win money. This may be because a person is hoping to win the jackpot or because they enjoy thinking about what they would do with their winnings. Gambling can also be for social or coping reasons, where the person is looking to forget their worries and feel self-confident. These motivations can help us understand why a loved one may be struggling with gambling problems and how they can break out of this cycle.
