Gambling involves risking something of value on a random event with the intention to win. It can be as simple as playing card games with friends for small amounts of money or as sophisticated as professional casino gambling by people who make a living from it. It is usually not viewed as a socially admirable pastime and can cause significant problems in a gambler’s life, from debt and depression to family issues and homelessness. It can also impact those who are not gamblers themselves, including families, friends and neighbours.
The impacts of gambling can be structuralized into classes of costs and benefits, with each class affecting the gambler at different levels. These classes include financial, labor and health, and well-being. Financial impacts can include changes in a person’s financial situation, such as increase or decrease in income or assets. Labor and health impacts can be changes in a gambler’s productivity, performance and ability to work, while well-being impacts can be improvements in a gambler’s physical, emotional and mental health.
Despite the positive impact on some individuals, many find that gambling is addictive and harmful to their lives. For example, it can impoverish the family, affect relationships and job performance and lead to serious debt, crime or even suicide. More effective treatment is needed because gambling has become more accessible than ever before, from betting on sports and online to casino games, lotteries, mobile phones and video games with a gambling element.
