Gambling is a form of risk-taking in which people bet money or something else of value on an event that involves some element of chance. It can be done in many ways including betting with friends, scratchcards, bingo, sports betting, casino games and even lottery tickets. The majority of people who gamble do so without any problems but a significant subset develops gambling disorder, defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) as a persistent, recurrent pattern of problem gambling that is associated with substantial distress or impairment. It’s important to understand how gambling impacts people so that we can identify and respond appropriately to the needs of those who are experiencing issues with it.
In the past, gambling studies have been limited by their ability to capture some of the negative social impacts that occur as a result of someone’s gambling. These impacts are often invisible and difficult to quantify, such as emotional stress caused by gambling or relationship problems. They are also not easily measured by monetary means, such as the consumer surplus of gambling, which is the difference between what people would be willing to pay for a product or service and what they actually do pay.
A health perspective of gambling offers new avenues for capturing and measuring these negative impacts. Health-related quality of life weights, which measure the per-person burden of a health state on a person’s quality of life, can be used to estimate intangible costs of gambling and could be applied at the individual, interpersonal or community/society level.
The reasons why people gamble vary, but include financial incentives such as the potential to win money, the desire for an early big win, a tendency to think about gambling when they are bored or stressed, boredom susceptibility, impulsivity, use of escape coping and a poor understanding of random events. Combined, these factors lead to the addictive properties of gambling and can be seen in someone with an addiction.
Gambling can have a number of negative effects on the person’s mental and physical health and can lead to family, relationship and work difficulties. It can also have an impact on society and the economy. There are various services available for those who are experiencing a problem with gambling and help them to control their spending, avoid gambling or stop completely.
However, it is important to recognise when a loved one’s gambling is becoming a problem. Some of the signs that a person is slipping into trouble are hiding their gambling activity, lying about how much they spend and lying to others. They may start to lose sleep, experience withdrawal symptoms or even become suicidal. It’s also important to remember that gambling is a powerfully addictive behaviour, and that it can take a long time to recover from it. Getting help is the best thing you can do. A good place to begin is by contacting your local council’s gambling advice line.