The Impact of Gambling

Gambling involves risking something of value, usually money, on an event that has a chance of occurring, with the potential to win a prize. This can be done in a variety of ways, including betting on sports events, horse races, casino games, scratchcards, fruit machines and even lottery tickets. Although many people gamble without experiencing problems, a small proportion become highly involved in gambling and experience substantial negative personal, social, family and financial consequences.

People often engage in gambling because it gives them a sense of excitement and can provide a short term relief from life’s stresses and pressures. In addition, gambling can make them feel good as it produces a ‘feel good’ dopamine response when they are successful and this can reinforce their behaviour. Problematic gambling changes this natural reward pathway and instead of providing relief from stress it often leads to escapism and a false sense of pleasure.

The main risks associated with gambling are the potential to lose more than you can afford to, and to spend your income on a habit that does not bring you any satisfaction or enjoyment. In addition, gambling can also lead to addiction which can have serious health and well-being impacts. Those who are addicted to gambling are at greater risk of a range of behavioural and mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol abuse, relationship difficulties and suicide.

Despite the perception that gambling is all about luck, there are some skills that can be learned to improve the chances of winning. This can include studying strategies, learning how to play cards and horses or developing a better understanding of statistics and probability. These skills can help you make better decisions and reduce your gambling risks.

Many people are influenced by the media and by the positive portrayal of gambling in movies and TV shows. This can lead to unrealistic expectations of what gambling is actually like and can cause some people to try it out for the wrong reasons.

The impact of gambling can be viewed at three levels – personal, interpersonal and community/societal (see Fig 1). Personal impacts are those experienced by the gambler, which may include feelings of guilt or shame. Interpersonal impacts are those that affect others close to the gambler and include effects on work performance, such as reduced productivity and absenteeism. Community/societal impacts are wider and can include a wide range of negative social, economic and environmental outcomes, which are experienced by the general population. These may include an increased prevalence of gambling-related disorders, such as pathological gambling. This may be reflected in the changing understanding of the causes of pathological gambling as it has developed over time, and is reflected in the different editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (called DSM). For example, from an early stage we understood that a person who gambled compulsively did not have a medical condition, but today we understand it to be a psychological disorder.