Gambling involves risking something of value in exchange for the chance to win more. This could be money, a product or service, or even one’s own time. There are many ways to gamble, including horse racing, lottery, casino games and online gambling. While most people who gamble do so responsibly, a small percentage develop an addiction that can be difficult to treat. The development of an addiction to gambling is the result of a combination of factors, including biological and social ones. People who are genetically predisposed to thrill-seeking and impulsive behaviours, or have underactive reward systems in their brains, may be more likely to develop an addiction. Additionally, underlying mood disorders like depression, anxiety and stress can trigger or make worse gambling problems.
Aside from the financial benefits, gambling also creates costs and harms that impact more than just the gambler. These impacts can be observed at the personal, interpersonal and community/society levels (Fig. 1). Personal and interpersonal impacts are those that affect the gambler, such as debt, financial strain, and loss of relationships with family members. At the community/society level, effects include changes in community health and well-being.
Several studies have looked at the economic and social impacts of gambling. These studies use various approaches to measure the benefits and costs of gambling, such as cost-benefit analysis, which considers monetary value for both good and bad effects. Some studies use a cost-of-illness perspective, which looks at societal real wealth and the monetary value of intangible harms.
Other studies focus on the mental, physical and emotional health of gamblers. In these studies, researchers have used objective and subjective measures of happiness, such as self-reports and mood questionnaires. They have also examined the relationship between impulsivity and gambling behavior. Ultimately, they have found that people with higher impulsivity are more likely to experience problems with gambling.
Those who are vulnerable to developing gambling problems include adolescents and young adults, people with low incomes, and men. Up to 5% of adolescents and young adults who gamble develop a gambling disorder. Additionally, women are more likely to seek treatment for their gambling issues than men are.
There are many strategies that can help overcome a problem with gambling. For example, you can try exercising, spending time with friends who do not gamble, or practicing relaxation techniques. You can also seek counseling for underlying conditions that may be contributing to your gambling. In addition, you can strengthen your support network and join a peer-support group, such as Gamblers Anonymous. This 12-step recovery program is modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous, and can help you build a strong foundation for overcoming your gambling addiction. Lastly, you can participate in family therapy and marriage, career, and credit counseling. These programs can help you work through the specific problems that have arisen from your gambling addiction and lay the groundwork for a healthy, happy life without it.