Gambling is a common leisure time activity in most countries, but it can have major impacts on individuals, their significant others and society as a whole. Impacts can be classified as financial, labor and health, and they manifest at the personal, interpersonal and community/societal levels (see Fig 1).
Negative impacts of gambling may include a negative effect on mental health, especially among people with psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression and borderline personality disorder, which have been linked to pathological gambling. In addition, gambling can have a negative effect on relationships and family functioning. In addition, people with a history of substance abuse may be more likely to develop gambling addictions. Research also suggests that gambling can be a contributing factor to suicide.
Positive impacts of gambling may include a positive effect on a person’s social network, particularly in terms of increased contact with friends and family members who are not gamblers. It may also lead to an improved sense of self-esteem, especially in lower socioeconomic groups, as they see gambling as a way to gain pleasure without spending their scarce resources.
The effects of gambling may vary across different types of gambling and geographical areas, and depend on factors such as the type of games offered, the amount of money that is wagered, and whether or not winnings are paid out. However, some of the most important impacts are financial, including changes in a person’s income and expenditures, and the influence of gambling on tourism and other economic activities.
There are many possible causes of gambling, which can range from the desire for excitement to a lack of other healthy and fulfilling activities. It is also a common practice to use gambling as a way to relieve unpleasant feelings, such as boredom, stress, loneliness or depression, but there are healthier and more effective ways of doing so, such as exercise, spending time with friends who don’t gamble, or taking up new hobbies.
While some gamblers find pleasure in the excitement and rewards of gambling, most people who gamble do so for financial reasons. Those who are poorer, for example, may have little choice but to gamble in order to raise funds for essentials like food and housing. The negative consequences of this can be severe, causing serious problems with debt and even homelessness.
If you have a problem with gambling, it is important to seek help as soon as possible. It is also important to seek support from others, such as family and friends who don’t gamble, or a professional counsellor. Other strategies to help you deal with your problem gambling include: avoiding gambling venues, setting a budget and sticking to it, not betting more than you can afford to lose and never chasing lost money. You should also learn to relax in other ways, such as by practicing meditation or yoga, and make sure that gambling doesn’t interfere with your work, social life, or relationships. Finally, you should avoid using credit cards or loans to gamble and keep your bankroll separate from your other financial assets.