Gambling can be a very rewarding experience when enjoyed in moderation, but it can also lead to serious harms. When gambling becomes an addiction, it can negatively impact your health, relationships, financial situation and even your career. It can even result in criminal behaviour.
There are many different types of gambling, including games of chance, such as bingo or lotteries. There are also sports betting and online casino games.
Most people enjoy gambling for a variety of reasons, such as fun and entertainment. They may use it to unwind after a stressful day, escape from their problems or improve their skills.
The benefits of gambling are mainly psychological in nature, as it helps to calm the brain and improves mental functioning. It can also help you socialise and interact with others.
However, many people become addicted to gambling and it can have negative consequences. If you are experiencing a problem with gambling, it’s important to seek treatment and support from a specialist.
If you have a gambling problem, it’s important to get the help you need quickly so you can start recovering from the damage that it has caused. It can be a challenge to overcome, but with the right support you can recover and enjoy a life free from gambling.
The impacts of gambling are generally observed on the personal, interpersonal and community/society levels (Fig. 1). The personal level is the level of the gambler and his/her family and friends. The interpersonal level is the level of the gambler’s friends, family and work colleagues. The community/society level is the level of the wider society and can include neighbours, workmates, colleagues and other members of the public.
In a public health approach, the gambling impact is considered across the full severity spectrum of the activity [41]. This includes general impacts that can be seen in recreational and at-risk gamblers, as well as impacts from problem gambling.
These impacts can be assessed at the personal, interpersonal and community/society level with a range of measures. For example, a measure called disability weights is used to assess the impact of gambling on a person’s health.
Other measures can also be used to evaluate the effects of gambling on a person’s social network. These can include identifying and assessing the number of people in the gambler’s social network who have been affected by their gambling or assessing the number of people who have been influenced by their gambling.
Similarly, other measurements can be used to estimate the economic costs and benefits of gambling. For example, the cost of treating problem gamblers and preventing problem gambling can be quantified in economic terms.
Some studies have examined the economic impacts of gambling and found that it can generate positive economic impacts, such as increased employment opportunities. This may be beneficial to local communities, as it helps to boost the economy and create jobs in places where they are needed most.
The social impact of gambling can be more difficult to assess than the economic one. It is often overlooked by researchers, as it is not easily measured or quantifiable. For this reason, it is not included in most economic costing studies.