The Impact of Gambling

Gambling is an activity in which a person can place bets on a number or event, or take part in casino games. These activities are popular all over the world and can be done via a variety of different platforms, including online casinos, mobile phone apps and land-based gambling establishments. Many people enjoy gambling, but for some it can become a serious problem and cause harm to their health and wellbeing, relationships, work or study performance, get them into trouble with the law or even lead to bankruptcy and homelessness. Problem gambling can also affect family, friends and colleagues of those who gamble.

The term ‘problem gambling’ is used to describe those who have an unhealthy or harmful attitude towards gambling and who find it difficult to control their behaviour. Problem gambling can be seen in a wide range of individuals, from children as young as seven to people in their eighties. People who have a history of depression or other mental health issues are more likely to develop a gambling problem, as well as those who struggle with alcohol and drug addictions. In addition, those who have poor financial circumstances are more susceptible to being tempted to gamble, as they often have less money to spend.

In terms of the benefits, it can help improve health and wellbeing by stimulating new nerve connections in the brain and releasing endorphins, which are feel-good chemicals. It can also increase intelligence, focus and concentration. Furthermore, it can be a great social activity to do with friends and family, and many casinos offer VIP schemes for loyal customers. It can also be a great source of income, as gambling revenues are a major source of taxation for governments and can boost local economies.

However, it is important to remember that gambling causes negative as well as positive impacts and these should be considered when assessing the overall impact on an individual. These impacts can be observed at the personal, interpersonal and community/society levels. In contrast to monetary effects, personal and interpersonal impacts are often underestimated and ignored as they are not always easy to quantify. In contrast, society/community level external impacts are usually included in gambling costing studies.

Some of the key methodological challenges include understanding how to measure and quantify both monetary and non-monetary impacts, identifying which are gambling-related and how to best distinguish between these, and examining a range of severity levels (from healthy gambling to pathological gambling). In particular, focusing on problematic gambling only can lead to an underestimation of the costs and benefits of gambling. As a result, a more comprehensive approach is needed. This article outlines an initial framework for this. It offers a starting point for developing a common methodology for assessing the social and economic costs and benefits of gambling. This will be a challenging task, but it is essential for ensuring that the right balance is achieved between gambling and its impacts on an individual’s life.