Gambling is an activity where you risk something of value (money, possessions or your reputation) on an event with a random element and the purpose of winning a prize. This includes all gambling games such as card and dice games, video-draw poker machines, slot machines, roulette, two-up, baccarat, casino tables, horse or greyhound races, football accumulators and the lottery. Gambling can also involve betting on business, insurance and stock markets.
Developing an addiction to gambling can have many harmful effects on people’s lives. For example, it can affect a person’s family, their ability to work and study, and the quality of their relationships with others. In extreme cases, it can lead to debt and even homelessness. It’s important to know how gambling affects us, so that we can make better decisions and reduce our risks.
Problem gambling can affect anyone – rich or poor, young or old, male or female. It can occur in small towns and large cities. It can be caused by any type of gambling activity – lotteries, casino games, sports betting and even some social media activities such as ‘Skin gambling’. Individuals with a gambling disorder can have serious problems with their physical and mental health, relationships, work and studies and may be at risk of suicide.
There is no single form of gambling that is more addictive than any other. It’s about how much the person is willing to risk and whether they can control their impulses. A person’s level of impulsiveness and their other life circumstances can influence how likely they are to develop an addiction.
It’s important to understand why people gamble so that you can help them to stop. For some, it’s about the excitement of trying to win money, or the dream of doing so. For others, it’s a way to escape from their problems – boredom, depression, anxiety or grief.
Some individuals may have a predisposition to gambling due to family or environmental influences. These individuals may be more prone to develop a problem if their close friends or relatives have a history of gambling disorders.
Despite the common perception that gambling is like drug abuse, experts agree that pathological gambling does not fit the psychiatric diagnostic criteria for addiction. Nevertheless, some individuals with gambling problems have developed a substance use disorder. For these individuals, there are medications that can be used to treat this condition. Other treatments include counseling, self-help programs and support groups.