Gambling is the act of wagering something of value on an event with the intent of winning a prize. The activity is popular in many societies and includes a variety of games, including slot machines, horse racing, bingo, lottery, sports betting, and casino games. While some people enjoy gambling as a form of entertainment and a way to socialize, others become addicted and lose control over their spending. The negative effects of gambling affect not only the gambler, but their families, friends, and the communities in which they live.
Although many people can gamble responsibly, about 20 percent overindulge and end up incurring debts that impair their abilities to support their families, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, some people experience a range of psychological and emotional problems, including depression, suicidal thoughts, and other serious mental illnesses. For some, the desire to win money triggers a chemical response in the brain that is similar to the one produced by taking mind-altering drugs like heroin or cocaine. Unlike those drugs, however, people can self-regulate their gambling habits. They can limit their expenditures, set financial goals, and practice a healthy lifestyle.
The positive impact of gambling is reflected in local economies through increased tourism and increased consumer spending, especially in areas that have casinos. It can also lead to greater tax revenues for governments and may help fund infrastructure improvements. Moreover, gambling can improve the quality of life in some communities by encouraging community spirit and building social capital. It can also teach valuable skills, such as pattern recognition and critical thinking. Games such as poker encourage teamwork, and they can be used as a tool to teach mathematics. Dice, astragalus cubes carved from bone and loaded with sheep bones and dog teeth, were found in the Trojan war trenches and buried with Pharaohs in their pyramids, providing evidence of ancient gambling.
Problem gambling can be triggered by a combination of factors, including an early big win, boredom susceptibility, impulsivity, a poor understanding of random events, and the use of gambling as an escape from stress. This cycle is perpetuated when the expectation of a future big win drives the gambling behavior, and it becomes increasingly difficult to stop.
Researchers have examined gambling impacts on the individual, interpersonal, and community/society levels. Methodological challenges include how to measure and quantify intangible harms, such as a decrease in health-related quality of life, and how to incorporate these into an economic cost-benefit analysis of gambling. Using health-related quality of life weights (DWs) may be useful for this purpose, as they can be applied to non-monetary harms and can reveal the overall burden on an individual’s quality of life. This approach could be incorporated into a social impact assessment framework. This would increase the effectiveness of research and policy interventions that seek to reduce the incidence of gambling problems.