Gambling is the risking of something of value (typically money) on an event that is at least partly determined by chance with the hope of winning a prize. It can be done in a variety of ways such as betting on sports events, cards, bingo, slots, machines, scratch tickets, dice, animal races, and many other games. It can also be done socially, such as playing card or board games with friends for small amounts of money, placing a bet on a friendly football game or horse race, or even just buying lottery or gambling-related tickets or scratchcards.
Some people may experience harm from gambling, but most people do not. This is because the harms caused by gambling are a result of how someone engages with the activity and are not necessarily experienced whilst engaged in the act itself. This means that harm minimisation efforts should focus on how someone engages with gambling rather than whether they are engaging in the act itself.
Harms associated with gambling are often complex and multifaceted and are experienced across a range of areas in someone’s life. They include emotional, financial and physical harms. They can be short term or long term and may affect anyone who engages in gambling. This is why it is important for public health approaches to consider a broad definition of harm when tackling gambling related harm. This approach is consistent with the World Health Organisation definition of health and is a key step in improving the prevention and treatment of gambling related harm.
Many different factors can contribute to an individual’s tendency to gamble excessively, including mood disorders such as depression and stress, family problems, work-related pressures, substance abuse and other addictions, and a history of childhood trauma and neglect. Biological characteristics that influence reward processing and impulse control, such as underactive brain reward systems or genetic predisposition, may also play a role.
Pathological gambling (PG) is a persistent and recurrent pattern of maladaptive gambling behavior that meets diagnostic criteria in the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Approximately 0.4%-1.6% of Americans meet DSM-IV criteria for PG, and men tend to develop PG at a faster rate than women and begin gambling earlier in life. PG is more likely to occur in strategic and face-to-face forms of gambling, such as blackjack and poker, than in nonstrategic, less interpersonally interactive forms of gambling like slot machines and bingo.
When you are struggling with problem gambling, it is important to seek professional help as soon as possible. A therapist can teach you how to overcome urges and manage your finances more effectively. They can also provide other useful tools such as goal-setting, practicing relaxation techniques, and learning how to deal with unpleasant feelings in healthier ways. They can also teach you how to identify irrational beliefs, such as the notion that a series of losses indicates an imminent win. They can also work with you to find other ways of coping with boredom or loneliness, such as exercising, spending time with friends who don’t gamble, and finding new hobbies and activities.