The act of gambling involves wagering something of value on an event with an uncertain outcome. The event can be an individual roll of dice, a spin of the roulette wheel or a horse race but it can also be longer term events such as a football season, a political contest and even a multimillion dollar jackpot lottery draw.
Gambling occurs in all forms from traditional casinos, horse racing tracks and TABs to arcades, internet sites and even church halls. There are many reasons why people gamble, but the most common reason is to try and win money. The desire to gain wealth can be driven by a number of factors including a financial crisis, a relationship breakdown or the loss of a job. People may also feel they can use gambling to escape from the pressures of daily life or as a way to deal with depression, anger or anxiety.
People who have a mental health problem are more likely to have problems with gambling. They may find it difficult to control their spending or have trouble focusing on other things. They might spend time in gambling establishments and may start to lie, steal or rely on friends for money to fund their addiction. They might also become depressed and have thoughts of suicide. If this sounds like you, speak to StepChange for free debt advice.
There are a number of different approaches to assessing gambling impacts but the majority tend to focus on economic costs and benefits. While this method of analysis is useful it ignores social impacts that are not monetary and can impact others, as well as gamblers themselves.
