Whether they’re buying lottery tickets, playing online poker or fantasy sports, or betting on horses, people gamble for all sorts of reasons. They might enjoy it as a group activity with friends, because they love thinking about what they could do with the money if they won, or because they need it to pay bills and live. But whatever the reason, gambling can quickly become out of control and lead to a downward spiral.
Problem gambling has external impacts that affect the gambler and his/her significant others, as well as society. These are called social costs and benefits, but studies tend to focus on only the monetary impacts that are easily quantifiable. A public health approach to studying these impacts may help identify the other, less obvious harms.
People are vulnerable to developing gambling problems at any age, but younger people — especially young boys and men — are particularly susceptible to becoming addicted. People with low incomes are also more likely to develop a gambling disorder, which is defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a persistent or recurrent pattern of behavior that causes distress or impairment. Other risk factors include loneliness, boredom and stress. People often turn to gambling to self-soothe unpleasant feelings, but there are many healthier ways to do so. For example, people can exercise, spend time with healthy friends who don’t gamble, or learn relaxation techniques. They can also try seeking help for the problem through family therapy, marriage counseling or credit counseling.
