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Gambling is the act of placing a wager, usually with money, for an opportunity to win something of value. It is a risky behavior that can lead to negative consequences and harms. These impacts are observed at personal, interpersonal, and community/society levels (Fig. 1).
The motivations for gambling are diverse and can include profit, escapism, and social interaction. Problem gamblers often have poor coping skills and are susceptible to boredom, impulsivity, and the illusion of control. They may also be prone to depression and may use escape coping. The dopamine response produced by gambling is similar to the one caused by taking a drug.
Problem gambling has a number of detrimental social impacts, such as loss of employment, debt problems, and emotional distress. It can also negatively impact family and social relations and cause significant financial strain. In addition, it increases the risk of suicide in people who have gambling disorder.
Most research on gambling has focused on its negative impacts, with few studies assessing the positive side of gambling. It is important to find methods to quantify the benefits and costs of gambling from a public health perspective. Ideally, this would involve using health-related quality of life weights or disability weights to measure the impact on an individual’s well-being. This will help to discover hidden costs and intangible benefits. It will also allow us to identify the different levels of impact that occur, such as those incurred by the gambler and those incurred by significant others and the wider community.
