The Dangers of Gambling

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The act of staking something of value on the outcome of an uncertain event. The event may be something as simple as a football match or as complex as a lottery draw or scratchcard. The stakes are matched to ‘odds’ (as calculated by betting companies) which are the probabilities of winning. These odds are calculated using a number of factors, including the probability that the event will occur and the amount of money that can be won.

While gambling is often seen as a harmless pastime for most people, a small minority of individuals get too seriously involved, to the point where their behaviour becomes pathological. This is defined by the American Psychiatric Association in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a pattern of behavior that causes significant distress, impairment, and social problems.

Problem gamblers often start in their early 20s, but research suggests that anyone can be vulnerable. Even young children can be attracted to games like Candy Crush and Pokemon Go, many of which require micro-transactions and payments, and are usually ad-supported.

A person’s motivation to gamble can be influenced by a range of factors, such as an overactive brain reward system or a tendency towards thrill-seeking behavior and impulsivity. Other contributing factors may include social pressures to gamble and the presence of family members with a history of gambling problems. Gambling can also serve as a way to self-soothe unpleasant feelings, such as loneliness or boredom, and as a way to relieve stress. However, there are healthy and safer ways of doing this, such as spending time with friends who don’t gamble, taking up new hobbies, or exercising.