Gambling for money is a common leisure activity that has significant social and economic impacts not only on the gambler but also on their family members, friends and society at large. These effects can be positive or negative, depending on the context. The most serious of these negative impacts include addiction, comorbidity and financial distress, while the more minor positive impacts include enjoyment, relaxation, and sociability. Gambling can also be a way to meet psychological needs such as a sense of belonging, status or uniqueness.

Most people who gamble do so responsibly and enjoy it for the entertainment value. However, a small group overindulges, incurring debts that can jeopardize their financial and personal well-being. Some even end up homeless and destitute. This behavior is called gambling disorder, or problem gambling, and it is characterized by an inability to control impulses and a preoccupation with risk. A variety of factors can contribute to this problem, including an early big win, boredom susceptibility, impulsivity, use of escape coping and stressful life experiences.

A growing number of research and policy initiatives focus on identifying, measuring, and mitigating these problems. Different approaches can be used to study the impact of gambling, and they include cost-benefit analysis, a public health model, and a socioeconomic perspective. A public health approach looks at costs and benefits to a specific population, while a cost-benefit analysis takes a broader view of the consequences of gambling for the whole society.

Socioeconomic perspectives analyze the economic and societal impacts of gambling and may take into account the indirect effects of gambling, such as its effect on employment and tax revenues. These perspectives may also consider the impacts of gambling on other sectors of the economy and on society as a whole, such as crime, suicide, drug use, and other addictions.

Generally, researchers have focused on the financial and labor/health impacts of gambling. Financial impacts include changes in gambling revenues, effects on other industries and infrastructure costs and values. Labor/health impacts refer to gambling’s effects on workers, such as increased absenteeism and reduced performance, loss of job opportunities and income, and financial stress and depression.

The social/emotional and health/wellness impacts of gambling include the impact on family members, friends, coworkers, and communities. In addition, a growing body of research has examined the psychological and social consequences of gambling on individuals, including feelings of guilt, shame, and denial.

If you think you have a problem with gambling, talk to someone about it. This could be a friend, relative or professional counsellor. Reduce the temptation to gamble by taking steps such as removing credit cards from your home, having bank accounts monitored by a trusted person, closing online betting accounts and carrying only a small amount of cash with you when out. Find alternative recreational activities and hobbies to help you cope. Finally, set short-term and long-term goals for yourself that will motivate you to stop gambling or to gamble responsibly. These can be based on your own personal values or those of a particular community.