When done in the spirit in which it’s intended – as a fun thing to do every now and then for the happy few times one beats the house and wins a few dollars – gambling is an enjoyable pastime during a vacation or long weekend away from the everyday. However, when it turns into a compulsive behavior that causes people to lose control and spend more than they can afford to win, it’s a problem. Problem gambling can have serious consequences for individuals and their families.
Many people who gamble find it hard to tell when gambling is turning into a problem, partly because unlike substance abuse problems with alcohol and drugs, there are no outward signs of the disorder. Those who struggle with problem gambling may hide their gambling, be secretive about how much they are spending and even lie to their family about it. They may also start to lose control of their finances, hiding money for rent, mortgage, food or other necessities and taking out loans they cannot repay.
Gambling has a number of positive effects that most individuals do not take into account. It can bring people together and be a social activity in a friendly setting. It can also help to improve mental development and skill improvement. However, if the person is not careful, it can also lead to addiction.
The benefits of gambling can be structuralized in a model where the benefits and costs are categorized into classes. The classes include financial, labor and health and well-being. The financial class includes changes in finances and the impact of gambling on other industries. The labor and health class consists of the direct and indirect impacts on work, such as absenteeism, reduced performance and loss of employment, while the well-being class includes psychological, social and physical health and wellbeing.
A gambling addiction can have a variety of negative impacts on the individual, the family and society. Some of the personal and interpersonal impacts are invisible, such as the impact on a gambler’s relationships, emotional stress and feelings of anger or fear. Gambling can also have a significant impact on the family, including conflict with spouses, children and other loved ones. The external impacts of gambling are at the society/community level and can include societal revenues, tourism and the impact on other industries. The community/societal impacts can also include the impact on social and economic conditions and the impact on problem gambling.
Several factors can increase the risk of developing a gambling disorder, including an early big win, boredom susceptibility, impulsivity, poor understanding of random events, the use of escape coping and a history of stressful life experiences. In addition, there are specific groups that are more susceptible to developing a gambling disorder, such as adolescents, veterans and aging adults. These vulnerable populations are at greater risk of becoming addicted to gambling, but they can overcome their difficulties by seeking treatment. Those with a gambling addiction should seek support from friends and family, join a peer support group like Gamblers Anonymous or consider joining an Alcoholics Anonymous-type program.