Gambling is a form of entertainment that involves risking something of value (money, possessions, time, etc.) on an event that is primarily determined by chance. It is a common activity worldwide and can take many forms, including lottery games, casino games, sports gambling and more. While gambling can be a fun and exciting way to pass the time, it can also have serious consequences for individuals and the surrounding community.
The problem with gambling is that it can become addictive. It can impact people of all ages, even children, and it can have long-term effects on health, relationships, work performance and well-being. It can also lead to financial problems, including debt and homelessness. The good news is that help and support are available for anyone who has a gambling problem.
Some people may start to gamble for non-monetary reasons. For example, it can be a way to alleviate stress, change their mood and meet new people. It can also make them feel euphoric, as gambling is linked to the brain’s reward system. However, if you are thinking about gambling for these reasons, it is best to seek help from a doctor. They will be able to recommend cognitive behavioural therapy, which can explore your beliefs about gambling and how you think about it.
Many studies have focused on the negative impacts of gambling. These have mainly looked at the losses suffered by individual gamblers and have ignored the wider impact on society. This is because the social impacts are often not quantifiable in monetary terms.
This article aims to review complementing and contrasting approaches to gambling impacts research, bringing together a range of opinions to produce a conceptual model for future research into the topic. It is important to recognise that not all costs and benefits of gambling are necessarily monetary, and that a holistic approach is required when considering the social impacts of this popular pastime.
The resulting model is divided into three classes of impacts: financial, labor and health and well-being. Financial impacts include changes in economic activity, infrastructure costs or values, and the impact of gambling on other sectors of the economy. Labor impacts refer to changes in worker productivity, absenteeism, reduced performance and job loss, while health and well-being impacts refer to personal and family impacts, which cannot be measured in monetary terms. It is the latter, which have largely been overlooked in gambling impact studies to date, and which are the focus of this article. Using the methodology suggested by Walker and Williams [32], this article examines both direct and indirect social impacts of gambling, and the ways they can be measured and accounted for. The model is illustrated in the figure below.