Gambling is an activity in which individuals place bets on outcomes they expect will lead to positive returns, such as football matches or scratchcards. Unfortunately, the outcome of such bets are determined solely by chance and there’s no guarantee they’ll win. While some may gamble for enjoyment purposes alone, others become addicted and eventually suffer financially and relationally as a result of gambling addiction – the harms from which can continue for life and even be passed from generation to generation.
Gambling addiction has multiple sources, from recreational interest, diminished mathematical skills, impaired judgment or cognitive distortions to mental illness. Furthermore, some experts argue that it may stem from recreational interest, diminished mathematical skills, impaired judgment and cognitive distortions as well as mental illness. Meanwhile, others suggest it as being caused by socio-environmental risk factors including family dysfunction, work pressures and social strain. Furthermore, some scholars have proposed the existence of “gambling cultures” where legalized gambling exists widely and this culture contributes to creating gambling problems.
Traditional gambling studies have traditionally focused on quantifying economic costs and benefits; however, the societal effects have often been neglected. Social impacts are defined as non-monetary costs that aggregate to real wealth across society (Walker & Barnett) rather than directly impacting an individual. They can be measured using disability weights.
The availability of gambling products has made gambling simpler than ever, from EGMs and casino games to social media promotions and sponsorship, providing opportunities to gamble at home, on the move or in public spaces. Their accessibility increases gambling uptake particularly among disadvantaged populations who face greater risks; marketing of these products often coincides with high-profile activities such as sports and music events thereby “normalizing” it further.
State governments in certain regions are turning to gambling as an economic development strategy, hoping the profits from lotteries, casinos and electronic games can fill government coffers and support programs for disadvantaged citizens. Yet ethical implications remain an issue with gambling.
Preventing gambling harms is by far the most cost-effective means. This will involve stopping advertising and promotional activities, creating a central account registration system enabling gamblers to set binding loss limits, universal pre-commitment systems for time spent gambling and self-exclusion systems for those wishing to quit altogether. These strategies may prove useful to individuals unable to control their behaviors and should be considered along with other strategies like education and community support programs. As more research needs to be conducted in order to assess the efficacy and targeting of interventions, as well as creating a more sophisticated model to identify unique risk factors within particular populations, it will become possible to more quickly identify individuals at increased risk of gambling issues.