Gambling is a form of entertainment wherein people place bets or wagers on an event with the aim of winning something of value. This activity is very common, and over half of the population participates in some form of gambling activities every year. However, some gamblers become addicted to this activity and suffer from various consequences. These consequences include financial problems, health and well-being problems, family problems, relationship issues, poor performance at work or study and even a loss of life. Moreover, the effects of gambling can also affect their families, friends and community. In addition, some gamblers become heavily indebted and can lose their property. Hence, it is important to find ways to overcome the problem of gambling. Several therapies are available to help those suffering from gambling disorders, but only one in ten of them seek treatment. Besides individual therapy, many organisations offer support, assistance and counselling to those affected by gambling disorder.
A major limitation of earlier gambling impact studies is that they focus on gross economic impacts, which are easy to quantify. They typically do not attempt to identify, measure or account for the societal real costs and benefits that are not easily quantifiable. Moreover, they often neglect to address expenditure substitution effects or to be explicit about the geographic scope of their analysis.
In order to be effective, it is important for gambling research to consider the impact of both negative and positive factors. A comprehensive approach includes the identification of impacts at three levels: personal, interpersonal and community/society levels. Individual level impacts induce effects on a personal level to the gamblers themselves, while external levels influence the interpersonal and society/community levels and concern other people who are not necessarily gamblers themselves.
Gambling has many positive impacts on a community, including stimulating local economies, creating jobs and providing entertainment. Nevertheless, some of these positive impacts are not fully understood and need further investigation. For example, it has been found that gamblers often use gambling as a way to relieve unpleasant emotions or to socialize. However, there are healthier and more effective ways to relieve these feelings, such as exercising, spending time with friends who do not gamble, and practicing relaxation techniques. In addition, some casinos help improve a community’s image and generate tax revenues. These funds are then used to provide services that benefit the community. In turn, this helps attract tourists, which can stimulate the economy. Moreover, many gamblers spend money in their local communities. This is especially true for lower income households, who spend a larger percentage of their total income on gambling than higher-income households. This can increase the demand for housing, healthcare and education, and may result in an increase in poverty. In addition, it has been found that the availability of gambling increases social inequality. This is because lower-income households are more likely to spend their income on gambling, whereas higher-income households save most of their income. As a result, the poorer groups are more vulnerable to gambling and its negative impacts.