Gambling is the act of risking something of value (money, property, or reputation) for an uncertain outcome. It is often seen as a fun, exciting and social activity but it can lead to serious harms. These include financial stress, relationship breakdown, family violence, mental illness and suicide. These harms can continue throughout an individual’s life and even pass from generation to generation. These harms are exacerbated by the ease with which gambling can be accessed now – for example, through internet and mobile phone gambling apps.
For some, gambling becomes compulsive behaviour that affects their life in a number of ways. They may spend more than they can afford, miss work, steal money or other assets from their families and become withdrawn from friends and social activities. Problem gambling can also cause difficulties at work and lead to unemployment. This can contribute to family and social problems, including homelessness and poverty.
However, many people don’t suffer from harmful gambling habits and can enjoy gambling in moderation. This is especially true for older people who often engage in private gambling. Playing card games with friends and family in a private setting is one form of gambling. Another is a game such as bingo, which can be played at local clubs and community centres. Other forms of gambling include fantasy sports leagues, scratch tickets, online poker and DIY investing.
The positive aspects of gambling include socializing, mental development and skill improvement. Gambling can also be an opportunity to escape from stressful or upsetting situations and provide a sense of achievement and accomplishment. However, these benefits can only be enjoyed if the gambling is done in moderation. The negative effects of gambling can be mitigated by being aware of the potential risks and taking steps to reduce them.
In general, people tend to see the benefits of gambling more than the costs and that may be why they continue to gamble. This is similar to the way that some people are addicted to drugs or alcohol – they find the experience rewarding and are unable to control their consumption.
A study by the Tasmanian Department of Treasury and Finance found that when people rate both the percentage benefit of gambling and the percentage cost of gambling, those who perceive higher benefits also rate higher costs.
Although gambling is often associated with hopelessness and loss, it can be an empowering activity for some. Putting $20 into a slot machine is an affirmation that you believe-even if it’s irrational-that you will defy the odds and be “lucky”. This optimism can be a powerful motivator, as can other aspects of gambling such as its rhythm and ritual. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi coined the term “flow state” to describe the feeling of being completely immersed in an activity, where your internal chatter quiets and you are in the moment. These experiences are very similar to what happens when you’re playing a repetitive, rhythmic game like slots or video poker.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.