While most people who gamble do so in moderation and enjoy the thrill of winning and losing, a small percentage become involved with gambling to a degree that negatively impacts their personal life. These negative effects can be both social and financial and affect self-esteem, relationships, work performance and physical and mental health. A major concern is that gambling often leads to a cycle of debt. Gambling addiction can also cause significant psychological distress and has been linked to violent behavior towards family members and friends.
Gambling has an economic impact in many countries around the world and is a common pastime amongst all age groups. However, younger people, especially boys and men, are more susceptible to developing gambling disorder than women. In addition, those with low incomes tend to be more vulnerable to gambling addiction than others.
Besides being a source of entertainment, gambling can also provide a variety of skills that are useful in everyday life, such as learning how to spot patterns, numbers and other information. It also enables people to develop better problem-solving abilities, as they learn how to analyze and identify risk.
While most people who gamble do so in moderation, a small percentage become involved with gambling so much that it negatively impacts their personal life, including their family and friends. These negative effects can be both social and fiscal, ranging from the loss of jobs to family conflicts. On a personal level, there are also invisible costs that are mostly non-monetary in nature. These include the costs of poor decision making, the impact on self-esteem, and the emotional stress of gambling. At a society/community level, external costs of gambling include those incurred by the gambler’s family, friends and colleagues; crime; and public health and social services.