Gambling involves risking something of value on an event where there is an element of chance. This can include games like poker, bingo or keno, betting on horse races or football accumulators, or even the lottery and scratchcards. Gambling can also take place on financial markets, such as the stock exchange or insurance policies.
Gambling is associated with both negative and positive impacts. Negative impacts can be categorized as financial, labor and health related, while positives include the enjoyment of gambling, the ability to make money and the social support received from friends. Impacts are manifested on three levels: personal, interpersonal and community/societal.
Most research on the impacts of gambling has focused on the economic costs. However, focusing on monetary impacts may miss important social and health consequences of gambling. For example, concern significant others (CSOs) of problem gamblers may experience a range of work-related impacts from their partners’ gambling, such as days and months of sick leave.
In addition, gambling is a popular activity among societal idlers. It occupies them, reducing their participation in criminal activities such as robberies, burglary or drug peddling. It can also boost self-esteem and promote happiness. People may also engage in gambling for coping reasons. It can help them forget their worries, relax or even sharpen the brain. This article reviews complementary and contrasting methodologies for assessing harms and benefits at the individual, interpersonal and community/societal level. It is argued that social impacts, defined as aggregating societal real wealth, should be considered alongside economic and other non-monetary harms and benefits.
