Gambling is when you bet on something – such as a football match or playing a scratchcard – that involves chance. It’s a risky activity, but you could win money if you get it right. You can play online or in a land-based casino, and you can also bet with friends.
Why People Gamble
People gamble for many different reasons. They may enjoy the social interaction and the possibility of winning, or they might be looking for a way to relax or de-stress.
When you gamble, you are likely to experience feelings of excitement and euphoria, which are linked to the release of dopamine in your brain. These feelings can last long after you’ve lost your bet, which is why you might feel tempted to continue gambling.
The causes of gambling-harm are complex. They involve a range of factors that are affected by where you live, the type of gambling you are involved in and how much you gamble. There are also a number of psychological disorders and conditions that can increase your chances of developing harmful gambling behaviour.
Mental health issues can make it difficult to recognise the difference between a small risk of harm and an addiction. They can affect your coping style, beliefs and social learning.
If you are worried that someone else is gambling too much or that you are losing control of your own gambling, there are organisations that can help you and your family. These organisations will offer you support, advice and counselling. They can work with you to manage your gambling and stop it becoming a problem for you.
Pathological Gambling
Pathological gambling is a serious problem that can have negative consequences on your life and those around you. It can cause you to spend more than you have to, lie to people about your gambling and even miss work or school.
Adolescents can be affected by pathological gambling too, although they do not exhibit the same signs and symptoms as adults do. This is because adolescents are less able to control their impulses and emotions as adults, which makes it harder for them to know when they should stop gambling.
Symptoms-based measures of gambling harm are not as widely used as diagnostic criteria, but they do have some relevance to the understanding of the link between gambling and harm. They can be based on behavioural indicators such as lying to someone about your gambling, but they are not always precise or stable enough to give an accurate picture of the impact of a person’s gambling habits.
In many countries, gambling is illegal. It’s important to know your local laws and understand how to gamble safely if you do want to participate in gambling.
It’s not a good idea to go into debt because of gambling, so try to set limits on how much you can lose before you start gambling. Create a budget for yourself before you start and stick to it.