How Gambling Affects People

Gambling involves risking something of value, usually money, on an event involving chance. If the event occurs and you win, then you get a prize. This can be money, goods or services. People have been gambling for thousands of years. It is a fun and entertaining way to pass the time, but it can also have a big impact on people’s lives if it becomes a problem.

People who develop a gambling disorder are more likely to have problems in other areas of their life than those who do not. They may have trouble in their relationships, work or study and experience financial difficulties. They are also more likely to have health problems and to be involved in criminal activity. Some individuals become homeless as a result of their gambling. Gambling affects all races and religions and people from all backgrounds, education levels and income groups. People can become problem gamblers at any age. Problem gambling can damage a person’s physical and mental health, ruin their relationships and lead to serious debt and even homelessness.

The reason for this is that gambling changes the reward pathway in the brain. When you win, your brain is rewarded with a chemical called dopamine, which helps you learn from the experience and try to repeat it in the future. But, when you gamble too much, the reward pathway can become overstimulated and this causes you to gamble more in order to feel pleasure.

Many factors contribute to the development of gambling problems, including impulsiveness, sensation- and novelty-seeking, and negative emotionality. A significant proportion of individuals who have a gambling problem appear to meet some of the criteria for pathological gambling in the DSM-IV (the manual published by the American Psychiatric Association). However, this does not mean that they are pathological gamblers. They may be in a stage of early pathological gambling, they may be in remission from a previous pathological gambling episode, or they may have a different underlying cause for their difficulty with gambling.

Some people have a genetic predisposition to develop gambling difficulties. Other factors that influence the onset of problem gambling include lifestyle and environmental issues. People in high-risk environments are more likely to gamble and may be exposed to more advertising and media promotion of gambling activities. They may also be more likely to live with a family member who has a gambling problem and may be more likely to witness the harm that gambling can cause.

Some people start gambling for the excitement and dream of winning, or to escape from their problems and stress. For these individuals, it can become a habit and they may not realise that it is becoming a problem. They may hide their gambling from family and friends or lie about it. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to seek help for their problem gambling if they think it is getting out of hand. There are many organisations which offer support and advice for people with gambling problems.