Gambling is a popular leisure activity around the world, but it can have serious negative impacts on individuals and society. It can affect health and wellbeing, family and friends, work performance, education and career opportunities. Problem gambling can also lead to debt and homelessness. Currently, 2.5 million U.S adults (
Negative impacts of gambling are not always visible and can be difficult to measure. These include personal and interpersonal costs, which are invisible to the individual. These can include the negative impacts of gambling on a person’s relationships, emotional stress and mental health. These costs may even persist after the person stops gambling, and can be passed on to significant others and future generations.
On the other hand, there are some positive social and economic effects of gambling. These include:
There are a number of different treatments for gambling addiction, including therapy, counselling and support groups. Counselling can help a person understand their gambling addiction and think about how it affects their life. It can also teach people healthier and more effective ways to manage their moods, relieve boredom and self-soothe unpleasant feelings – such as exercise, spending time with non-gambling friends or learning relaxation techniques. Support groups, like Gamblers Anonymous, can provide a safe place to discuss problems and challenges with other people who have similar issues.