While most adults and adolescents have placed a bet, some people develop problems with gambling. Those problems can range from mild to severe, and they can impact all aspects of life. Problem gambling can also cause financial problems, such as losing or accumulating debt, and lead to unemployment and family tensions. It can also make it difficult to sleep and eat properly, as well as affect relationships with family and friends.
Gambling is the risking of something of value, usually money, on an event that has at least some chance of occurring and where instances of skill are discounted. It can be done in a variety of settings, including casinos and racetracks, as well as online and in video games. Buying lottery tickets or scratchcards, playing bingo, betting on sports events and even office pools are all forms of gambling.
In some cases, people gamble for fun and social interaction. However, when it becomes a problem, the thrill of winning or losing changes the way the brain reacts to positive and negative experiences. This change leads to an imbalance in the brain and can cause people to bet more money than they can afford to lose, or to increase their wagers in a quest to recover lost funds.
The most vulnerable groups for developing a gambling disorder are people with low incomes who have more to gain from a large win, and young people, particularly men and boys. It’s important for families to know what to look out for, and to set boundaries when managing a loved one’s finances to avoid them becoming a victim of this largely hidden epidemic.