Gambling is an activity where people risk money or other valuable items to predict the outcome of a game involving chance, such as betting on a football match or buying scratchcards. When they win they get the prize money and if they lose, they forfeit their stake. People gamble for a variety of reasons, including social and financial ones. Some people use gambling as a way to escape from reality and it can offer short term relief, but this often comes at a cost once the harms start to outweigh the entertainment value.

Problem gambling can cause significant damage to a person’s health and relationships. It can also contribute to debt and poverty. Some people find it hard to stop gambling and this can lead to addiction. People with an addiction to gambling may need help with family therapy, marriage counseling or credit counselling.

In addition to the negative impacts on individuals, gambling can have negative community/society level effects. For example, increased opportunities to gamble are linked to increases in socioeconomic inequality. In particular, poorer households spend a larger proportion of their income on gambling and they are more likely to be burdened by gambling losses.

However, gambling can bring positive community/societal effects when the money is used for good. For example, it can be used to fund local charities and other services. It can also improve economic performance in areas that are strategically positioned to attract gambling revenues, such as casinos.