Gambling is a form of risk-taking in which people wager money or other possessions on an uncertain event that relies on chance. It is often associated with a desire to win a prize or to achieve a specific level of stimulation. While some people may only experience mild problems with gambling, others develop severe symptoms that can lead to serious personal, social and financial issues. These may include a loss of control over the amount of time or money spent on betting or other forms of gambling, lying to friends and family, hiding evidence of their gambling activities and even suicide.
While the term ‘gambling’ is used to refer to any activity where there is an element of randomness or chance, the word has also been used to describe games where skill can improve the odds of winning. For example, knowledge of card-playing strategies can increase one’s chances of beating a hand of blackjack, or information about horses and jockeys can improve predictions of probable outcomes in horse races. While there is an element of risk in these games, they are not considered to be true gambling because the outcome is still determined by chance.
There are a number of different ways to gamble, including casino games, sports events and online betting. However, the most common type of gambling is betting on events or individual outcomes, such as a football accumulator or a horse race. In addition to the risk of losing money, problem gambling can harm a person’s physical and mental health, relationships, performance at work or school and leave them in serious debt. It can also affect those closest to them, with Public Health England suggesting that around half of all suicides are linked to problematic gambling behaviour.
In the past, psychologists have tried to find criteria that could help identify pathological gambling. Eventually, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV), which is used by psychiatrists to diagnose mental illnesses, defined pathological gambling as an impulse-control disorder with 10 warning signs. These included a preoccupation with gambling, difficulty controlling or stopping the behavior, a lack of interest in other activities, repeated attempts to reduce spending on gambling and feelings of distress when not gambling (e.g., restless or irritable). The DSM-V, which currently informs psychologists, has since removed one of these warning signs.
Although anyone can develop a problem with gambling, it tends to be more common in young people. This is partly because the human brain does not mature fully until about the age of 25. It is also because younger people are more likely to be attracted to the excitement and rewards of gambling, as well as the potential for reckless behaviour. In general, men are more prone to developing gambling problems than women, perhaps because they gamble less or because they feel more pressure to support the family financially. The risk of problem gambling increases with age, but it is never too late to take steps to prevent it.
