Gambling involves placing a bet with money or something else of value that you don’t own in exchange for an uncertain outcome determined at least partly by chance. People may gamble for fun, to socialize, or for money. Some people get hooked and have a problem called gambling disorder. It can damage family relationships, ruin careers and lead to debt and even homelessness.

Most adults and adolescents have gambled. Most do it safely and have no problem. However, some develop a serious gambling disorder, an addiction that can affect all areas of their lives and cause them severe harm. Problem gamblers are more likely to consider suicide than other groups of people and actually attempt it in some cases. They are also more likely to commit crimes and be incarcerated than other people.

The good news is that most problem gamblers can overcome their problems with help and treatment. The first step is to recognize the issue and make a commitment to change. Then, seek out local referral resources for certified gambling counselors or intensive treatment programs in your area.

The key limitation to previous studies of the impacts of gambling is that they have focused only on economic costs and benefits. This leaves out important social and health effects that are hard to quantify in monetary terms. These include the personal and interpersonal levels (invisible individual costs), the society/community level externalities, the impact of gambling on people who do not gamble, and the long-term cost/benefits.