Gambling is an activity in which something of value (money, goods, services) is placed on a chance event with the intention of realizing a profit. It has existed in virtually every society since prerecorded history and is a common part of many societies’ customs, rites and traditions. It is also a major international commercial activity with a global market estimated at $335 billion. Gambling can take many forms. It may be conducted with actual money or something that represents money, such as marbles or collectible game pieces. It can be conducted alone or with others. It can be legal or illegal and it may involve betting on a sporting event, lottery, horse race or other event. It is important to note that, although gambling can be fun and exciting, it can also lead to personal financial ruin and depression. For these reasons, it is important for anyone who has a problem with gambling to seek help.
The literature surrounding gambling has a broad spectrum of impacts and it can be difficult to locate specific studies. A framework has been developed to structurally describe the impacts of gambling and is shown in Figure 1. The framework shows that negative impacts occur at the individual, interpersonal, and societal/community levels and are manifested as costs and benefits. These impacts can be measured in monetary terms using health-related quality of life weights, which are commonly used in alcohol and drug research, or by assigning a monetary value to intangible harms or benefits, as is often done in disability weights research.
