Gambling has been associated with many negative health consequences including financial stress, relationship breakdown, family violence, mental illness and suicide. It can also lead to money laundering and the erosion of civil institutions through corruption, corporate political activity and illegal drug trafficking. In addition to these health harms, gambling is also a significant contributor to global poverty. The rapid normalization of gambling, often through commercial associations with sports and cultural events, has contributed to its increased accessibility in vulnerable populations.
In a culture that is increasingly insular and isolated, gambling venues are often the only social spaces available for people to interact face to face. For those who struggle with loneliness, this can be a positive aspect of gambling. Gambling is often portrayed in the media as glamorous and exciting, and can offer a sense of excitement and intrigue when seen on screen.
People may also engage in gambling because it provides a distraction from other problems and daily worries, or because they enjoy the adrenaline rush of winning. In some cases, the compulsion to gamble can become an addiction. Common symptoms include frequent thoughts about gambling (e.g., reliving past experiences, planning future gambling, calculating how much to win). They might lie to conceal their involvement in gambling or jeopardize relationships, employment, education or other life goals to gamble. They might even resort to criminal behaviours, such as stealing cash or other items to gamble.
For some, gambling can trigger a ‘flow state’, an experience coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, where they feel fully immersed in their activity and their internal chatter quiets down. Studies have shown that repetitive, rhythmic activities such as slots and video poker can create this experience for some people. Other forms of gambling, such as strategy games, require analytical thinking, estimating probability and decision making, which can help to keep the brain active.