Gambling is risking something of value, usually money, on an event that has a chance of occurring and may result in winning a prize. This can be done on any game involving chance, such as slot machines, fruit machines, scratchcards, or betting with friends on football matches, horse races, or other events. It is a common activity and can take place in casinos, racetracks, bingo halls, and other social venues. It can also be done in the home by purchasing lottery tickets or betting on the Internet.
Problem gambling can harm your physical and mental health, ruin relationships, stop you working or studying, cause debt and even lead to homelessness. It can also affect the people around you – family, friends and work colleagues. The good news is that it can be treated.
People of all ages can experience problems with gambling – from young children playing video games to older people struggling to control their spending and betting habits. Men are more likely to develop a gambling problem, but the condition can affect anyone.
The first step to beating problem gambling is knowing what it is and understanding how it works. This will help you protect yourself and make better decisions.
Gambling involves choosing what you want to bet on – for example, a particular team to win a football match or the outcome of a scratchcard. This choice is then matched to ‘odds’ – a number that indicates how much you could win if your bet was successful.
You then place your bet – this can be online, over the telephone or in person. Your bet is then recorded and if you win, you are paid out. If you lose, then you have lost your original stake. Gambling companies need to generate a profit in order to stay in business. This is achieved through either having bigger-than-average margins on bets or increasing their turnover – i.e. the amount of money they take in each year.
When you gamble, your brain is producing dopamine when things go well for you – this helps us learn from our successes and repeat them. But problem gambling changes the reward pathways in your brain so that you cannot control your behaviour.
If you are thinking about gambling all the time, lying to your family and friends or being secretive about it, or chasing your losses – that is, trying to win back what you have already lost, then you have a problem. This is called ‘gambling disorder’ and can be treated with counselling or other forms of therapy. For example, cognitive behavioral therapy can change the way you think about gambling and help you change your behaviors. There are also some medications that can help. These are not always suitable for everyone and will not be recommended without discussion with your doctor. More information about the signs and symptoms of gambling disorders can be found on the Royal College of Psychiatrists website.