Gambling is the staking of something of value, usually money, on an uncertain event with the intent of winning something else of value. It may be an event that occurs randomly, such as a roll of dice or spin of the wheel; or it may be an event that is based on skill and knowledge (e.g., shooting basketballs into a net).
When gambling is done to the point of serious harm, it ceases to be just entertainment. The harms begin to outweigh the enjoyment and profit, resulting in an unpleasant experience that is difficult to overcome. The negative emotions can lead to depression and anxiety. They can also cause family problems and even job loss.
Understanding of the adverse consequences of gambling has undergone a major change in recent years. Historically, individuals who experienced adverse consequences were viewed as gamblers with problems; today they are more often seen as suffering from psychiatric disorders (e.g., pathological gambling).
This article reviews the current evidence on the health effects of gambling and provides recommendations for practice. To identify relevant literature, a search of the Medline database from 1966 to 2001 was performed using the MeSH terms “gambling” and “problem gambling”. Relevant articles were selected for review. The following are some of the findings: