In its most basic form, gambling involves placing something of value (money or goods) on a random event, such as a roll of the dice, the spin of a roulette wheel or the outcome of a horse race, with a view to winning a prize. The term ‘gambling’ also encompasses activities in which wealth changes hands, but where creativity, useful skills or responsible investment are not key factors. Whether we bet on football matches, buy lottery tickets, play poker or scratchcards, gambling is inherently risky and uncertain.
While many people gamble for fun, a small percentage become seriously involved in the behavior to the point of significant and negative personal, social and financial consequences. Those who are heavily involved in gambling often experience denial of their gambling problem, report lying to family members or their therapist, jeopardize their job, education and career opportunities in order to continue gambling, and frequently rely on loans and gifts from others in order to finance their habit.
While some people are predisposed to gambling, there are also a number of psychological and biological factors that can lead to problematic gambling. Some of these include boredom susceptibility, an over-reliance on the illusion of control, impulsivity, poor understanding of random events and the use of escape coping in response to stress. Psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder have also been associated with problematic gambling in some individuals. There is a growing role for primary care providers to screen patients for these disorders and to provide advice regarding responsible gambling.
