Whether you’re buying lotto tickets, betting on the horses, football, or even the pokies, gambling is an activity that involves risking money or something of value to predict the outcome of a random event. It’s a fun pastime that many people enjoy, but there are also potential problems with gambling. The first step in overcoming a problem with gambling is admitting that you have a problem. This can be hard, especially if you’ve lost money or strained relationships because of your gambling habit. But know that there are options for help.
Gambling is an activity that has major impacts on individuals, their significant others, and society. These impacts can be positive or negative, and can vary by person and situation. Some studies have looked at a combination of benefits and costs, but few have used a public health perspective. This article presents a framework for assessing gambling’s impacts, using a health-related quality of life (HRQL) weight known as disability weights to explore both the tangible and intangible effects. These impacts can be divided into three classes: financial, labor and health, and well-being. Financial impacts include changes in financial situations, including income, expenditures, and the effect on the economy. Labor and health impacts are primarily related to work, and can be measured in terms of changes in productivity, absenteeism, reduced performance, and job losses. And well-being impacts are a collection of emotional, psychological, and social outcomes that can be measured in terms of quality of life.
