Gambling is an activity where a person makes a wager on something of value, such as money, goods or services. It’s a common pastime and can be an enjoyable social activity for those who play responsibly. But, like anything, it can also be harmful if you get hooked. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to avoid gambling addiction. For starters, talk to someone you trust who won’t judge you. This could be a friend, family member or professional counsellor. It’s also important to reduce your access to money. You can do this by getting rid of credit cards (or using only those that can’t be used on gambling sites), closing online betting accounts and limiting how much cash you carry around.
A growing role exists within medical settings for evaluating patients for addictive disorders, including gambling disorder. This article reviews the literature on the health risks and benefits of gambling, and discusses screening strategies for pathological gambling and treatment options. It also outlines the social costs of gambling and suggests that these may be better assessed through health-related quality of life weights (DWs). This approach can be applied to the measurement of both personal and external impacts of gambling.