When you gamble, you’re placing something of value – whether it be money or materials – on a random event. The idea is that if the event is successful, you’ll win something else of value. But there’s a lot of things that can go wrong.

The problem is that gambling doesn’t just impact the gambler; it has impacts on their families and their communities, too. It’s important for healthcare professionals to be aware of these impacts and understand what can help prevent them.

To find the best articles for this review, MEDLINE (from 1966 to present) was searched with the text words “gambling” and “impacts”. Articles were selected if they met the following criteria:

We found that many studies fail to include social impacts when evaluating gambling. This is because most researchers only look at economic costs and benefits, which are easily quantifiable. To fully capture the full impact of gambling, we recommend that future research considers all forms of social impacts, including those on family members and the community.

Gambling is a dangerous and addictive activity. If you’re not careful, you can spend more money than you have or even lose your house. The good news is, if you know the warning signs and stop the habit in time, it’s possible to regain control of your finances and rebuild your life. But it’s crucial to remember that it isn’t always easy, especially in the beginning. To prevent gambling problems from developing, you should start by setting a fixed amount of money you’re willing to lose.