Gambling affects society at several levels. There are three primary classes of gambling impacts: personal, interpersonal, and societal. Financial impacts of gambling include tourism, revenue loss, infrastructure cost, and changes in values and financial situations. Economic activity is also affected. Labor impacts relate to reduced productivity, job gains, and health. These impacts affect the overall health and well-being of individuals and communities. To understand the impact of gambling, it is helpful to know how much each type of gambling affects different populations.
Impacts of gambling on people
Gambling is not only a recreational activity, but also a significant contributor to depression, social isolation and legal issues. People suffering from gambling addiction should be aware of the symptoms and possible causes. These symptoms include compulsion to gamble more than you can afford to lose, increased gambling amounts, and risking crime. Hospital admissions related to gambling have doubled over the past six years in England. Problem gambling has also been linked to cases of psychosis and criminality.
Types of gambling
There are many types of gambling, each with its own rules and regulations. Many of these games have a house edge, or vigorish, that ensures a profit for the casino. Sometimes, however, the astute gambler can win by seeking favorable odds and avoiding sucker bets. Most of these games are commonplace in brick-and-mortar casinos. These games represent the foundation of the gaming world and generate billions of dollars in annual revenue for their operators.
Impacts of gambling on crime
The effects of gambling on crime are varied and complex. They are measured at the individual, interpersonal and societal levels. While the benefits of gambling are readily apparent, the negative impacts of gambling are not so readily quantified. Some crimes associated with gambling are homelessness, petty theft, and illegal lending. Although the causes of gambling-related crimes are often unknowable, such as partner violence, the social costs of gambling are significant.
Impacts of gambling on tourism
In order to determine the effects of gambling, we first need to perform an economic cost-benefit analysis of the industry. This analysis must account for costs, benefits, secondary effects, and uncertainties in the parameters. The benefits of gambling are then classified according to their importance and will be discussed below. Government revenue and consumer surplus are the primary benefits of gambling. Government revenues increase through the increased revenue, but other benefits are less tangible. Gambling is associated with many negative social and economic consequences, which may make the benefits of gambling hard to quantify.
Costs of problem gambling
The National Council of Problem Gamblers has compiled statistics on the economic impact of problem gambling. These include the costs to society of family violence, suicide, and relationship breakups. This research also estimates that consumer spending on legal gaming in the United States is worth $100 billion per year. The social cost of problem gambling is estimated to be $7 billion per year, and includes the cost of addiction, bankruptcy, and criminal activity. The National Council of Problem Gamblers advocates prevention and intervention services and encourages healthcare providers to screen clients for problem gambling.