Gambling involves placing an amount of value on a random event with the intent to win something else of value. It can be an exciting, fun and rewarding activity but it can also be a destructive behavior. Problem gambling can impact anyone from every background, race, religion and education level. It can be a source of stress and even depression. It can cause families to break apart, work or school performance to decline and even lead to suicide in some individuals.
There are healthy ways to cope with unpleasant feelings that lead you to gamble. Spending time with friends who don’t gamble, exercising, taking up a hobby, or practicing relaxation techniques are healthier alternatives to gambling. Many communities offer free and low-cost support and treatment services for people who are experiencing problems with gambling. These services may include individual, marriage and family therapy, debt management, financial planning and credit counseling.
There are many forms of gambling, from casino games such as blackjack and roulette to sports betting (e.g. horse or greyhound races, football accumulators). There are also online versions of these activities which can be especially addictive. Gambling is often promoted to adolescents, for example through social media. It is important to only ever gamble with money that you can afford to lose and to never use money that needs to be saved for bills or rent. In addition, it is important to set a budget for how much you can afford to spend and then stick to it.