What is gambling?
Gambling is when you bet money or something of value on an uncertain outcome in hopes of winning more than you risk.
There are many kinds of gambling, these include:
- Video lottery terminals (VLTs) or slot machines
- Casino table games, like blackjack or roulette
- Horse racing
- Internet casinos and betting
- Sports betting
- Card games
- Lotto or scratch tickets
- Bingo
- Raffle tickets
New ways to gamble are being designed all the time. Online and mobile app gambling are growing areas.
Gambling can be addictive to some people because it acts on the same pleasure pathways in your brain as substances. For some people, this can become harmful.
When does gambling become harmful?
There is no easy answer to this question. Every person is different and may become harmfully involved in gambling for different reasons. Gambling isn’t always a problem. Gambling is harmful when it affects the gambler’s wellbeing or it affects the people around them. There are different—and increasingly harmful—levels of gambling.