Many of the costs of gambling are largely invisible, and they are not directly monetary in nature. There are three types of costs: personal, interpersonal, and external. At the interpersonal level, the costs are largely non-monetary and include the psychological benefits of gambling, as well as the long-term costs and benefits of problem gambling. External costs and benefits relate to societal and community levels and include general, and problem gambling-related, benefits.

Gambling is legal in most states. In the United States, gambling is allowed in public events at racetracks, where patrons place bets on the results of a horse or a dog race. Social gambling is legal in most states, and may include private poker sessions in which all players are equal, no one is collecting entry fees, and there is no publicity. However, it is illegal to conduct business gambling in these areas. In those states, gambling is strictly regulated.

While gambling has long been a popular past time in the United States, it has also been suppressed by law for almost as long. In the early 20th century, it was almost uniformly banned, resulting in the rise of organized crime and the mafia. However, in more recent decades, attitudes towards gambling have softened and gambling laws have been relaxed. This is an important step in reducing gambling-related crimes, and it is vital to remember that the laws against gambling should not be too restrictive, since it can cause a serious problem.