Gambling involves betting something of value (like money) on an outcome that is based on chance and is out of one’s control or influence in the hope of winning. It can take a variety of forms, from buying lottery tickets, to betting on sports events or online poker, to fantasy leagues and scratchcards. State and federal laws regulate the means, place and types of gambling.

In the short term, most gamblers lose more than they win. This is because the ‘house’, which refers to betting establishments or operators, has an advantage over players. This edge is mathematical and either predetermined (think of a roulette wheel where you are paid 35-to-1 on a 37-number wheel) or fluctuating (like a coin toss). The house edge is the difference between ‘true odds’ and payout odds and it is baked into every game.

Despite its prominence in popular culture, gambling is not well understood. Research has focused on a range of issues, including:

There are a wide array of harms associated with gambling. These include financial stress, relationship breakdown, family violence and mental health problems. Gambling can also divert resources away from essential household spending and contribute to food insecurity, housing issues and difficulty accessing healthcare and education. Harms occur at all levels of gambling, from the low-risk to the high-risk, and can persist throughout one’s life and be transmitted intergenerationally. Population-based interventions can reduce the harms of gambling. These include ending advertising and promotions, centralized account registration to require people who gamble to set binding loss limits, restrictions on availability (opening hours, density), and strict regulation.