Whether it’s betting on your favourite sports team to win, buying lottery tickets with friends, or even just visiting a casino, gambling is a great social activity that brings people together. Being part of a crowd as your team scores or your horse crosses the line first is a wonderful feeling.

While most people can enjoy the thrill of gambling without it becoming a problem, some develop disordered behaviour, with symptoms of their addiction often appearing over time. This can range from a small subset of people who risk money on a regular basis (subclinical) to those whose behaviour meets the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for pathological gambling (PG).

Studies suggest that gambling increases the release of hormones such as adrenaline and endorphins, which makes players feel good during a winning session. These feelings may also make it harder to stop gambling once the ‘high’ wears off, making the lows more severe. Financial problems can also be a major cause of problem gambling. Unpaid bills pile up, credit card debts increase, and some find themselves reliant on payday loans or stealing from loved ones to fund their habit.

Gambling can also be used as a teaching tool, providing real-life examples of probability and statistics, as well as the concept of risk management. Those who stand to gain economically from gambling tend to support it, such as elected city leaders seeking to boost a moribund downtown area, bureaucrats in agencies funded by gaming revenue, and owners of large casinos hoping to attract suburbanites.