Children are attracted to gambling for a variety of reasons. It can be fun to explain the odds and compare them to other things, such as winning the lottery or being struck by lightning. Kids will soon learn that gambling companies are designed to make more money than their players – otherwise they wouldn’t be in business. Children can also use gambling as an escape from stress and boredom. While the risks involved are high, gambling is an effective way for children to relieve boredom and get away from problems.
Impact of gambling on society
While research into the economic impact of gambling has largely focused on the financial costs, there are also significant social and emotional consequences of problem gambling. The costs are often invisible, but they are nonetheless significant and present in our society. The costs of gambling range from the physical damage to the bank account. These costs should be considered in future studies to better understand the true impacts of gambling on society. Here are some examples of social costs of gambling:
Social costs of gambling are difficult to measure, and defining them is problematic. There is no clear causality between gambling and a gambler’s disorder, since the latter can also be a result of other disorders or life circumstances. Most studies discount these costs by applying a causality adjustment factor, which accounts for the fact that many problem gamblers would still face social consequences even if they didn’t gamble. This method was developed in 1999 by the Australian Productivity Commission.
Positive extracurricular activities that can help prevent unhealthy activities like gambling
Parents and educators can play an important role in preventing kids from engaging in harmful activities like gambling by offering positive extracurricular activities. Such activities provide children with a way to relieve stress and boredom and help them feel good about themselves. Moreover, the family attitude towards gambling and other unhealthy activities may influence your child’s behavior. Hence, the less exposure to gambling, the lesser likelihood of developing a gambling problem.
Treatments for problem gambling
A variety of treatments are available for problem gambling, from self-help groups to behavioral therapy. Gamblers Anonymous, for example, is modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous and offers support groups for people with gambling issues, as well as for their friends and families. Some medications are also effective in treating gambling addiction, including opioid antagonists that inhibit the release of dopamine, which decreases the urge to gamble. Other medications may be effective, too, including anti-seizure medications and mood stabilizers.
A recent study compared cognitive therapy with exposure therapy, in which patients are exposed to various gambling situations without wagering. Researchers in Australia randomized 87 patients to one of the two groups. At three months, both groups reported reduced gambling behaviors. At six months, however, no significant differences were found between the two groups. In this study, the duration of the intervention and the reduction in gambling were the primary outcome measures. It was unclear if the treatments were more effective than a placebo.
