There are many impacts associated with gambling. These impacts can be personal or social, and can be observed at various levels. External impacts are often less visible, as these include societal, community, and individual costs. Gambling can affect individuals over their entire lives and across generations. The challenges associated with measuring these impacts include determining the costs and benefits of gambling. In this section, we will examine the external and social impacts of gambling. There are several types of impacts associated with gambling, including individual and social costs.
While there are many benefits associated with gambling, fewer studies have looked at the negative impact of the activity. Health-related quality of life weights, which assess the overall burden of health on quality of life, have been developed to assess the negative effects of gambling. These weights may be useful in discovering the social costs associated with gambling. This discussion will also focus on the social networks that are affected by gambling. These social networks often include family members and friends.
A public health approach looks at gambling’s impacts at all levels, from the individual to the community. The impact of gambling on health and well-being is often underestimated by focusing only on problem gamblers. Public health impacts of gambling are often a complex mixture of both positive and negative effects. By examining the effects across the spectrum, we can better understand how to formulate effective gambling policies. In addition to exploring the negative effects of gambling, this research will also identify the benefits of gambling.