The impacts of gambling on the individual, the community, and the economy are numerous. In a personal sense, the impact of gambling on an individual may be perceived as costs and benefits. Those costs and benefits are related to health, well-being, and financial aspects. Social and societal effects of gambling may be observed in various ways, including personal and interpersonal impacts. External impacts of gambling, such as social and economic development, can include personal and social problems associated with problem gambling, as well as long-term effects such as homelessness.
Though the concept of gambling is rooted in the practice of betting money, gambling can also involve any property or item with value. This value can be money or property or more chances to win. While an individual cannot be convicted of gambling unless he has made a wager, a group of people can be convicted of gambling if a majority of individuals has wagered. However, this type of gambling is not necessarily prohibited in all areas of society.
In addition to obtaining a gambling treatment program, a person suffering from a problem may be sentenced to probation. Probation usually lasts 12 months, during which time a person must follow certain obligations. These obligations may include participating in a gambling addiction treatment program, reporting to a probation officer, and staying out of trouble with the law. During this period, the individual is often not permitted to gamble again. If these circumstances are present, the probation may be revoked.