Gambling is a major global industry, contributing to the economies of many countries. Approximately $10 trillion is wagered annually on sports events, lottery games and casino-based gambling. It is also a popular social activity and can be conducted in a variety of settings, including online platforms.

While research into gambling is generally dominated by economic analysis, little has been done to investigate its impacts on personal and interpersonal levels. In addition, many gambling impacts are non-monetary and thus have been excluded from calculations, mainly because of their difficulty in measuring. A broader approach to assessing the impact of gambling could incorporate health-related quality of life (HRQL) weights, commonly known as disability weights, into the calculation of costs and benefits.

Many people do not consider that their gambling behaviour is problematic and struggle to identify the early signs of a gambling addiction. The hidden nature of this addiction means that it can be difficult to recognise, particularly as gamblers often do not display outward symptoms such as hangovers or withdrawal symptoms. It can also be hard to tell when gambling has become an inexorable part of a person’s day-to-day routine, with the gambler hiding money or lying about their spending habits.

The ease of accessibility of gambling products – especially EGMs and high-speed wagering systems – is a key driver of the spread of gambling harms. This is further enhanced by the promotion of gambling products through sponsorship or other associations with sporting leagues and aggressive promotional messaging in both public and private sectors, particularly on social media. In addition, many forms of gambling promote the fantasy that something can be gained for nothing, which is at odds with biblical teaching on work and reward.