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The Social and Economic Effects of Gambling
The positive social and economic effects of gambling have been documented, but less research has been done on the negative effects of the activity on gamblers. Health-related quality-of-life weights (also known as disability weights) have been developed to measure the overall burden of a health-related state on people’s quality of life. These weights also reveal the intangible costs of gambling and how it affects social networks. If a gambler becomes addicted to gambling, their social networks will also experience negative effects.
Social
Despite the widespread interest in problem gambling, little sociological research has been done on the social aspects of gambling. While most gambling literature is geared toward the psychological background of the behavior, I chose literature that focused more on the social aspects of gambling. This allows me to draw conclusions from these literatures, as well as compare attitudes toward gambling in films and television shows. This paper aims to bridge this gap. You can learn more about this topic by reading the sections below.
Economic
Economic costs of gambling are not always easy to estimate, and some studies do not include all of the indirect costs of gambling. Indirect costs, on the other hand, refer to the value of resources that are not created. Time is a limited resource, but there is a cost for it as well. The value of an hour’s production is the amount of work that could have been done if the person had not been gambling. The Australian Productivity Commission developed an adjustment factor method to calculate this cost. This method assumes that 80 percent of problem gamblers would have experienced the same costs even if they had not engaged in gambling.
Legal
Though most states do not have laws outlawing legal gambling, some forms are technically illegal. Gambling is any activity where you exchange real money for virtual cash. This includes sports betting and playing the lottery. Some states also prohibit private betting clubs. The federal government also criminalizes those who offer or promote gambling. Gambling convictions can carry significant fines and time in prison, but in most cases they are minor misdemeanors. For this reason, it is best to seek legal advice from a lawyer before you start engaging in any gambling activity.
Addiction
Gambling addiction can affect anybody. It is not a reflection of a person’s responsibility and can lead to an uncontrolled spending pattern. In recent years, children and young people have increasingly been spending money on gambling, partly as a result of the advent of mobile games. Children’s experiences with family members who gamble may also have a profound influence on their gambling habits later in life. In such cases, a loved one’s financial support and assistance may be of great value.
Age
The age at which people start gambling has been linked to a variety of factors. Research on gambling behavior has been conducted on both males and females. The younger the age of initiation, the greater the likelihood that a person will gamble later in life. However, there is no clear cut age at which a person will stop gambling. This study examined the gambling habits of men and women and compared them across age groups. The results are discussed in this section.