Gambling is an activity in which stakes or something of value is risked on an uncertain outcome. It includes activities such as playing games, betting on sports events or other outcomes and engaging in organized lotteries. The term is derived from the Latin “gamana,” meaning amusement, pleasure or game and the root word of which is *ga+mann (from Proto-Germanic *gamn) and also from the Old English “gaman.”

Although gambling has significant negative impacts on society, there are many positive effects that occur when it is regulated responsibly. These include stimulating economic growth, providing entertainment, fostering cognitive skills and supporting public services. Despite these benefits, many people do not know the positive aspects of gambling. They often view gambling as a way to socialize with friends or colleagues and are influenced by the media that portrays it as glamorous, stylish and fashionable.

Moreover, for some individuals, gambling is a way to relieve unpleasant feelings such as boredom, stress, anxiety, grief or depression and to escape from their daily life. However, there are healthier and more effective ways of relieving unpleasant emotions and escaping from boredom, such as spending time with friends who do not gamble, exercising, practicing relaxation techniques, taking up new hobbies or learning how to play a new casino game.

In the literature, studies of gambling’s costs and benefits usually focus on the negative effects associated with problem and pathological gambling. This methodological approach has limitations since it does not take into account the effects of nonproblem gambling, which is a large proportion of gambling.