How Gambling Can Affect Your Health and How to Mitigate Its Risks

That feeling when the team or athlete you’ve bet on is in the final round of a match and you know that a big payout is coming your way is unlike any other. It’s a rush of adrenaline and a winner’s high that will have you wanting to come back to play the odds again and again.

But while we’re enjoying all the risk-taking, the exhilarating charge in the air, and the winnings, it’s important to remember that gambling can negatively impact our health. This is true for gambling in all its forms, from sports betting to casino games ranked by gambling experts.

This doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy ourselves when gambling — it just means we need to play responsibly to protect our health and finances. Before we look at how to play responsibly, let’s examine how gambling impacts our health.

What Health Concerns Can Gambling Cause?

The most significant area of our lives that gambling can impact us is through our mental health, with primary health concerns being things like:

● Low self-esteem
● Stress
● Anxiety
● Depression
● Disordered gambling

According to Yale Medicine, these concerns are more prominent in people with certain health and personality traits. For example, people who already have mood disorders or a family history of problem gambling are more likely to experience these ill effects of gambling.

It might sound counterintuitive, but gambling negatively impacts our mental health for the same reason we enjoy it: it releases the feel-good hormone dopamine. When we win a bet, we’re not just rewarded with winnings; we’re also rewarded with a powerful dopamine rush.

While the release of a feel-good hormone initially sounds like a good thing, this can lead to health concerns because our brain chemistry responds to gambling the same way it does to drugs and alcohol.

This means gambling comes with the same risks and concerns of drug and alcohol use, like making us want to gamble even more to continue chasing that dopamine rush or making us lose interest in other everyday activities that we used to enjoy.

But just because you like to gamble doesn’t mean your mental health will be negatively impacted. If you keep in mind a few tips and best practices to safeguard your health, you can focus on enjoying the game.

6 Tips for Safer Gambling

Now that we’re aware of what health concerns are associated with gambling, let’s take a look at how to mitigate these worries.

1.) Set Limits

Before placing your bet, make sure you’ve evaluated how much you can spend while staying on budget. This allows you to approach placing bets with a predetermined amount you’ll allow yourself to spend.

Be sure not to go beyond this set amount to avoid putting yourself under financial strain. After all, there’s a reason for the saying, “Know your limit, play within it.”

2.) Understand the Game

Make sure you understand what you’re betting on and the game you’re playing. When it comes to MMA betting, do your homework. Get to know the betting process, fighters, and their styles, and stay updated on the industry and fighter news. There’s more to gambling on fights than just luck, so putting a bit of work into it will help you better understand the odds and yield better results.

3.) Evaluate Your Mood

Only place bets when you’re in a good frame of mind. This will help prevent gambling from becoming a coping mechanism or escape from your life and mental health. It will help you maintain a healthier mindset and relationship with betting, regardless of the outcome.

4.) Let Losses Go

Trying to recoup your losses can send you down a rabbit hole of losing money you didn’t intend to spend. For this reason, don’t try chasing your lost bets after they’re gone. This goes back to staying within your limit to prevent causing financial problems for yourself.

5.) Avoid Alcohol

Avoid drinking when placing your bets, as this can impact your decision-making process and lead to you regretting your decisions later. Always place your bets before enjoying a drink.

6.) Play for the Game

Avoid approaching placing bets with the intention of winning money. Instead, play the game for the fun of playing the game. Accept that the money you spend on a bet is funding an enjoyable experience, just like you’d accept that the money you spent at a restaurant is gone but went into a delicious meal and fun night out.

These tips can help you enjoy betting as a pastime without worrying about how it may negatively impact your health. Now you can responsibly dive into the world of sports betting (and even gambling in general) purely for the joy of it.

And, if you do find yourself struggling with problem gambling, there are steps you can take and resources you can use.

What to Do if You’re Experiencing Gambling Health Concerns

Thankfully, treatments are available if you’re experiencing any of the health concerns outlined above. Treatment options like therapy, support groups, and medications can help whether you’re feeling these symptoms mildly or severely.

If you’re urgently struggling with these health concerns, there are resources and support systems that can help you. The National Problem Gambling Healthline, available at 1-800-GAMBLER, is always a call away if you need help. Their support is not only available 24/7 but also entirely confidential.

Whether you’re a seasoned sports gambler or entirely new to the game, these gambling tips and resources will help you keep tabs on your mental well-being so that you can focus on the thrill of the game.