Indeed, it is common for individuals to take risks in life.

To paraphrase William Arthur Ward, a 20th century American philosopher, the person who risks nothing, has nothing. The experiences that humans regularly seek include novelty, recreation, and adventure (Zuckerman, 1979 Ebstein et al., 1996 Benjamin et al., 1996). Sensation-seeking and shifting these experiences, as a basic and enduring human drive, can be compared to a child's exploration of his or her environment to develop fundamental mastery of skills and satisfy curiosity. People seek stimulation and try to optimize their subjective experience by shifting sensations. A current and widely disseminated theory is that people engage in gambling because it has the capacity to create excitement (Boyd, 1976 Steiner, 1970). For example, in casino gambling the odds are against the gambler because the house takes its cut thus, the more people gamble, the more likely they are to lose.ġ998). By its very nature, gambling involves a voluntary, deliberate assumption of risk, often with a negative expectable value. As used in this report, the term 'gambling' refers both to games of chance that are truly random and involve little or no skill that can improve the odds of winning, and to activities that require the use of skills that can improve the chance of winning. The use of such skills may reduce the randomness of the outcome but, because of other factors that cannot be predicted or analyzed, the outcome remains uncertain. For example, a bettor's knowledge of playing strategies can improve his or her chances of winning in certain card games knowledge of horses and jockeys may improve predictions of probable outcomes in a horse race (Bruce and Johnson, 1996). Throughout history, however, gambling also has involved activities requiring skill. This is the dictionary definition of gambling as well ( Oxford English Dictionary, second edition, 1989). Gambling in this sense implies an act whereby the participant pursues a monetary gain without using his or her skills (Brenner and Brenner, 1990). In modern times, gambling has come to mean wagering money or other belongings on chance activities or events with random or uncertain outcomes (Devereux, 1979). A gambler was defined as a fraudulent gamester, sharper, or rook who habitually plays for money, especially extravagantly high stakes ( Oxford English Dictionary, second edition, 1989). Historically, the word ''gambling' referred to playing unfairly or cheating at play. These varied views have stimulated debate and controversy. Consequently, the act of gambling has been consideredīy various observers to provide evidence of recreational interest, diminished mathematical skills, poor judgment, cognitive distortions, mental illness, and moral turpitude. In the absence of an agreed-upon nomenclature, these and other groups interested in gambling and gambling problems have developed different paradigms or world views from which to consider these matters. The nomenclature must also reflect a variety of perspectives because research scientists, psychiatrists, other treatment care clinicians, and public policy makers tend to frame questions about gambling differently, depending on their disciplinary training, experience, and special interests. A nomenclature inclusive of pathological gambling must be suitable for use in scholarly research, clinical diagnosis and treatment, and community and other social contexts. Nomenclature refers to a system of names used in an art or science and is critical in conceptualizing, discussing, and making judgments about pathological gambling and related behaviors. A discrete, acceptable, and useful definition of pathological gambling would be based on a nomenclature applicable in a wide diversity of contexts (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Understanding the extent and nature of pathological gambling, as well as its social and economic impact, requires as clear a definition as possible. Terms used to describe behaviors in similar contexts or venues have an influence on how those behaviors are defined and viewed.

Pathological gambling definition