Gambling involves risking money or material goods on an uncertain outcome, for example the roll of a dice, the spin of a roulette wheel or the result of a horse race. It includes buying lottery tickets, entering a casino, playing card games like poker or blackjack for money, betting on sports events such as football and horse races, using slot machines and other video gambling devices, and online gaming including the use of virtual casinos and daily fantasy sports.

Problem gambling affects a large portion of the world’s population and is growing rapidly as a result of commercialization and globalization of gaming activities. Without effective protections, this expansion may undermine progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A range of harmful outcomes can result from gambling, from financial stress to relationship breakdown and family violence, mental illness and suicide. It can also increase poverty by diverting household spending away from essential goods and services. The legacy of gambling harm can last a lifetime and be transmitted intergenerationally.

Identifying and addressing harmful gambling behaviour is challenging, especially with increasing accessibility and digitalization of gambling products and increased advertising. WHO recommends a comprehensive approach to gambling regulation that includes ending advertising and promotion, centralized account registration with binding loss limits, and other upstream efforts to prevent and reduce gambling harm. This requires multisectoral action and coordination among different agencies. The WHO Global Commission on Harmful Gambling was established to lead and coordinate a global response to this challenge.