Gambling is an activity in which a person stakes something of value on an event that is determined at least in part by chance, in the hope of winning a prize. The stake can range from a small amount of money to a life-changing jackpot. Some forms of gambling include games of chance, such as slot machines, roulette, and blackjack; sports events, such as horse racing and boxing; and lottery-type drawings. Some forms of gambling are legal, while others are not. Regardless of the form, it is important to gamble responsibly and within one’s means.

People gamble for a variety of reasons, including the thrill of winning money, socialising with friends, or as an escape from worries or stress. However, it is possible for gambling to become an addiction. This is referred to as problem gambling and can have negative effects on health, work, family relationships and finances. If a person has a problem with gambling, they should seek help. This can be through counselling, support groups or self-help tips.

The concept of pathological gambling and how it is regarded by clinicians has undergone a dramatic change. In 1980, when the first edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (called DSM) was published, it was considered to be a character disorder. By 1994, however, the term had been replaced with “pathological gambling disorder,” and current research into the nature of this problem has emphasized the psychological rather than character aspects of pathological gambling.

Understanding the factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of pathological gambling is central to the advancement of treatment strategies for this condition. Behavioral scientists have conducted extensive experimental work on the subject and have identified specific conditions under which behavior patterns of pathological gambling are established, maintained, and extinguished. This is a fundamentally new approach to the understanding of gambling disorders and has helped clinicians to develop more effective and individualized treatments.

Longitudinal studies provide researchers with a wealth of data that can be used to understand the onset and maintenance of normal and problem gambling behavior. These studies are ideally suited to investigating the complex interaction of risk, environment, and personal factors that influence an individual’s gambling participation. However, the practical and logistical obstacles to mounting longitudinal gambling studies can be substantial. These barriers can include the enormous funding required for a multiyear study; difficulties in maintaining research team continuity over time; and problems with sample attrition.

Despite these challenges, longitudinal research on gambling is becoming increasingly common and sophisticated. The use of longitudinal data allows researchers to compare a respondent at different times and to control for the effects of period differences on their gambling behaviors. Such research can also reveal the underlying causes of changes in gambling behaviors and may offer clues as to the mechanisms that underlie these changes.