Whether it is betting on a football game, horse race or lottery, gambling involves risking something of value (money or other goods) on an uncertain outcome. It is an activity that often triggers feelings of euphoria and excitement in the brain, linked to neurotransmitters such as dopamine. It is a form of entertainment for some people, but can also cause harm to health and relationships. People may become withdrawn or depressed, lose a job or school performance, become dependent on others for money and even commit suicide because of their gambling activities. Harms are increasing as gambling becomes more widespread.

WHO is helping governments respond to the negative impact of gambling and its potential to impede progress toward sustainable development goals. This includes coordinating a group of global experts to build capacity to address public health implications and facilitating an expert consensus on diagnostic instruments for gambling disorder. WHO is also documenting the lessons learned from jurisdictions that have effective gambling regulatory systems, and distributing these findings, particularly to low- and middle-income countries where commercial gambling activity is growing rapidly.

Gambling is often a commercialized activity, with sponsorship or other associations with popular sports and cultural events, colocation of gambling products in social settings, and aggressive promotion through media and other channels. This normalization increases uptake of gambling products and drives the increase in harmful behaviours associated with them. This can be countered by implementing universal pre-commitment schemes (requiring those who wish to gamble to set binding limits of time and money spent) and self-exclusion systems, as well as strict regulation of advertising, promotions and access to gambling services.