Just Ask is here to answer your questions about gambling. Use this resource to gamble responsibly or determine if your habits might be problematic.
©2024 Minnesota Department of Human Services
Gambling takes on many forms, making it easy to develop a habit while overlooking potential risks. Unlike skill-based recreational activities, gambling is all about chance and, usually, financial loss. While it doesn’t always lead to serious consequences, it’s important to understand the signs of problems. Here are eight major types of gambling:
Sports betting is a growing trend, with an increasing number of states choosing to legalize it. While it has a wide range of participation, young men make up the largest portion of this betting population. The rates of problem gambling associated with sports betting are nearly twice as high as those with general gambling.
Buying a lottery ticket is as easy as buying a pack of gum, and this accessibility can be difficult to resist. Since the odds of winning are remarkably slim, most tickets purchased are just wasted money. Yet the thrill of winning with an instant scratch-off or entering a drawing with a big payout can become a habit that drains your money over time.
Lots of Minnesotans enjoy pull tabs, and the money supports local charities. Like a scratch-off lottery ticket, a pull tab instantly reveals your winnings, whether a paper or digital ticket. But being relatively inexpensive, pull tabs can take you well past fun and into financial trouble. Gambling to support a cause is one thing, but if your goal is making money, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.
With their buffets, top entertainers, and colorful, interactive gaming opportunities, casinos are popular social destinations. These spaces are designed for gambling, with a wide range of options including slot machines, blackjack, and poker. For some, the allure of a casino can lead to compulsive problem gambling, as well as other related issues, like anxiety, depression, and even suicide ideation.
Poker is a card game played in small groups, where the player with the best hand wins a sum of money. It involves mainly luck and some strategy that can be learned, but it still poses a high likelihood of losing money. People who are deeply involved in this type of gambling have an exceptionally high risk of developing harmful gambling-related tendencies.
Played in a group setting, bingo is a game based entirely upon chance, where each player receives a card with a grid of numbers. As hopefully matching numbers are announced at random, the goal is to be the first to complete a row and win a prize. While playing bingo typically has fewer risks than other forms of gambling, it can still become detrimental to family dynamics and finances, leading to large losses.
Aside from poker and blackjack, several other card games are played in casinos or among recreational social groups, including rummy and Texas Hold ‘em. Because of the social nature of card games, this type of gambling can quickly turn into a pattern, creating the possibility of financial losses that add up over time. Understanding these facts and risks can help you make informed decisions and monitor your approach to gambling. If you need support, confidential help is available.
One of the oldest types of sports, horse racing, has been a popular form of entertainment and gambling since early recorded history. Yet the excitement of going to the racetrack can be more than just a social outing. For many, it’s an affordable way to gamble on a regular basis, but since you can repeatedly place bets with a very small amount of money, that habit can quietly become a gambling problem.