What is gambling?
Gambling is when you bet something of value on an outcome of an event, with the desire to win something of more value. You don’t know if you will win or lose.
Examples of gambling:
- lottery tickets and raffles
- scratch tickets and instant games
- slot machines
- bingo
- online or in-person casino games
- playing cards or dice for money
- sports betting or pools
- betting with friends
All forms of gambling contain an element of luck. Slot machines, for example, require no skill and are solely based on luck, whereas table games, such as poker or blackjack, require a degree of skill, as well as luck.
Many people believe inaccurate information about gambling and odds. Gambling is not a moneymaker and it is far less likely that you will win big than you may think.
Being informed is important for safe gambling.
The Health Unit would like to thank Dr. Jeffery Rosenthal, Professor of Statistics at the University of Toronto for assisting with the comparative odds included in this campaign. Dr. Rosenthal is the author of Struck by Lightning: The Curious Work of Probabilities and Knock on Wood: Luck, Chance, and the Meaning of Everything.
This campaign is done in collaboration with the Community Counselling Centre of Nipissing.