The Royal College of Psychiatrists is not primarily concerned with gambling as such but only in so far as in certain circumstances it may result in financial, social and psychological disturbance to the gambler and/or the family. For practical purposes, these effects are usually associated with heavy gambling.

As a District Community Physician I am interested in two particular areas. Firstly, the management of resources to improve services to patients, and secondly, the prevention of ill-health. In broad terms within the field of psychiatry these correspond to community psychiatry and social psychiatry. Community psychiatry is sometimes used interchangeably with social psychiatry, but the term is best used to signify the applied practice at the community level and especially the programmes for maximizing the resources of the community towards providing direct services for those in need (Bernard, 1964; Sutherland, 1971).