GambleAware raises concerns over children’s exposure to gambling behaviour at home

The charity says up to 1.65 million children grow up in households where an adult experiences gambling problems.

UK.- The industry-backed grant-making body GambleAware has raised concerns over the number of children living in homes where an adult has gambling problems. It reported that data from its Annual GB Treatment and Support Survey suggest that up to 1.65 million children are growing up in such a situation.

Conducted by YouGov, this year’s survey provides data for the first time on the legacy harms of gambling among those who have suffered from problem gambling. It identifies 7 per cent of the adult population as “affected others” – people who are negatively affected by another person’s gambling. That equates to 3.6 million adults. Women were more likely than men to be affected (8 per cent compared to 6 per cent).

To understand more about the impact on households, new questions were included this year to investigate the age at which someone was first negatively affected by gambling. Responses showed that one in five (19 per cent) of affected others reported being first negatively impacted by someone’s gambling behaviour when they were under 18 years old.

The survey estimated that of those with gambling problems, 58 per cent had children in their household and that 4.74 million children are affected by someone else’s gambling.

The quantitative survey of 18,178 people found that some 2,135 respondents had a PGSI score of 1+, meaning that they experience some level of problems with gambling. Follow-up interviews were conducted with 30 respondents. On a monthly basis, the study estimated that 47 per cent of people (about 24.2 million adults) participate in gambling.

Gamble Aware said: “To tackle gambling harm for anyone at risk of impact across Great Britain, GambleAware has reiterated its call for a robust national prevention strategy, including increased regulation on gambling advertising such as mandatory health warnings, and a public health approach that incorporates prevention, early intervention, effective treatment, and aftercare.”

CEO Zoë Osmond said: “The figures published today in our Treatment and Support Survey highlight the impact of the normalisation of gambling across society on individuals, families, and communities. 

“The research shows a concerning link between early exposure to gambling at a younger age and the risk of harms in later life, and for the first time shows the lasting impact legacy harms can have. Gambling harms can affect anyone, which is why it is so important that we break down the stigma associated with it and encourage people to come forward and talk about gambling harm.

“This is why we are calling for a more strategic government-led approach, greater investment in prevention and treatment programmes to address gambling harm in Great Britain, and increased regulation of gambling advertising.”

Earlier in the month, GambleAware published the findings of a study into the gambling behaviour of people from marginalised communities. Conducted by The National Centre for Social Research, the report suggests such groups may use gambling as a coping mechanism.

The study compiled data from 138 previous studies on people who experience or are at risk of homelessness, older people, people with disabilities, neurodiversity or mental health challenges, criminalised communities, and vulnerable migrants, such as asylum seekers. In all cases, it was suggested that the groups are more likely to use gambling to cope with other difficulties caused by social exclusion or discrimination.