A UK Government publication has provided estimates that the direct financial cost of gambling harm to the country’s coffers and society in England was worth in the range from £1.05 billion and £1.77 billion. The Government officials involved in the publication further noted that the actual scale of the gambling-related harm is likely higher than the aforementioned estimates because of the limited available data.
The review was carried out by Public Health England (PHE) as part of the response made by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to a consultation regarding the proposals for changes to social responsibility measures and electronic gaming machines requirements back in 2018. It provided an estimate that 0.5% of the adult residents of the country are experiencing problems with their gambling habits, and 3.8% are exposed to the risk of developing a gambling problem.
In addition, about 7% of British adults have been negatively affected by someone else’s gambling, no matter if it came to a friend or a member of their families.
In its evidence review, Public Health England has been aiming at acquiring more information about prevention and treatment actions. The organisation has used a mixed method approach, including qualitative, quantitative and rapid review methodologies.
A combined Health Service England (HSE) study for England, Scotland and Wales found that 4% of the country’s population was experiencing gambling harm at some scale. In comparison, a 2020 YouGov survey reported that 13% of the UK’s adult residents were experiencing gambling addiction and gambling-related harm. As mentioned above, the latest publication of Public Health England claims that number is more likely to be actually closer to the estimate provided by the HSE but, because of the insufficient and limited data, the exact number may be underestimated.
People who are residing in more deprived areas, are suffering from health problems, are unemployed, are not satisfied with their life and well-being, or show symptoms of any psychological health problems, are considered to be exposed to the most serious risk of suffering some negative consequences of gambling-related harm. As far as children and young people from 11 to 16 years of age are concerned, the number of underage individuals who take part in gambling is getting lower. Unfortunately, gambling participation rates increase in the higher age group.
Long-Term Studies Are Needed to Find Evidence of Moderate or High Factors for Gambling-Related Harm
According to public health and problem gambling experts, the lack of long-term studies did not make it possible for the review to find any evidence of moderate or high-confidence risk factors associated with gambling addiction, because even some top-notch meta-analyses of factors held after Public Health England completed its review found they were heavily dependent on cross-sectional data.
The review found a number of risk factors regarding children and young people, analysed them and ranked them into three groups – a high degree of confidence (which includes being a male, impulsivity, experiencing depression, and substance abuse), a moderate degree of confidence (including problem gambling, violent and anti-social behaviour, peer influence and poor academic performance), and moderate confidence they are not risk factors for future harmful gambling (including the age when gambling started and current age, religion, women won and/or lost, mental health problems, disproportionate attention, and violent behaviour).
According to the majority of evidence gathered, British gamblers face a wide range of gambling-related harm, with some evidence showing harm to close associates. Only a very limited number of case studies suggest that harm is being inflicted on society as a whole. On the other hand, people with learning disabilities or migrants may experience worse gambling-related harm, surveys say.
- Author
Olivia Cole
