GambleAware awards grants to investigate gambling injury discrimination

The findings of the study will be reported next year.

NatCen and the University of Wolverhampton will investigate how stigma impacts on people affected by gambling harm.

The charity and grant-making body GambleAware has awarded £350,000 to the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and the University of Wolverhampton to conduct research into the impact of stigma and discrimination on people affected by gambling harms. The study will explore how people with gambling addictions are stigmatised and discriminated against in society by healthcare providers, charities, communities and families, the media, and the gambling industry itself. The researchers will also examine which communities are most affected by stigmatisation and why. The study will include people with gambling addiction who also suffer from challenges such as drug use, anxiety, depression, or homelessness. The study aims to identify potential interventions, services, campaigns, and policies that could challenge stigmatisation, with findings expected next year.

GambleAware chief commissioning officer Anna Hargrave noted that there was limited research in this area and that stigmatisation can cause additional mental health problems and make people feel ashamed and socially excluded. The report highlighted that people from minority ethnic communities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities are at higher risk of experiencing gambling harms. The study found that the reasons behind this increased risk included factors such as higher levels of unemployment and financial hardship, a lack of culturally appropriate support services, and social isolation. The report called for more targeted prevention and treatment services to address these issues.

The study conducted by Ipsos UK and ClearView Research found that the rate of gambling harm among gamblers from minority backgrounds in the UK was 42 per cent compared to 20 per cent for white British gamblers. That contrasts with a lower gambling participation rate among minority groups of 31 per cent compared to 48 per cent for white British people.

The study found that 18 per cent of gamblers from minorities used gambling as a coping mechanism to deal with challenges and difficulties in life, which is three times more than white British people (6 per cent). They were also more likely to find it difficult to limit gambling activity despite wanting to. Additionally, the study found that they were slightly less likely to seek formal support.