Exploring the relationship between inequality and gambling harms

Harm from gambling poses a significant public health challenge in Great Britain. Historically, gambling harm has been viewed as an individual, clinical issue, with research focusing on individual or behavioural drivers and treatment. However, the last decade has seen a shift towards a public health perspective, recognising the need to tackle the intersecting social, cultural, economic, and environmental factors which interact to increase the risk of these harms. Key to this task is understanding the impact of societal inequality on gambling harms. 

The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) recently conducted six scoping reviews focused on understanding rates and drivers of gambling harms, as well as barriers and facilitators to treatment and support among communities in Great Britain (and in comparable contexts) who are subject to disproportionate marginalisation and social exclusion. 

Across varied communities (ranging from older people, to people with experience of migration, to people living with disabilities) our study identified several common drivers for gambling participation – which can lead to gambling harm. This included: 

• The use of gambling as a mechanism to cope with difficult emotions or experiences (including mental health challenges or stress related to the process of migration / acculturation, unemployment / challenges relating to job security and conditions, homelessness, discrimination, or poverty);
• Gambling being a form of entertainment or a way to create social connections through gambling alongside others, when experiencing isolation or boredom (for example, reducing loneliness/isolation related to experiences of migration, racial discrimination, homelessness or mental health challenges, as well as changes to day-to-day routines due to retirement or leaving prison);
• Gambling / gambling venues being perceived as accessible and inclusive when compared to other options for social connection or entertainment / stimulation which excluded people from these communities (due to physical mobility / health, language barriers etc);
• The perception of gambling as a way to increase income (linked with low incomes / pensions, and financial responsibilities – such as caring for dependents in another country).

These factors are leading to higher levels of gambling participation and gambling harm among some communities and emphasise the need to understand and approach gambling harms at a societal level. 

From our findings, it is clear that to understand drivers of gambling harm, it is essential to also understand society in Great Britain – and the consequences of structural inequality, social exclusion, discrimination, and criminalisation.