Exploring the relationship between gambling behaviour, suicidality, and treatment and support

About the study

The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) was funded by GambleAware to conduct an exploratory mixed-method study into the way in which different types of gambling, demographics, contextual factors and experiences of stigma affect suicidality and access to treatment and support. This research included two strands: a nationally representative survey of people who gambled, conducted in October 2024 and consisting of 11,646 respondents, and qualitative interviews with people with experience of gambling harms and suicidality (suicidal ideation and/or attempt), and with stakeholders involved in the provision of treatment and/or support for gambling. It has explored whether and how different types of gambling relate to suicidality, the influence of demographic and contextual factors on this risk, and treatment and support experiences of those affected, including critical points for intervention. The research aims were:

1. To understand whether and how different types of gambling behaviours affect suicidal ideation or behaviour.
2. To explore whether and how the risk of suicidal ideation or attempt (among those with experience of gambling harms) is influenced by demographic or other contextual factors (e.g., feelings of stigma, presence of other associated mental health problems).
3. To explore effective interventions for people experiencing suicidal ideation and/or attempt and gambling harms. This includes:
   1. Examination of the critical points of intervention where individuals with experience of gambling related harms choose either to seek or not seek support and/or treatment for suicidal ideation and/or attempt.
   2. Exploration of risk and protective factors and the interplay between them which can influence the effectiveness of treatment for gambling or suicidal ideation.

Findings 

Our research had the following key findings: 

• Overall, one in five (22%) people who reported high levels of problems with gambling (PGSI 8+) had attempted suicide in their lifetime, and most of this group (66%) linked their latest suicide attempt to gambling.
• We identified from interviews that efforts to stop or reduce gambling could be a high-risk point for experiencing suicidality. While some participants highlighted that stopping gambling had a positive effect on their mental health, others experienced negative impacts on their mental health and suicidality. Participants related this to the continued urge to gamble after deciding to stop and feeling defeated if they did restart gambling after periods of not doing so.
• We found that identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual or another sexual orientation, or having a disability were associated with an increase in the odds of lifetime experience of suicidality among people who gamble.

Our research produced the following key recommendations for service provision:

• Suicidality should be considered a potential co-occurring experience among all those experiencing gambling harms.
• Services supporting people with gambling harms and/or mental health should ensure that dual-screening and assessment is undertaken for both gambling harms and suicidality.
• People experiencing gambling harms and suicidality are likely to have complex and unique support needs which may necessitate being addressed holistically, and long term.
• It is vital to support continued efforts to address stigma and discrimination related to both gambling harms and suicidality.
• Suicidality as a result of gambling harms should be considered more broadly as a public health priority.

Methodology

A survey was conducted in October 2024 with 11,646 respondents who were sampled from YouGov’s online panel. The survey included questions on gambling experiences and patterns of gambling participation, experiences of suicidality, gambling stigma and experiences of treatment and/or support. 
The qualitative portion of our research included interviews with stakeholders and people with lived experience of gambling harms and suicidality. Six interviews with stakeholders were conducted between December 2024 and February 2025. Interviews aimed to gain insight into the relationship between gambling harms and suicidality and focussed on gambling behaviours, risk and protective factors for suicidality, factors related to treatment and support, including barriers and enablers, the role of gambling and suicidality related stigma. 

12 in-depth interviews were conducted with people who have experience of gambling harms and suicidality, taking place from May to August 2025. Interviews included the creation of a timeline of gambling experiences, gambling harms, and suicidality. Participants were also asked for their views and perceptions of factors that protect or put them at greater risk of experiencing suicidality, the role of gambling and suicidality related stigma and experiences of treatment and/or support.