GambleAware Report
A new report from GambleAware reveals that two-thirds of adults in the UK with gambling problems attempt to hide it instead of seeking help. The report, led by leading market research company Ipsos, was focused on looking at barriers adults face when opening up about problem gambling.
The report came after Safer Gambling Week, which is an annual industry-wide attempt to increase awareness of gambling-related harm. Overall, 4,207 adults from across the UK took part in the survey.
From the report, of those who said they were suffering from gambling addiction or gambling-related harm, only 36% of them said they had spoken to someone about their issues. The other 64% said they had not sought help, with 39% of those saying it was because they felt a stigma about doing so.
The study found that the key barriers identified as reasons not to talk were guilt, fear of judgement, or feeling they could handle the problem themselves. It also highlighted a delay for most people in seeking help.
Positive Results
There were also some positives to take away from the report. One of the best was the impact talking to people had on those who had done so. 76% of people who had spoken to someone said that they felt it had helped, while 63% said they wished they had done so sooner.
The biggest motivator for seeking help was the impact on mental health, with 23% saying that this was the main reason they reached out. This was closely followed by gambling having a negative financial impact, with 22% highlighting this.
Public Awareness
The study comes as part of a continued effort from GambleAware to highlight the impact of gambling harm on the public. Earlier this year, a survey in Scotland revealed that stigma was the biggest reason people didn’t want to seek help.
This led GambleAware to lead a more concerted effort to encourage people to talk about gambling harm and the impact it has. The government have also been actively involved in attempting to push this.
These reports come in what has been a year of change in the UK gambling industry. The launch of the White Paper earlier in the year has promised several major changes to the industry, with responsible gambling being highlighted as a key priority.
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