Children and gambling harms: Inequalities, vulnerabilities and risk factors

A striking statistic from a 2018 Gambling Commission report found that 55,000 children and young people in Great Britain, between the ages of 11 and 16, can be classed as having problems with gambling, with an additional 70,000 individuals in this age group being at risk of developing a gambling problem. In response to statistics such as these and growing research in the area, Alma Economics was commissioned by GambleAware to investigate the inequalities, vulnerabilities, and risk factors surrounding children and young people’s experience of gambling-related harms.

We utilised a Rapid Evidence Assessment approach to systematically search the academic and grey literature from the past ten years within Great Britain and other comparable countries. Our resulting report and evidence map provide a comprehensive overview of the evidence base, gaps, and areas for future research.

Key findings included that despite previous research on risk factors for gambling among children and young people, such as gender and peer influences, much less research exists examining the underlying structural drivers of these risk factors. The overview of the literature found a range of risk factors to impact on young people’s gambling habits, such as trauma and adverse childhood experiences, exposure of children and young people to gambling advertisements, and school-related factors (such as low grades and low satisfaction with school).

The findings are significant for informing intervention strategies to prevent or reduce gambling-related harms experienced by children and young people. At the heart of this was involving young people in discussions, education for parents and families, and using holistic and multi-disciplinary approaches to support addiction-related behaviours.

➥ Read the full report here.

➥ Explore our evidence map here.