Gambling Problems Affect More Than the Person Who Gambles

Gambling-related problems do not affect only the person who gambles. Family members, friends, colleagues and others in their social circle can also be affected.

In two new studies from Stockholm University, researchers have examined how common this is and how it is associated with health and wellbeing.

“Problem gambling affects so many more people than those who actually gamble, and we wanted to explore in greater detail how,” says Peter Wennberg, Professor at the Department of Public Health Sciences at Stockholm University.

More than one in ten are affected

In the first study, researchers analysed data from the 2021 national survey on gambling and health, which included 7,343 participants aged 16–84.
Overall, 11.1 per cent said that someone in their close social circle had experienced gambling problems during the previous 12 months.

The proportion was considerably higher among younger people. Among people aged 16–44, the figure was around 16 per cent, compared with 7.2 per cent among those aged 45–84.

Friends were the most common relationship, followed by family members and other close contacts, and then colleagues and fellow students.

People affected by someone else’s gambling problems reported mental health difficulties and risky behaviours more often than others. More than half of them reported moderate mental health problems, compared with 34 per cent of people who were not close to anyone with gambling problems. Risky gambling and risky alcohol consumption were also more common among several groups of affected others.

At the same time, the findings show that affected others are not a uniform group. The consequences associated with gambling problems varied depending on the relationship to the person who gambles.

“If we simplify it, it is of course about how close you are to the person who gambles and what level of support and assistance you may need,” says Peter Wennberg.

Some consequences can persist after the gambling addiction has ended

In the second study, the researchers used data from the Swedish Longitudinal Gambling Study (Swelogs) to examine how health, relationships and financial circumstances change over time. The study included 2,814 people who participated in both 2018 and 2021.

The researchers distinguished between people who had never been affected by someone else’s gambling problems, those who had been affected in the past, those who had recently become affected, and those who had been affected throughout the study period.

Those who had been affected by a close person’s gambling problems for a longer period experienced the greatest difficulties. Compared with people who had never been exposed, they were more likely to report mental health problems, suicidal thoughts, risky alcohol consumption, their own risky gambling, relationship conflicts, exposure to violence and financial problems.

People who had been affected in the past also reported elevated levels of financial problems, even though the exposure had ended. This suggests that some consequences can persist over time.

A broader public health issue

Taken together, the studies show that the consequences of gambling problems can extend far beyond the person who gambles. The researchers argue that gambling-related harms and problems should be understood as a broader public health issue that can affect people beyond the individual gambler.

Support services and public health interventions therefore need to include family members and other close contacts – including people who have previously been affected.

“Problem gambling creates ripples that affect a much larger group than one might initially think. This is also important to consider in clinical settings, so that family members and other close contacts receive the right support and sufficient help,” says Peter Wennberg.

Håkan Soold