Conducted by Dr Anne Stangl, Triantafyllos Pliakas and Mariana Siapka, “Building Knowledge of Stigma Related to Gambling and Gambling Harms in Great Britain” analyzed evidence on stigma, discrimination, and gambling from 54 individual studies and nine review papers from 19 countries.
The report examined the development of stigma associated with gambling harm and recommended strategies to reduce it.
For researchers and those working on gambling harms, the report recommended using person-first language to emphasize that gambling disorder is a mental disorder rather than a label or identity.
The report suggested avoiding stigmatizing terms and using language such as “person with a gambling disorder” instead of “gambling addict” or “problem gambler” to reduce negative associations and blame.
It also highlighted that existing studies often use stigmatizing language, contributing to the perpetuation of stigma around gambling.
The report noted that gambling stigma is similar to stigma around other health conditions like mental health, drug and alcohol use, cancer, obesity, and HIV. Therefore, it recommended involving people with lived experience of gambling harm in training and research, as well as raising awareness among healthcare professionals about gambling stigma.
Training healthcare professionals on how to address gambling-related stigma and support individuals facing stigma was also recommended.
The report emphasized the need for prioritized programs and policies to prevent or mitigate gambling harms, particularly in light of the high prevalence of gambling in Great Britain.
GambleAware will use the report’s recommendations to fund further research on people’s lived experiences of stigma, impacted communities, and potential solutions to tackle stigma.
They also plan to strengthen their public health campaigns to raise awareness of gambling harms and encourage people to seek help.
