Early exposure to gambling linked to harms –

This figure comes from GambleAware’s latest annual survey of harm among gamblers and their families. The report explored gambling-related issues, including whether gamblers were exposed to gambling in childhood and at what age.

The YouGov survey was conducted among 18,000 adults, representing the entire country. It found that 64% of adults who were severely harmed by gambling knew someone who gambled as a child.

In comparison, 25% of non-gamblers said they knew someone who gambled when they were younger.

The report found that troubled gamblers had the highest relapse rate, with 87% of those who had already experienced significant harm.

The study also found that 33% of adults who were severely harmed by gambling did not receive treatment services, with many citing stigma as the reason for this.

GambleAware has voiced the need to mitigate these biases in the past. In March, the charity awarded a new £350,000 research grant to a group of organizations investigating the subject.

early exposure to gambling

The report asked respondents how old they were when they were first exposed to gambling. About 6% said they had been exposed to gambling before the age of 5, and another 28% said they had been exposed to gambling between the ages of 6 and 11.

Additionally, the report found that 22% of people said they first gambled before turning 18, and about 16% said they made their first bet between the ages of 12 and 17.

According to GambleAware, a written response found that many considered their introduction to the activity a “tipping point.” Some say a hobby inherited from their family eventually led to toxic gambling.

GambleAware CEO Zoe Osmond said the group was “concerned about the normalization of gambling across society.”

“It is also important to eliminate the stigma associated with gambling, which is a major barrier to those seeking advice and support. We encourage you to come forward and talk openly.”

GambleAware Supports Statutory Dues

Last month, GambleAware, along with NHS England, announced their support for a statutory levy, a mandatory tax on a business’s income that pays for research, education and treatment programmes.

This levy is set to replace the current voluntary donations provided by the gambling industry and is one of the gambling white paper’s proposals. The White Paper, a Whitehall document released by the government in April, outlines plans to reform UK gambling laws.

This week, the NHS announced it would double the number of gambling addiction clinics in the UK. The company said this was in response to an increase in referrals.