Link between wellbeing and gambling harms deeper than thought
Published: 3 September 2025
New research gives a deeper understanding of the impact of gambling harms on emotional wellbeing – both on the individual and their loved ones
New research gives a deeper understanding of the impact of gambling harms on emotional wellbeing – both on the individual and their loved ones.
Research undertaken by the University of Glasgow as part of the new Policy Research Unit in Addictions shows that the link between poor emotional wellbeing and gambling-related harms extends further than previously thought.
It finds that people with a partner experiencing gambling-related harms tend to have poorer emotional wellbeing themselves, and that their wellbeing levels are substantially worse when their partner’s experience of gambling-related harms are more severe.
To date, related research has focused on the individual experiencing harms and not the wider impact on their families.
Sarah Tipping, who led the research, said: “Research and policy haven’t really focused on the wider impacts that gambling can have, despite people who have experienced gambling-related harms highlighting the devasting consequences of gambling on their families. We now see a strong association between poorer emotional wellbeing and living with someone experiencing gambling harms, with evidence that emotional wellbeing is lower still among those whose partners are experiencing more severe gambling-related harms.
“This highlights how the harms from gambling extend from individuals to those close to them, meaning the circle of influence is wider than is often understood.”
A second study found that people who experience relatively low levels of gambling harms also have poorer emotional health and wellbeing than those who gamble but experience no harms.
Sarah added: “This research shows that even those who are displaying what we think of as lower levels of gambling harms, still have lower levels of wellbeing. Raising awareness and understanding of these issues is vital if we are to ensure that the right support and interventions are in place.”
Both studies used data from the Health Survey for England and Scottish Health Survey. These large-scale national health surveys collect a wide range of information about health, including mental health and emotional wellbeing, gambling behaviour, and gambling harms.
Gambling harms were measured using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), a robust and validated tool that measures behavioural symptoms and certain adverse consequences from gambling, that is used extensively to measure the impact of gambling harms, both in the UK and internationally.
First published: 3 September 2025