Study: UK gambling harm research “struggling to keep pace” with sports betting

A new study by King’s College London has suggested in-play betting, instant depositing, cash out and mobile wagering can all increase the likelihood of gambling-related harm.Researchers from the Policy Institute at King’s College London were commissioned by Action Against Gambling Harms (AAGH) to conduct a study to understand current available evidence around gambling harms.Four key aspects were examined; gambling on sport, economic cost, gambling by children and gambling by women. Researchers found a “real lack” of empirical research into gambling-related harm in each of the respective areas.The study suggests research may be “struggling to keep pace” with advances in gambling on sport, particularly in respect of online betting and daily fantasy sports (DFS).“Much of the evidence is on the relationship between sports gambling and problem gambling among sports bettors,” the study explained.“This evidence tends to point to a positive association between betting on sports, including online and via fantasy sports or DFS, and problematic gambling. The evidence on wider harms associated with sports betting appears to be much scarcer.“Qualitative studies point to the potentially problematic features of online sports gambling, such as instant depositing, cash out features and in-play betting, and gambling via mobile apps.“This research suggests that these features can increase gambling frequency and problem gambling behaviour, and increase the risk of harms,” researchers wrote.The relationship between gambling advertising and sport, which is currently in the spotlight as part of the Gambling Act 2005 review, was also examined.The study found that the promotion of sports betting could be particularly harmful for existing problem gamblers and can also raise awareness of gambling among children.“We also did not identify any studies exploring the impact of interventions to prevent or mitigate the harms of sports gambling, which may point to an additional area for future research,” the study concluded.Researching economic costs, academics found only one piece of UK research which looked at the cost of implementing gambling-related harm initiatives to the public purse.The research identified was limited in that it only covered areas where problem gamblers come into contact with support services.Researchers discovered there was very little evidence of how gambling can affect children in the UK, with the report calling for more longitudinal studies, which track exposure to gambling over time.An historic male bias was identified by researchers when it came to gambling harm, with gambling often seen as a male issue.The study identified relevant research conducted by organisations Australia, New Zealand, Canada and mainland Europe into gambling harms experienced by women but highlighted a clear gap in terms of UK research and evidence.The study suggests UK research into gambling harm lags behind other nations, and that increased funding for research should be provided in order to plug these gaps.Reflecting on the study’s findings, AAGH CEO Seema Kennedy OBE said: “This important study shows how much we still don’t know about gambling and its effects on British society.“We hope that these findings will galvanise research institutions and policymakers into commissioning further work to fill the gaps,” she added.To read the full report, click here.