Irish problem gambling rate of 0.3% likely to be “underestimated”

A new study has suggested there are at least 12,000 problem gamblers in Ireland, with the figure highly likely to be underestimated.

In research commissioned by the Irish Department of Justice and conducted by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), it was established that problem gambling is causing serious harm in the country.

The research noted that around 12,000 adults in Ireland have been classified as problem gamblers, with a total 125,000 highlighted as being at risk of problem gambling.

Based on these figures, at least 0.3% of the population are suffering from gambling-related harm, with a further 0.9% at moderate risk and 2.3% at low risk.

Researchers found that problem gambling is more prevalent in young men, those with addiction and mental health issues and people in disadvantaged communities.

However, the study suggested that the problem may be far greater than the data relayed, as researchers were forced to concede the methods used to measure problem gambling are “likely to underestimate it, perhaps substantially”.

The research has been released ahead of the largest changes to regulation in Ireland since the 1950s.

New measures including the introduction of a regulator, the Gambling Regulatory Authority, and a ban on advertising and VIP schemes are set to shakeup the market.

The government has confirmed it also commissioned the ESRI to conduct a second study focused on measuring the extent of problem gambling, with results expected later this year.

The two studies will then be used to inform future policy decisions and ensure measures are evidence-based.

Anne Marie Caulfield, incoming CEO of Ireland’s new Gambling Regulatory Authority, said: “A critical function of the new Gambling Regulatory Authority will be to create greater awareness of problem gambling and the supports available to those that need assistance.

“If we are to successfully tackle problem gambling we need to know the extent of the issue and how it is impacting on people’s lives,” she added.

ESRI Behavioural Research unit head Professor Pete Lunn, one of the researchers who conducted the study, called on authorities to increase the scope of research in order to gain a better understanding of Irish problem gambling.

“There is an urgent need for better research to more accurately measure the number of problem gamblers and what can be done to reduce it,” Lunn said.

“Based on current evidence, we are pretty sure that the true extent of the problem is hidden from public view, along with some of the forces behind it. We are currently planning research designed to change that,” he added.