‘Wake up and take action’ says expert probe on health risks of commercial gambling

Key takeaways:

• An estimated 80 million adults globally experience gambling disorder or problematic gambling.
• Gambling is associated with harms like suicide, problematic substance use and domestic violence.

A new Lancet Public Health commission called for stronger policy and regulatory controls worldwide to reduce the impact of commercial gambling on public health and wellbeing.

Beyond the financial implications, the commission highlighted multiple health-related issues associated with commercial gambling. Notably, men appear more than twice as likely to engage in any risk gambling resulting in at least occasional development of related behavioral symptoms, according to the results of the commissions’ systematic review and meta-analysis on the worldwide prevalence of gambling participation.

“Most people think of a traditional Las Vegas casino or buying a lottery ticket when they think of gambling,” Heather Wardle, PhD, a professor at the University of Glasgow in Scotland and co-chair of the commission, said in a press release. “They don’t think of large technology companies deploying a variety of techniques to get more people to engage more frequently with a commodity that can pose substantial risks to health, but this is the reality of gambling today.”

The commission comprised a multidisciplinary group of experts in gambling studies, risk control, public health and global health policy, who concluded that gambling “poses a threat to public health” after reviewing literature on its global prevalence, harms and commercial determinants.

According to the analysis conducted by the commission, around 448.7 million adults globally experience any risk gambling, which is defined as an occasional experience of at least one adverse consequence or behavioral symptom from gambling. Among these adults, an estimated 80 million experience gambling disorder or problematic gambling.

The study also suggested that 15.8% of adults and 26.4% of adolescents who gamble using online casino or slot products could be at risk for gambling disorder, as could 9.8% of adults and 16.3% of adolescents who gamble using sports betting products.

The commission highlighted that gambling is tied to financial losses and ruin but also mental and physical issues like suicide, problematic substance use, domestic violence, family breakdown and the loss of employement.

“These harms might last lifetimes and have consequences that span generations,” they wrote.

The commission added that some groups may face an elevated risk for gambling disorders, which includes children and adolescents — who may be regularly exposed to the advertising of gambling products through ways such as video games — individuals who are socially disadvantaged and those in lower- and middle-income countries.

“Highly sophisticated marketing and technology make it easier to start, and harder to stop gambling, and many products now use design mechanics to encourage repeated and longer engagement,” Wardle said. “The global growth trajectory of this industry is phenomenal; collectively we need to wake up and take action.”

The experts called for effective gambling regulations in all countries, regardless of whether gambling is legally permitted. Such regulations include:

• the protection of youth from gambling by enforcing minimum age requirements;
• the regulation of gambling products proportionate to their risk for harm;
• effective consumer protection measures, like user registration systems; and
• measures limiting gambling consumption, like bet limits and an enforceable deposit.

Universal support and treatment for gambling harms, marketing and awareness campaigns and the reduction of gambling availability were also recommended in the report.

“While the industry continues to promote gambling as harmless entertainment, countries and communities are experiencing rapidly increasing threats from gambling harms,” Malcolm K. Sparrow, PhD, a professor of the practice of public management at Harvard Kennedy School, said in the release. “The Commission urges policy makers to treat gambling as a public health issue, just as we treat other addictive and unhealthy commodities such as alcohol and tobacco. We call for policy makers to make protection from gambling-related harms the primary and dominant regulatory focus, and to insulate the policy making process more effectively from industry influence.”

References:

• New Commission calls for regulatory reform to tackle the health impacts of the rapid global expansion of commercial gambling. Available at: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1062543. Published Oct. 24, 2024. Accessed Oct. 24, 2024.
• Wardle H, et al. Lancet Public Health. 2024;doi:10.1016/ S2468-2667(24)00167-1.