New research by Bournemouth University’s (BU) Gambling Research Group has revealed the harmful risks that different types of gambling can have on young people.
It’s part of a report published today by the independent charity GambleAware which commissioned BU to conduct research into the effects of different types of gaming environments.
Led by BU’s Dr Ruijie Wang, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, the Gambling Research Group project team members included Dr Ala Yankouskaya, Dr Emily Arden-Close, Dr Elvira Bolat, and Professor John McAlaney.
The research involved secondary analysis on combined datasets from the Annual Great Britain Treatment and Support (T&S) Survey.
The dataset involved over 40,000 participants who gamble across the Great Britain over the course of three years.
Data was collected and analysed on the demographics, motivation, behaviour and risks associated with 17 different types of gambling devices including physical gambling machines, online casino games, betting on sports, horse and dog racing, loot boxes, and the National Lottery draw.
The key findings from the report included:
- 76% of people using physical gambling machines and online casino games experienced ‘problem gambling’
- Young adults aged 18 to 34 years old predominantly used gambling machines at bookmakers or gambling in casinos compared to older adults of 55 years old and above. Both activities show a strong association with the likelihood of experiencing ‘problem gambling’
- ‘Loot boxes’, often found in video games aimed at young people, blurred the line between gaming and gambling. Half of loot box users displayed some level of gambling risk
- The National Lottery draw has a wide reach, with an estimated 600,000 people experiencing ‘problem gambling’ using the draw and 500,000 using scratch cards also experience ‘problem gambling’
- Engaging in multiple gambling activities significantly increases the risk of gambling harms
Dr Ruijie Wang said: “The results highlight the need for more stringent gambling regulation, particularly in online slots and physical gambling machines due to their high risk of harm to young adults.
“More regulation is also needed to limit gambling-like practices in video gaming, such as loot boxes, to individuals aged over 18 years as the interaction between video gaming and gambling should not be ignored.”
Zoe Osmond, CEO of GambleAware said: “This research shows some forms of gambling, particularly electronic gaming machines and online slots, pose severe risks.
“Regulatory measures outline in the UK Government’s Gambling White Paper must go further to address these issues and protect individuals from harm.”
The report calls for more restrictions on the availability and design of physical gambling machines, including reducing the number of machines in venues, slowing spin speeds, lowering stakes and implementing mandatory breaks.
Other recommendations included implementing additional protective measures in online casino games and restricting access to gambling-like practices such as loot boxes for individuals under 18 years old.