Prevalence and Epidemiology of Gambling Harm

Summary

Research indicates that gambling-related harm is unevenly distributed, disproportionately affecting marginalized and disadvantaged groups. While prevalence rates for at-risk and problem gambling initially rose in exposed populations, they have recently plateaued despite overall declines in gambling participation.

Knowledge Gaps

• Lack of longitudinal data on how shifting digital gambling landscapes impact long-term prevalence trends across diverse socioeconomic demographics.

Concerns

The plateauing of prevalence rates despite lower participation suggests that the intensity of harm per gambler may be increasing.

Proposed Theories

• The 'Intensity-Harm Hypothesis': As gambling becomes more digital and rapid, the harm per individual participant increases, decoupling total participation rates from public health burden.

Sources