Reports
Author(s): Humankind Research
Publisher: Gambling Commission
Year Published: 2026
Date Added: July 31, 2026
Resource Type: Research report
This research report explores the experience of affected others of people who struggle with gambling in Great Britain. The national gambling regulator, the Gambling Commission, had Humankind Research conduct interviews with 25 affected others. The study provides context for data from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB). The GSGB found that 9% of adults in Great Britain are identified as affected others. Interviews examined what being an affected other means in day-to-day life, its development over time, the role of gambling environments, relationship dynamics, and the reasons affected others rarely seek help. Findings include:Affected others experience harm in several areas of life (e.g., health, financial, and relationship), rather than only one.Experiencing harms usually starts before affected others learn about the gambling behaviour, partly due to how hiding gambling digitally is easier than being present at a gambling venue.Safer gambling tools require the person who gambles to set them up and maintain use of them. Affected others often only learn about safer gambling tools at a crisis point.Less than 20% of affected others seek help, since many people do not see their own experience as harm and they are not aware of available supports.
This research report explores the experience of affected others of people who struggle with gambling in Great Britain. The national gambling regulator, the Gambling Commission, had Humankind Research conduct interviews with 25 affected others. The study provides context for data from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB). The GSGB found that 9% of adults in Great Britain are identified as affected others. Interviews examined what being an affected other means in day-to-day life, its development over time, the role of gambling environments, relationship dynamics, and the reasons affected others rarely seek help.
Findings include:
