In this study, the researchers looked at whether having gambled in the past year and being at risk of gambling-related harm were linked to psychological distress among adults in Great Britain. The researchers analyzed data collected from 1,987 adults aged 18 or older through a nationally representative household survey. Participants answered questions about their sociodemographic characteristics, gambling behaviour and risk of gambling-related harm in the past year, psychological distress in the past 30 days, and other health-related factors.
Participants who had gambled in the past year were no more likely to experience psychological distress compared to those who had not gambled. However, distress was more common among those at any risk of gambling-related harm relative to those with no risk. This difference became smaller after accounting for factors such as mental health history. The findings can inform policy and prevention efforts that are tailored to groups at higher risk for gambling-related harm.
