Family members and partners of people with gambling disorders can face a lot of difficulties. Difficulties can include health problems and addictive behaviours. They can also include conflicts that come up between family members or partners and those with gambling disorders. This review summarized previous research findings on the impact of gambling disorders on families and partners. The authors searched for articles that were published before February 15, 2021. Articles had to be written in English and published in a peer-reviewed journal. A total of 101 studies were included in this review. This review found that family members and partners of people who gamble are more likely to gamble themselves. Family members and partners of people who gamble also have more addiction-related behaviours. There are also more conflicts among families and partners of people who gamble. In families where at least one person gambles, there is higher risk of violence and abuse. Finally, gambling problems can cause physical and mental health problems for family members and partners of those who gamble.
