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Social factors encompass both interactions among individuals and their collective co-existence. All spheres of human activity are shaped by interactions between social structure and individual agency. Social factors span interpersonal relationships at the 'micro' level of social relationships, and the environmental and cultural groups of factors at the 'macro' level of social structures and institutions. Social factors are important in shaping how commercial gambling is made available to individuals in different societies, and how individuals who develop difficulties with their gambling are viewed and treated by others. Social factors are also important in shaping attitudes and beliefs about different types of gambling, as well as about harmful gambling and the best ways to prevent or reduce harm.
The interpersonal aspects of social factors encompass the relatively stable relationships that people form with each other in social contexts such as a family, peer group, workplace, or neighbourhood. In such contexts, individuals are aware of and affected by each other's actions. Over time, relatively stable patterns of interaction evolve, and are perceived by those involved to be guided by explicit norms and values. Social and interpersonal relationships have an ongoing influence on people of all ages, but are particularly important in the socialization of children and youth.
Features of social and interpersonal relations constitute risk factors for harmful gambling in many ways. Close relationships with others who gamble regularly can lead people to gamble more than they might otherwise do on an individual basis. These close ties can also interfere with an individual's efforts to reduce or end gambling activity. Conversely, close relationships with others who gamble very little can positively influence people and protect them from developing gambling-related problems. However, for people who enjoy gambling, close relationships with others who gamble very little can be a source of conflict and stress.
Humans are social beings but maintaining interpersonal relations requires mental and emotional energy. Much gambling takes place in the company of others, but social interaction in these settings may be quite restricted and formalized. For example, slot machine and bingo players may sit next to each other while playing but only interact occasionally. If players do engage, it is typically only in relation to the game rather than in more wide-ranging social discussion.
This kind of limited interpersonal contact is appreciated by individuals who wish for some company but do not want to engage intellectually or emotionally with other players. They may already have problems handling interpersonal relations in the family, with friends, or at the workplace; gambling is thus a form of escape that can be exaggerated. Alternatively, individuals may long for genuine interpersonal closeness but lack the social skills to achieve it. This may create a "vulnerability to seeking solace in addictive quasi-social behaviours such as gambling" (Porter et al., 2004).
In this section, we will focus on social factors: social demographics, family and peer gambling involvement, education systems, neighbourhood, stigmatization, and deviance. Generally speaking, the strength of evidence for the links between social factors and levels of harmful gambling is not very high. The strongest evidence relates to social demographics and the role of family and peers in influencing gambling involvement. Evidence related to the role of the education system, as well as to neighbourhoods, stigmatization, and deviance is much less robust.