The hidden harms of gambling

Gambling harm is often invisible, and this is why it can get overlooked by people without first-hand experience. It’s not just the empty bank accounts or mounting debts—it’s the frayed relationships, sleepless nights, and the quiet despair consuming someone's world.

Understanding the complex harms caused by gambling, particularly through the lived experiences of those affected, is crucial for creating effective policy solutions.

By focusing on human stories and addressing both the systemic factors that fuel addiction and the tactics used by gambling platforms, we can better support individuals in their recovery and prevent further harm across society.

Impact

• Knowledge discovery: used artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse a large volume of online forum posts about gambling harms, group common themes, and bring human experiences to the narrative
• Policy impact: created evidence and curated lived experiences to inform policy changes to improve systemic issues around gambling addiction.

Key information

• Disciplines: business
• Investigators: Dr Simon van Baal

Keywords: gambling, stigma, AI analysis, psychology, relationships, policy solutions