Gambling harms are the negative impacts that gambling can have on individuals, their families, and society. It’s a growing public health issue that leads to financial struggles, relationship breakdowns, and mental health challenges, often hitting the most vulnerable groups the hardest.
Most treatment, support, and gambling-related messaging are currently designed and tested with neurotypical individuals in mind. While research is beginning to explore how gambling harm intersects with broader inequalities, its effects on neurodivergent individuals remain largely under-explored
The lack of existing evidence in these areas underscores the urgency for further research, personalised communications and tailored treatment approaches.
Working together for GambleAware
In March 2024, GambleAware commissioned us at IFF, Dr. Amy Sweet (Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Bristol), Dr. Tim Morris (Senior Research Fellow at UCL and the University of Bristol), and Ara (a charity that provides drug, alcohol and gambling treatment services) to look into the relationship between gambling and neurodivergence.
The collaborative project consists of three phases, with each flexibly adapting to emerging insight from the phase before. An Advisory Panel with six experts, including both professionals and people with lived experience of neurodiversity and gambling harm, have been consultants throughout the process.
Two out of three phases have been carried out so far, with the third phase currently underway.
Uncovering layers of complexity
Phase 1 of the study mapped the landscape of neurodivergence and gambling through a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) and secondary analysis of data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort study.
This stage revealed how nuanced the relationship is between neurodiversity and gambling and the limited exploration on neurodivergent people’s experiences. Little is known about how gender, race, and class affect these experiences, or about neurodivergent identities beyond ADHD and autism.
The lack of social research limits how well existing evidence applies to the wider neurodivergent population. Many feel that clinical terms don’t reflect their experiences, especially those not yet seeking gambling treatment or without a formal diagnosis.
Insight from Phase 1 then informed our design of the research in Phase 2. Here we used in-depth interviews and a week-long online community with 45 neurodivergent participants to explore in more detail the nuance of their experiences with gambling, support systems and treatment. This really brought to light the complexity of shaping support for a diverse community – everyone experiences their neurodivergence differently and it affects their daily lives in various ways.
Developing practical solutions for better support
The third and final stage of this work is currently underway. It focuses on translating what we’ve learnt from Phases 1 and 2 into practice by developing and testing new tools for practitioners.
Ara are currently leading a working group of practitioners and academics to review and improve existing materials, identifying where new resources are needed. We will test Ara’s draft solutions in a workshop with the project’s Advisory Panel to ensure their professional and lived experience is captured in the final design, before resources are finalised for use. The ambition is for these resources to be shared with National Gambling Support Network providers to support their practice.
Key findings from Phases 1 and 2
Gambling behaviour:
- There were no consistent differences in gambling frequency between neurodivergent and neurotypical people. However, ADHD or autism may lead to more frequent gambling at certain ages, while dyslexia or dyspraxia generally leads to less frequent gambling.
- For many neurodivergent people who gamble, their earliest memories of gambling were positive and often linked from a young age to family traditions. Opportunities to bond with family members fostered feelings of excitement and inclusion, and a sense of ‘coming of age’ when they were old enough to take part themselves.
- For those whose gambling later escalated, triggers included social isolation, bullying and stress, with gambling providing routine, stimulation and escapism, particularly for people who are autistic of ADHD. Protective factors, such as strong social support, awareness of risks, and lower-risk behaviours, helped to mitigate this for some.
Experiences of gambling harms:
- Neurodivergent people are more likely than neurotypical people to experience gambling harm. In particular, those with ADHD or autism are twice as likely to face negative consequences compared to neurotypical peers.
- Traits associated with neurodivergence including impulsivity, hyperfocus, challenges in risk assessment, sensory sensitivities, and engagement in repetitive behaviours increase the risk of experiencing gambling harm. Co-occurring mental health conditions can also play a role.
- Financial strain experienced by neurodivergent people as a result of gambling often led to further harms, including relationship breakdowns and negative impacts on health, employment and education. However, experiences varied and not all neurodivergent individuals faced these challenges in the same way.
Improving treatment and support for neurodivergent gamblers:
- Barriers to seeking gambling treatment and support among neurodivergent people include lack of awareness or the belief that their gambling was not severe enough. Stigma also presents a barrier, particularly for men and those from culturally reserved communities who may find it harder to talk about personal struggles.
- Current gambling treatment and support services in Great Britain are largely designed for neurotypical people and present barriers to access for neurodivergent people who need them. These barriers include cognitive overload (where overwhelming amounts of information can lead to confusion or anxiety), impulsivity, and sensory sensitivity. Processing complex information, consistency struggles, long waiting lists, and lack of tailored services add to these challenges.
- Early screening of neurodivergent traits and behaviours (rather than diagnoses) would better enable support to be tailored to neurodivergent individuals’ specific needs, as well as helping overcome barriers to disclosure including stigma, lack of formal diagnosis, or difficulty articulating how their neurodivergence impacts them.
- Further, adapting existing communication, tools and resources to incorporate autonomy-supportive approaches was felt likely to improve the effectiveness of treatment for neurodivergent people by fostering independence, self-regulation and problem-solving skills. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), structured breaks, and clear signposting may further increase engagement with treatment and support, while including lived experiences in service design could boost accessibility and effectiveness.
- Neurodivergent people who gamble felt that prioritising simplicity, using sensory-friendly formats (including visual aids), offering flexible delivery options (including online or hybrid), using peer-led networks, providing supportive and non-judgemental environments, and ensuring staff are trained in neurodiversity awareness, would all help to remove barriers to engaging with gambling treatment and support.
The findings can be explored in more detail in the Phase 1 and Phase 2 reports.
Findings from the final phase of the research are due to be published later this year.
If you require support with your gambling or the gambling of someone close to you, help is available.
The National Gambling Helpline provides free, one-to-one confidential advice, information or emotional support about gambling across the UK, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Call the helpline on 0808 8020 133.