While many people gamble safely, a number are harmed by their gambling behaviour, leading to significant health, social, and economic implications. It is, therefore, important to understand and monitor how people avoid excessive gambling. The Health Promotion Agency (HPA) works to increase awareness about gambling harm and supports communities to prevent and respond to harmful gambling. As part of this, HPA’s Health and Lifestyles Survey (HLS) monitors exposure to gambling harm and useful strategies to avoid potentially harmful gambling behaviour.
Methodology
Participants in the 2012 HLS were shown a list of strategies that can be used to avoid excessive gambling and were asked, "Which of these ways have you used to avoid gambling too much in the past twelve months?". Multiple responses were allowed. Analyses were restricted to those who had gambled in the past 12 months (‘gamblers’, n = 1,885). Responses were compared by problem gambling severity (non-problem gambler, low-risk gambler, moderate-risk/problem gambler), gambling behaviour (infrequent, non-continuous, continuous), number of gambling activities participated in, gender, age and ethnicity. When looking at the differences by gambling behaviour, number of gambling activities, gender, age and ethnicity we have controlled for problem gambling severity. This means that problem gambling severity is taken into account to ensure that any differences found are not due to the rates of problem gambling severity in each group.
Key Results
• Around 9 in 10 gamblers had not used any strategies in the past year to avoid excessive gambling.
• Of those who had used a strategy in the pastyear to avoid excessive gambling, the mostcommon strategy was setting a dollar figure before starting.
• Those gamblers most likely to have used at least one strategy in the past year to avoid excessive gambling had at least a low level of problem gambling risk, and had participated in continuous types of gambling and in a greater number of gambling activities.
• Around two-thirds of moderate-risk/problem gamblers had used at least one strategy to avoid excessive gambling.