Research on the social impacts of gambling

Reith, G (2006) Research on the Social Impacts of Gambling, Final Report

This substantial study by Dr Gerda Reith of the University of Glasgow reviews international research evidence as well as British research on gambling and casinos. You can read the full report or find a summary of its main conclusions below:

• Understanding of the social impacts of gambling is limited by a serious lack of high quality research
• Problem gambling is said to affect between 0.6% and 0.8% of adults in Britain
• Single males under 35 years old are most at risk and their gambling problems often co-exist with alcohol and/or drug problems
• Poorer people suffer the most, as they cannot afford losses from gambling
• Within this context, electronic gaming machines are the biggest threat, as they are the most available and accessible
• Casino users tend to be from higher economic groups and are better educated
• Casinos are very unpopular with lower income groups
• Research has found that proximity to casinos increases rates of problem gambling in the local population. The location of a casino within 50 miles of an individual's home can double the prevalence of problem gambling
• Casinos do not increase per capita crime but total crime may increase, because of an increase in visitors to an area and potential population growth
• Specific types of crime, such as burglary, seem to increase while violent crime and most street crimes do not
• Fear of crime increases
• 'Resort' and rural casinos tend to present the lowest social costs because the majority of their customers come from outside the immediate area
• Studies in Australia, New Zealand and the USA have shown that the prevalence of problem gambling has remained static or declined with the advent of casinos
• Prevention and treatment schemes work