Report
Insights into affected others from the GSGB
Insights into affected others from the GSGB
Adverse consequences experienced as an affected other from their own gambling
Since affected others who gambled were more likely to experience adverse consequences than affected others who did not gamble, as well as affected others more broadly, we explored what these consequences looked like in the context of their own gambling behaviour.
Types of adverse consequences experienced
Of those who were affected by someone else’s gambling, 30.1 percent also reported experiencing adverse consequences from their own gambling, whether those consequences were severe or potentially adverse. This represents 47.2 percent of affected others who reported gambling themselves.
The likelihood of an affected other who gambles reporting experiencing adverse consequences due to their own gambling increased with PGSI score. Of those reporting these consequences, 45.4 percent had a PGSI score of 8 to 27 (representing experiences of problem gambling): this included all affected others who had a PGSI score of 8 to 27.
Affected others who reported adverse consequences due to their own gambling were most likely to report health consequences, and similarly likely to relationship and resource consequences, as shown in Table 9.
Table 9 - Types of adverse consequences experienced by affected others due to their own gambling
| Type of adverse consequence | Affected others who have gambled in the past 12 months (percentage) | Affected others with PGSI 8 to 27 (percentage) |
|---|---|---|
| At least one potential or severe consequence due to own gambling | 47.2% | 100.0% |
| At least one health consequence due to own gambling | 37.5% | 96.2% |
| At least one relationship consequence due to own gambling | 33.7% | 92.3% |
| At least one resource consequence due to own gambling | 33.0% | 91.5% |
| At least one severe consequence due to own gambling | 13.0% | 49.2% |
| Used a support service due to own gambling | 14.6% | 49.5% |
The 5 most commonly reported consequences due to an affected other’s own gambling were the same as the 5 most commonly reported due to someone else’s gambling, though in different priority order. Reduced spending on everyday items became more prevalent as the second more common consequence, and feelings of embarrassment or guilt were reported more commonly than stress or anxiety, the opposite order to someone else’s gambling.
Consequences affecting resources saw the smallest differences in reporting due to one’s own or someone else’s gambling, including for severe consequences, with differences in reporting being at most 1.5 times larger for someone else’s gambling. Severe consequences affecting relationships saw the largest differences in reporting, with a breakdown of a close relationship being reported 2.7 times more often due to someone else’s gambling than due to one’s own, as shown in Table 10.
Table 10 - Adverse consequences experienced by affected others who have gambled in the past 12 months due to their own gambling and due to someone else’s gambling8
| Adverse consequence | Own gambling (percentage) | Someone else's gambling (percentage) |
|---|---|---|
| Embarrassment, guilt, shame (health) | 32.1% | 52.9% |
| Reduced spending on everyday items (resource) | 27.0% | 29.5% |
| Health problems, stress, anxiety (health) | 25.6% | 57.5% |
| Lied to hide extent of gambling (relationship) | 24.1% | 39.3% |
| Greater conflict or arguments (relationship) | 23.4% | 46.1% |
| Used savings or increased credit (resource) | 22.0% | 28.9% |
| Felt isolated (relationship) | 21.7% | 28.0% |
| Absent from work or poor performance (resource) | 17.4% | 22.1% |
| Borrowed money or sold anything (resource) | 16.3% | 25.0% |
| Relationship broken down (relationship, severe) | 8.1% | 21.5% |
| Lost something of significant financial value (resource, severe) | 7.4% | 8.4% |
| Committed a crime (resource, severe) | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Experienced violence or abuse (relationship, severe) | 5.2% | 13.4% |
References
8 Full wordings of consequences questions are available in the Methods section.
Adverse consequences experienced as an affected other Next section
Seeking help, support or information as an affected other
Last updated: 14 May 2026
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