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Lived experiences of affected others: Qualitative research

Lived experiences of affected others: Qualitative research

Published
25 June 2026

Last updated
25 June 2026 - Changes

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  1. Contents
  2. Conclusions

Conclusions

Affected others are a group that has historically been difficult to reach and difficult to study. The accounts gathered here reflect that, and the willingness of participants to speak openly about experiences many have not previously articulated gives this report much of its value.

However, what comes through most consistently is a sense of being alongside something without being able to fully see it, name it, or act on it. This quality of gradual recognition, harm absorbed over time, and consequences that spread across relationships, finances, and health, connects the different relationship types and journey stages described in this report. It also helps explain why affected others are difficult to reach through conventional channels, and why so few seek formal support.

This report and the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) data are designed to be read together. Where the survey identifies patterns, this research helps explain them. Where qualitative accounts surfaced something less visible in the data, like the particular weight of chronic harm, the dynamics of entangled gambling, or the specific consequences of mobile gambling, they point toward questions worth pursuing in future data collection and research.

The recommendations in Implications and recommendations are offered as a contribution to the Commission's ongoing work in this area, not as a definitive account. The evidence base on affected others is still developing, and this research is one step in building it. The companion report, to be published in the coming months, takes the findings further into the support and treatment landscape. Together, they offer a more complete picture of affected other experience than was previously available, and the basis for continuing to develop the evidence, tools, and frameworks this group deserves.

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Lived experiences of affected others - Appendix A - Glossary of key terms
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