Report
Measuring gambling-related harm: Validating a summary metric of potential adverse consequences
Examining whether reporting one or more potential adverse consequences from gambling provides a valid population-level indicator of gambling-related harm.
Results
The sample consisted of 12,194 participants who had gambled in the past 12 months. Of these, 11.7 percent reported ‘one or more’ potential adverse consequences.
Two-fifths (41 percent) of participants who reported ‘one or more’ potential adverse consequences, reported only one (Table 1). The most frequently reported consequences were ‘reducing or cutting back spending on everyday items’ (55 percent), ‘lying to family or others’ (50 percent), and using savings or increased use of credit (50 percent).
Table 1: Number of consequences reported among those with ‘one or more’ potential adverse consequences
| Number of potential adverse consequences | Percent of participants with 'one or more' potential adverse consequences |
|---|---|
| 1 | 41 |
| 2 | 17 |
| 3 | 8 |
| 4 | 7 |
| 5 | 11 |
| 6 | 17 |
Unweighted base: Participants reporting ‘one or more’ adverse consequences from gambling (N=1,119). Note: Base excludes participants who did not give valid responses to all 6 questions about potential adverse consequences.
Health and wellbeing
Participants who reported ‘one or more’ potential adverse consequences from gambling had significantly poorer mental wellbeing (as indicated by lower Short Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS) scores) than those who reported no adverse consequences (Table 2). They were also twice as likely to say they had thought about, or attempted, suicide in the past year (20.9 percent compared with 10.4 percent), and were more likely to rate their general health as ‘bad’ or ‘very bad’, compared with those who did not report adverse consequences from gambling (9.1 percent compared with 5.1 percent).
Table 2: Health and wellbeing among participants reporting no potential adverse consequences, and those reporting ‘one or more’ potential adverse consequences from gambling. Includes participants who had gambled in the past 12 months.
| Variable | No adverse consequences | One or more adverse consequences | Significance test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean SWEMWBS score (Standard Deviation) | 25.3 (4.7) | 22.6 (5.4) | Significantly different |
| Suicidal ideation (percentage) | 10.4% | 20.9% | Significantly different |
| Self-rated general health: Bad and/or Very bad (percentage) |
5.1% | 9.1% | Significantly different |
| Base size (unweighted)† | 10,976 | 1,126 | N/A |
Demographic characteristics
Participants who reported ‘one or more’ potential adverse consequences from gambling were significantly younger than those who did not report adverse consequences (mean age 41 years, compared with 50 years) (Supplementary Table S1). The prevalence of ‘one or more’ potential adverse consequences was highest among males (14 percent compared with 9 percent of females), people from ethnic minority backgrounds (28 percent compared with 9 percent of White participants), those living in lower-income households (15 percent compared with 8 percent of people in higher-income households), and those who do not hold an educational qualification (16 percent, compared with 10 percent of those with an educational qualification).
Gambling behaviours
Participants who reported ‘one or more’ potential adverse consequences scored higher on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) compared with those who did not report adverse consequences from gambling. They also engaged in a greater number of gambling activities in the past 4 weeks (Table 3), and were more likely to have taken part in all gambling activities except for lottery draws (Supplementary Table S2). The largest differences were observed for participation in casino games (23 percent compared with 3 percent), fruit and slot games (27 percent compared with 6 percent), and event betting (16 percent compared with 1 percent). Both online and in-person gambling participation rates were higher among those who reported ‘one or more’ potential adverse consequences (Supplementary Table S2).
Table 3: PGSI score and past-four week gambling activity, among participants reporting no potential adverse consequences, and those reporting ‘one or more’ potential adverse consequences from gambling. Includes participants who had gambled in the past 12 months.
| Variable | No adverse consequences | One or more adverse consequences | Significance test (p<0.05) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median PGSI score (inter-quartile range) | 0 (0 to 0) | 4 (1 to 9) | Significantly different |
| Median number of gambling activities played (inter-quartile range) | 1 (1 to 2) | 2 (1 to 4) | Significantly different |
| Base size (unweighted)† | 10,976 | 1,126 | N/A |
Associations with health and wellbeing after controlling for demographic characteristics
Follow-up regression analyses showed that associations between ‘one or more’ potential adverse consequences and poorer health remained significant after controlling for age, sex, ethnicity, education, and household income. Regression outputs are provided in supplementary material (Tables S3 to S5).
References
† Base excludes participants who did not respond to one or more of the questions.
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Discussion - Measuring gambling-related harm: Validating a summary metric of potential adverse consequences
Last updated: 16 July 2026
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