Report
Understanding the adverse consequences of gambling: the role of gambling activity
The Gambling Commission's report on gambling activity and demographic differences in risk of adverse consequences.
Conclusion
This analysis builds on our previous research which showed that adverse consequences from gambling were most prevalent among males, younger adults, people from ethnic minority backgrounds, and those living in lower-income households. We examined whether demographic differences in susceptibility to adverse consequences could be explained by past 4-week gambling activity. Our analysis focused specifically on participation in casino games, fruit and slots, and online instant-win games.
Findings suggest that participation in these higher-risk activities helps to explain why some people are more likely to experience adverse consequences from gambling. In particular, the increased prevalence of adverse consequences among male participants, compared with females, was fully accounted for by past 4-week participation in casino games and fruit and slots. Furthermore, engagement in higher-risk gambling activities significantly contributed to the increased risk observed among younger participants, those from ethnic minority backgrounds, and people living in lower income households.
Casino games, fruit and slots, and online instant-win games share characteristics such as rapid and continuous play, near-misses, and high event-to-event variability in outcomes. These characteristics may encourage sustained engagement and riskier patterns of play, and could therefore help explain why participation in these activities contributed to the increased risk of adverse consequences observed among higher-risk groups. In addition to game-specific features, our research demonstrates the role of wider social and cultural factors that may contribute to the development of gambling-related harm. Notably, participation in higher-risk activities did not fully explain the increased prevalence of adverse consequences among younger adults, ethnic minority participants, and those living in lower-income households. This suggests that the heightened vulnerability of these groups extends beyond the type of gambling they engage with, and may reflect wider social circumstances and financial pressures.
This analysis extends our previous report, Understanding the adverse consequences of gambling, by examining whether demographic differences in people’s risk of gambling harm can be explained by differences in past 4-week gambling activity. Overall, we found that participation in higher-risk gambling activities, particularly casino games, fruit and slots, and online instant-win games, helped explain why some groups are more likely to experience adverse consequences from gambling. While differences in engagement with these activities fully explained the elevated risk observed among men, they only partly explained the higher prevalence of harm among younger adults, people from ethnic minority backgrounds, and those living in lower-income households. Future research is needed to explore the extent to which wider contextual factors, such as financial pressure, stigma, and barriers to support, contribute to the heightened risk of adverse consequences observed in these groups.
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Last updated: 6 July 2026
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