Over 10 Million People Have Sought Help For Gambling

A systematic review, published in the scientific
journal Addiction,
has found that globally one in every 400 adults has sought
help for gambling problems.

This
review is the first to estimate the global prevalence of
help-seeking for gambling problems, by synthesising data
from government surveys around the world.

Dr Simone
Rodda, Associate Professor in Psychology
and Neuroscience at the AUT
School of Clinical Sciences and co-author of the review,
says ‘our study shows that most people with gambling
problems will not ever access treatment
services’.

“The rates of help-seeking in Aotearoa
are similar to global estimates, which means that we can do
much more to ensure that gamblers have accessible,
convenient and relevant help when they need it,” says Dr
Rodda.

Although the worldwide prevalence of serious
problem gambling is estimated at 0.1–5.8 percent, only 0.2
percent of the adult population has sought help. These
findings reveal a considerable need for help among those
experiencing problems related to gambling.

Dr Rodda
and colleagues are already working to address this gap by
developing online screening and easy to use self-help tools
in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and service
providers, including the Problem Gambling Foundation and
Salvation Army.

Online tools are important if we are
going to support people to reduce gambling harm, she
says.

In addition to establishing the global
prevalence of help-seeking, the review also found that
help-seeking was greater among people with higher gambling
severity. Around one in five people with problem gambling,
and one in 25 people with moderate-risk gambling, had sought
help.

Gambling is increasingly recognised as a major
international public health concern and many countries now
offer help for gambling problems, including professional
treatment, non-professional help and self-help.

“The
challenge is to make sure this help reaches the people who
seek it. A public health approach to gambling problems
should be grounded in strong evidence of what people
currently do to reduce their gambling harm,” says Dr
Rodda.

“Help-seeking includes any action taken to
change gambling behaviours. The first step for someone with
a problem might be to talk to someone you already know and
trust, like a friend or your GP. There is also free
professional help available in New Zealand.”

Dr
Rodda is a social scientist who heads a research program
exploring the prevention and early intervention of
behavioural addictions. She is the founder of the Change
Strategies Project which investigates implementation
planning and goal setting for reductions in gambling,
alcohol, internet pornography, internet gaming, sugar, and
caffeine.

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