Single mum-of-two bravely warns of gambling effects on families, as new data reveals those most at risk of falling into gambling harm

• As the new football season gets underway, a single mum-of-two warns of the risks of gambling addiction and encourages people to reach out before “lives become so fractured”. 
• Men are twice as likely to bet over what they had planned than women, and people in lower income households most likely to hide the amount bet or lost when gambling. 
• Young people are more easily influenced into betting than older demographics. 
• MoneyHelperOpens in a new window can support with financial wellbeing and wider money issues caused by gambling, and organisations such as GamCare support the individual and families affected by the addiction. 

In a survey of 2,180 UK adults, new data on gambling habits have been revealed. The survey looked at gambling influences, betting more than planned, and hiding bets.

It was found that nearly one in five (18%) of those aged 18-44 hide the amount bet or lost at least some of the time from friends or family members, in comparison to just 3% of those aged 45-74.

This is a concern for younger demographics, as lying or hiding the truth around betting is a sign that someone is coming into gambling harm.

The polling also showed that people living in households with an income of less than £9,500 have less control over their bets, as 21% say they “often” or “sometimes” bet more than planned, with no other household income bracket reporting similar results.

And it is men who are more likely to be drawn into gambling than women, with one in five men (20%) saying that watching live sport on TV influences them to place a bet, as opposed to nearly one in ten (9%) women.

As the new football season gets underway, MaPS wants to raise awareness of the potential financial harm of sports gambling.

Single mum of two, Nicola Jaques, is just one person who has been affected by the impact of gambling harms, as her ex-husband struggled with the addiction. She bravely shares her story to raise awareness of the risks that can accompany gambling.

“With my ex-husband being in the army”, Nicola says, “it was easy for him to hide his bets and cover heavy losses.

“His gambling escalated quickly, starting with online betting and moving into sports, particularly those that change quickly, such as tennis.

“There was never a paper trail, and he was using multiple accounts to hide what he was doing. It wasn’t until he made first bet made on the joint account that I knew. By that time, his addictive gambling had already created a lasting devastating impact on our family.

“His gambling addiction resulted in me and my two children losing our home and our relationship broke down because he didn’t want to stop.”

Nicola now works for Beacon Counselling Trust (BCT), a gambling and mental health charity in the North-West, who not only support the people who have come into gambling harm, but their families who have also been affected.

“Since working at BCT I've learned that so many people facing gambling harm don’t seek support until their lives become so fractured. I want people to know that you can get help before it gets to that stage.

“Before you reach the point of losing your home or your relationship breaks down, make sure to seek help.” 

MoneyHelperOpens in a new window, by the Money and Pensions Service, is a consumer-facing service to help anyone with financial problems caused by gambling.  

MoneyHelper can support people affected by gambling to find debt advice, budget, get on top of bills, and help families separate or protect household finances if someone they love is causing money problems because of a gambling addiction. 

For more specific support related to gambling harm, organisations such as GamCare offer more tailored advice.

Kathy Wade, Money Guidance Service Manager at GamCare says:

“Gambling poses significant risks such as financial distress and mental health issues, and young men are particularly vulnerable.

"GamCare is committed to supporting those experiencing harmful gambling, including our Money Guidance Service which provides one to one to support with budgeting.

"We urge anyone struggling to call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133”.

Jackie Spencer, Head of Money and Pensions Policy at the Money and Pensions Service says:

“We want everyone to be able to enjoy all sporting events safely and without coming to financial harm from gambling.

“For those struggling with their finances due to gambling, it’s crucial that you reach out early to specialist organisations such as GamCare. 

“MoneyHelper is also a great service when it comes to managing your money, providing free independent guidance to everyone, including those in vulnerable circumstances and most in need of help.”  

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• Watching live sport is the largest influence on gambling for younger people. More than one in five (22%) of those aged 18-44 saying this encourages them to place a bet. 
• Men are more than twice as likely to hide the amount bet or lost at least some of the time. 13% of men hide the amount bet or lost at least some of the time, compared to 6% of women. 
• Men are more than twice as likely to “sometimes” bet more than planned than women (12% men vs 5% women). 

• This survey was conducted among a nationally representative sample of 2,180 people aged 18+ between 22/05/2024 and 05/06/2024.  
• Interviewing was conducted using a mixture of several online research panels. This means the interview was a self-completion exercise making it easier for people to answer honestly about sensitive topics.
• The questions on gambling in this survey were developed with the assistance of GamCare, but they were not involved in the running of the survey or processing of the data.