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GambleAware has outlined which types of gambling pose the highest risks of harm in a new report.
The gambling harm prevention charity commissioned Bournemouth University to conduct research exploring the relative risks of harm associated with different types of gambling.
This included land-based electronic gaming machines, online casino games, loot boxes and the National Lottery draw.
Zoë Osmond, CEO of GambleAware, commented: “No form of gambling is completely without risk. However this new research shows that there are some particular types of gambling which can lead to an increased chance of experiencing gambling harm, which can have a corrosive effect on people’s lives, finances, careers and relationships.”
The research found that land-based electronic gaming machines in bookmakers and casinos and online casino games, which both offer the possibility of quick rewards and a fast pace of play, were associated with the highest level of risk.
Meanwhile, usage of electronic gaming machines was the biggest predictor of someone going on to experience future gambling harms and those using land-based electronic gaming machines were found to be over 10 times more likely than average to be experiencing ‘problem gambling’ while those using online casino games were four times more likely than average to experience harm.
Osmond continued: “The research also brings into question some of the measures outlined in the Gambling White Paper such as relaxations in land-based gambling , which could lead to an increase in electronic gaming machines in venues, and having different online slot stake limits for those aged over 25 – we believe people over 25 should have the same lower limits as those who are younger.
“The report suggests the measures do not go far enough to protect people. This is why we are calling for the recommendations in this report to be adopted as they will help ensure that people can be better protected.”
The charity emphasised that more restrictions are needed on the availability and design of electronic gaming machines, on online casino games, to focus on responsible design, as well as for gambling operators to continue to develop and enhance systems to provide personalised support for online customers displaying signs of risk indicators.
Furthermore, loot boxes, which often feature in games aimed at children, can ‘blur the lines’ between gaming and gambling, and were also found to carry risks.
In the study, 50% of people who use loot boxes in computer games are at any level of risk.
Those who used loot boxes exhibited a high likelihood of experiencing ‘problem gambling’, as using them inherently increases the risk due to their accessibility, immersive nature, and the blending of gaming and gambling environments.
In looking at the National Lottery draw, an estimated 600,000 people experiencing ‘problem gambling’ were found to be using the National Lottery draw, while 500,000 people experiencing ‘problem gambling’ use scratch cards.
The report recommended that the National Lottery should signpost people to support services such as GambleAware, to help any lottery players who may be experiencing gambling harms.
Dr Ruijie Wang, from Bournemouth University, explained that the research was designed to explore the risks of harm from different types of gambling in the context of regulatory changes that were proposed within the UK government’s Gambling White Paper.
He added: “The results highlight the need for more stringent gambling regulation, particularly in online slots and land-based electronic gaming machines due to their high risk of harm to young adults.
“More regulation is also needed to limit gambling-like practices in video gaming, such as loot boxes, to individuals aged over 18 years as the interaction between video gaming and gambling should not be ignored.”
