Exploring the links between gambling harm and neurodiversity

There is not a lot of research surrounding links between neurodiversity and problem gambling, but there is little doubt among those with lived experience of gambling harm that neurodiverse people are uniquely vulnerable to gambling addiction, writes Steve Hoare, Player Protection Hub Editor.

“Regardless of whether there is research on this or not, there is definitely a correlation between neurodivergence and gambling addiction,” highlighted Chris Gilham, a trustee at Gambling Harm UK, to an audience of experts in neurodiversity at a webinar organised by the Gambling Lived Experience Network (GLEN).

Gilham lived with a crippling gambling addiction from the age of 30 to 36-years-old. The gambling compounded a dependency on alcohol that sent him to rock bottom before he sought help. 

As someone who was never interested in gambling or exposed to it before he was 30, Gilham was baffled as to why he suddenly developed a gambling problem. 

It took him three years of recovery, hard work and long dark nights before he discovered that he had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and a related discovery of rejection sensitive dysphoria, a feeling of severe emotional pain because of a failure or a feeling of being rejected. 

Research papers conclude that between 25 and 30 per cent of treatment-seeking problem gamblers report ADHD. This seems like a huge percentage but one needs to be wary of such statistics. It might also be the case that between 25 and 30 per cent of people seeking any mental health treatment report ADHD. And it might be the case that 25-30 per cent of all gamblers report ADHD. 

Those with neurodiverse conditions such as ADHD or autism can find it difficult “living in a world that doesn’t cater to the likes of me”, as Gilham put it. This can mean a retreat from the real world to online to find solace.

“My head became quieter,” explains Gilham of his gambling addiction. “I found something I could focus on.”

While there have been a few research papers on the links between ADHD and problem gambling, University of Bristol Research Fellow Dr Amy Sweet says that she would like to see more research done into the links between autism or dyslexia and problem gambling.

“There are a lot of point-of-time studies,” says Sweet. “There has not been a lot of research done over longer periods of time.”

Addiction specialist Dr Alan Curley of University of West of Scotland agrees, adding that he would like to see longitudinal studies into whether children’s exposure to online video games leads to gambling. 

In the meantime, training for safer gambling teams and customer service staff could raise awareness of neurodiverse conditions and their links to gambling harm. Care needs to be taken with all problem gambling communications, none more so than in this most sensitive of areas.