Our first network webinar of 2023 was on 30 March, and focused on ‘Gambling and Gender.’

Speakers highlighted research around who participates in gambling, drivers of women’s participation, as well as the stigma experienced by women who experience harm from gambling.

Professor Sharon Collard (University of Bristol)
Sharon introduced new research findings on the role of gambling in women’s lives. This piece of work identified some of the factors that trigger escalation to harmful gambling, including industry practices and poverty. It also identified 6 principles of good support for women around gambling:

1. Use language that resonates
2. Provide personalised support
3. Make support easy to access (e.g. low commitment, flexible hours)
4. Make support free or affordable
5. Make support inclusive
6. Ensure support is non-judgemental (e.g. reassure about privacy and confidentiality)

A report on the evidence review around women’s experiences of gambling and harm is available now.

Lisa Walker & Leanne Downie (Betknowmore UK)
Lisa and Leanne shared their experiences of harmful gambling and the profound impact that had on their lives. Each of them described feeling that support services were ‘male spaces,’ despite the importance of having those spaces.

Their insights and experience helped them to develop the New Beginnings womens-only support programme, which provides digital support sessions for groups of women. The service is also informed by their own and external research, such as their report on Treatment & Support Services for Women Experiencing Gambling Harms.

Professor Agnes Nairn (University of Bristol)
Agnes shared findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) on gambling and the impact of COVID-19. She highlighted some surprising findings, including that a father’s harmful gambling predicts a daughter’s harmful gambling at age 21, and a mother’s harmful gambling predicts a son’s harmful gambling at age 21.