Why should we talk to someone about their gambling harm when they have more pressing harms such as their housing status or substance use?

It is important to speak to someone about the harm gambling is creating in their life as their experience of gambling harm could be exacerbating other harms in their life or lengthening their exit from homelessness.

  • A person’s substance use could be heightening their gambling harm and their gambling could be impacting their substance use.
  • The financial harms they are experiencing from gambling may mean they are not able to pay their rent or bills.
  • It is harder to get a private rental or a mortgage if you have gambling transactions on your bank statements meaning that these pathways out of homelessness are blocked for some people.
  • Gambling harm exacerbates many of the physical and mental harms associated with someone who is experiencing homelessness.

7 impacts for the person experiencing gambling harm

  1. Reduced physical activity
  2. Poor overall wellbeing
  3. Increased stress, anxiety and depression
  4. Feelings of shame and stigma
  5. Impact on sleep
  6. Self harm
  7. Suicide and suiciality

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