New Gambling Harms TV Ads Targeting Women Air

Gambling Harm in Women Doubles in Last 5 Years

You may have seen the ads on TV recently where one woman is so consumed with playing bingo and games on her phone, she is totally oblivious to what is going on around her. The television is on, the dog wants attention and the family are yearning for some interaction, but nothing. These ads are part of a new campaign by GambleAware to warm women about the dangers of problem gambling after a recent study revealed almost one million women in the UK could be at risk from gambling harms.

The first-ever harms prevention campaign specifically aimed at women highlights three key warning signs:

• Losing track of time
• Spending more money than you can afford
• Keeping gambling a secret from family and friends

Number Crunching Time:

But why now? New statistics revealed activity on websites popular with women peaked during the winter months with traffic up by 29% compared to the rest of the year. The ads aim to get women talking and to highlight the unique stigma and challenges women experiencing gambling harms may face. Stats show as many as 2 in 5 (39%) may not get help or treatment due to stigma such as feeling ashamed or embarrassed or for simply not wanting people to know they gamble.

 Zoë Osmond, Chief Executive of GambleAware, said:

“We are launching this new gambling harms prevention campaign at a time when there may be up to a million women at risk of gambling harms. Our research shows women may not be aware they are starting to experience harm from gambling or, may be worried about reaching out for support due to stigma or shame.”

While those with a gambling problem are typically male, the number of women treated for gambling related harm has doubled in five years going from just over 1,100 to almost 2,500 in 2020/2021. A study carried out by Finder in 2019 revealed the most popular type of gambling in the UK was the National Lottery with 30% of Brits taking part. Gambling and lotteries account for 13%, scratchcards 10%, sports betting 7% and those choosing to play slots came in at 4.2%. Playing bingo accounted for just 2.9% of the population.

Osmond continued: “That’s why our campaign highlights the warning signs to look out for, so we can support women who gamble and prevent them from developing gambling harms. Anyone concerned about their gambling, or that of a loved one, can visit BeGambleAware.orgfor free, confidential advice and support, or The National Gambling Helpline is available on 0808 8020 133 and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

There are many things we can all do to help reduce that risk. First and foremost…

…we should all be utilising responsible gambling tools that are at our disposal. From deposit limits (daily, weekly and monthly) to session times, stake limits to game freezes, all of these are there to help us stay in control of our gambling and to keep it fun and safe. Further restrictions include a time-out and self-exclusion. To stop gambling completely, certain banks offer a freeze on gambling transactions and PayPal does too!

Source: “Up to One Million Women in Great Britain at Risk of Gambling Harms”. GambleAware. January 28, 2022.