GambleAware questions the effectiveness of self-directed means of preventing gambling harm

GambleAware has published a report exploring the effectiveness and uptake of self-directed tools and strategies intended to mitigate gambling harms. 

Time limits, deposit limits, spend limits, self-exclusion and blocking tools, as well as educational resources would all fall under this definition. 

The report and its findings build on the idea that despite the utility and necessity of these tools, their full potential in treating and preventing problem gambling currently remains unfulfilled. 

GambleAware commissioned the report, which was carried out by the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) alongside Bournemouth University. 

The report is split into three clear phases, one of which is yet to be completed.

First was a scoping study, which sought to understand the consensus of various pieces of academic and grey literature on the target subject matter.  

This led on to an exploratory phase of primary research, elucidated in this latest report, which consisted of 2,000 survey respondents and 30 interviews, all using participants who were looking to manage, reduce or halt their gambling activity. 

The results of this exploration have been surmised with four key findings. 

The topline is that such people – generally the target of these tools and strategies – often do not, in fact, see themselves as the intended audience or user.

There also seems to be less awareness and understanding of the more informal self-directed strategies than more formalised tools. 

Certain demographic factors also were shown to have an impact on what type of tools were more frequently used to combat problem gambling – for instance, ethnicity and gender.

Finally, it would appear that self-directed tools and strategies are more effective when they promote a gradual method of lowering gambling activity, as opposed to an abrupt cold-turkey approach. 

The findings of this study will be used to help define a set of solutions, which will be published as part of the ‘Final Synthesis’ report.