UK study suggests problem gambling quadruples the risk of suicide among young people four years later

New research has shown how harmful gambling is clearly linked to a marked and long-lasting increase in suicide attempts among young people in the UK.

The study, by researchers at the University of Bristol, found that compared to someone who experiences no gambling harms, problem gamblers face triple the suicide risk one year later, and quadruple the risk four years on.

Researchers analyzed data from 2,801 people in the Children of the 90s study, which has followed the health and development of 14,000 pregnant women and their families since the early nineties, and which continues to follow their lives.

Lead author Olly Bastiani, Ph.D. researcher at the University of Bristol Translational and Applied Research Group, said, “This study tracked people from birth, meaning we could look at the long term impacts of problem gambling, and could rule out alternative explanations that hinder previous studies, such as that people might be drawn to problem gambling as a way of escaping pre-existing suicidal feelings.”

The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) is the questionnaire most commonly used to assess harmful gambling, with a score of eight and above indicating problem gambling. The future suicidality link was most stark among 20-year-olds, where there was a 20% increase in suicide attempts for every increment on the PGSI, meaning that those scoring eight and above experienced quadruple the rate of suicide attempts four years later.

Senior author Dr. Philip Newall, a lecturer in Psychology at the University of Bristol and world-leading expert in gambling harms, said, “The people in this study were growing up at a time when gambling was less accessible and visible than it is today. This shows that much more needs to be done to prevent the next generation from experiencing these gambling harms.”

Research shows one in five members of the UK population are currently being harmed—either directly or indirectly—by gambling, and up to 496 suicides are linked to gambling every year in England. A recent report estimated the economic costs associated with gambling harm to be £1.77 billion.

The researchers say these latest findings, published in the journal Addiction, highlight a pressing need for much more advice and support for young people at an early stage.

Dr. Newall said, “Gambling is a part of the government’s suicide prevention strategy, and these results help underscore the need for additional population-wide measures to prevent gambling harms, such as meaningful restrictions on gambling advertising.”