Purpose

Opportunities to gamble have boomed in England in the last 10 years. This project examines the incidence of gambling-related harm for adults at risk, focussing on: harmful gambling participation by adults at risk and perpetrators who commit crimes against or abuse or neglect adults at risk to fund gambling addictions. The project will identify current practice in dealing with gambling-related safeguarding concerns, with a particular focus on people with dementia, cognitive impairment and mental health problems as these groups are hard to identify in gambling environments and are at risk of experiencing gambling-related harm.

Timescale

2016 – 2017

Research team

Stephanie Bramley, Caroline Norrie and Jill Manthorpe (SCWRU)

Funding

Ridgeway Information Limited

Methods

A literature review has been published, providing an overview of what is known about gambling amongst adults with care and support needs, the impact of their gambling and to what extent gambling is a risk factor amongst those in a position of trust, such as carers or care providers. Interviews were undertaken with key informants and social care practitioners to explore how they manage incidences of gambling-related harm, the evidence concerning conditions where compulsive behaviour might arise, and the possible impact on gambling participation among adults at risk.

Findings

The literature review revealed some evidence about the nature of gambling participation by adults at risk and their experience of gambling-related harm. The evidence that gambling is a risk-factor for abuse, neglect and/or theft, comes mostly from international literature. Interviews with key informants revealed that some consider gambling-related harm as a public health issue, some have worked with clients experiencing gambling-related harm and some consider certain initiatives may have the potential to help reduce the risks of gambling-related harm as experienced by adults with care and support needs. Findings from practitioner interviews will be reported in 2017.

Impact

The project’s findings will advance the understanding of gambling participation among adults at risk and those caring for them or in positions of trust. The findings will improve stakeholders’ ability to identify vulnerable adults in gambling environments and therefore safeguard.

Outputs

A report containing the literature review was published in March 2017. Five journal articles reporting the findings of the project have been produced and findings were presented at conferences in 2017.

Report

Bramley, S., Norrie, C. & Manthorpe, J. (2017) 'The nature of gambling-related harms for adults at risk: a review', London: Social Care Workforce Research Unit, Policy Institute at King's College London.

Articles

Bramley, S., Norrie, C., and Manthorpe, J. (2019) 'Gambling Risks: Exploring Social Work Practitioners’ Experiences of Clients Presenting with Risks of Gambling-Related Harm', Practice. 10.1080/09503153.2018.1545015

Bramley, S., Norrie, C. & Manthorpe, J. (2018) 'Gambling-related harms and homelessness: findings from a scoping review', Housing, Care and Support, 21(1): 26-39.

Manthorpe, J., Norrie, C. & Bramley, S. (2017) 'Gambling and adult safeguarding: connections and evidence', The Journal of Adult Protection. 10.1108/JAP-03-2017-0014

Manthorpe, J., Bramley, S., & Norrie, C. (2017). Gambling-related harms and social work practice: findings from a scoping review. Practice: Social Work in Action. 10.1080/09503153.2017.1404563

Articles submitted

Bramley, S., Norrie, C. & Manthorpe, J. (under review). The nature of gambling-related harm for adults with health and social care needs: An exploratory study of the views of key informants.

Article in preparation

Bramley, S., Norrie, C. & Manthorpe, J. (in preparation). Safeguarding adults with health and social care needs from gambling-related harm: An exploratory study of the views of practitioners

Seminar

The Unit hosted a seminar on 18 October 2017 at King's, with presentations from academics, including the research team, and representatives from Betknowmore and GamCare. Report and presentations.

Presentations

Norrie, C. (2019) Presented evidence to Gambling-Related Harm All Party Parliament Group (APPG), London, 8 May at Portcullis House.

Norrie, C. (2018) ‘Gambling-related harm research and diversity’, Panel Speaker, National Responsible Gambling Conference, London, 5 December.

Norrie, C., Bramley, S. & Manthorpe, J. (2017) Taking a chance: gambling and social vulnerability in later life. Paper presented at the British Society of Gerontology Conference. Swansea, UK, 5-7 July.

Norrie, C., Bramley, S. & Manthorpe, J. (2017) Adults at risk and gambling:
how can the gambling industry help to safeguard this population? Rank Compliance Committee. Maidenhead, UK, 9 October.

Bramley, S., Norrie, C. & Manthorpe, J. (2017) Adults at risk and gambling:
Examining the nature of gambling-related harm for adults at risk. Presentation to be given at the Making Research Count ‘Gambling and adults with care and support needs’ Seminar. London, UK, 18 October.

Bramley, S., Norrie, C. & Manthorpe, J. (2017) Adults at risk and gambling:
how can the gambling industry help to safeguard this population? Presentation to be given at the Club Talk. London, UK, 9 November.

Manthorpe, J., Bramley, S. & Norrie, C. (2017) Gambling-related harm and people with dementia. Presentation to be given at the UK Dementia Congress. Doncaster, UK. 7-9 November.

Bramley, S., Norrie, C., & Manthorpe, J. (2018) Adults at risk and gambling: how can the gambling industry help to safeguard this population? Gambling Commission, Birmingham, UK, 22 January.

Norrie, C., Bramley, S. & Manthorpe, J. (2018) Adults at risk and gambling: how can the gambling industry help to safeguard this population? National Casino Forum, Vauxhall, London, UK, 9 February.

Manthorpe, J. & Norrie, C., Bramley, S. (2018) Adults at risk and gambling: how can the gambling industry help to safeguard this population? St Mungo’s, Tower Hill, London, UK, 12 February.

Bramley, S., Norrie, C. & Manthorpe, J. (2018) Gambling and mental health from the perspective of social work. International Gambling Conference 2018, Auckland, New Zealand, 14 February. [Stephanie Bramley wrote about the conference on the Unit blog]

Norrie, C., Bramley, S. & Manthorpe, J. (2018) Adults at risk and gambling: how can the gambling industry help to safeguard this population? National Casino Forum, Playing Safe Meeting, The Hippodrome, London, UK, 22 February.

Bramley, S., Norrie, C., & Manthorpe, J. (2018) Supporting older people experiencing gambling-related harm: Insights from practitioners, British Society of Gerontology Annual Conference, Manchester, 4-6 July.

Online articles

Bramley, S. & Norrie, C. & Manthorpe, J. (2017). Can Gambling Affect Vulnerable Adults? Liquid Personnel, Published 15 August.

Bramley, S., Norrie, C. & Manthorpe, J. (2017). How does gambling impact vulnerable adults? Community Care, Published 7 August.

Bramley, S. & Norrie, C. (2016). 'Gambling – a risky business?' Social Care Workforce Research Unit, Published 21 July.

Related projects at HSCWRU

• Can a ‘trigger’ question to identify gambling harms to individuals or affected others be validated and used in three local authority Adult services departments? [2021-23]

• Exploring “what works” in creating infrastructures and engagement methods for people with lived experience within public health, health and social care, and addiction research [2019-20]

• Gambling-related harm among recent migrant communities in the UK: responses to a 21st century urban phenomenon [2018]

• To what extent does GamCare initial assessment data provide insights into factors associated with help-seeking? [2019 - 2020]

• Gambling-Related Harms Seminar Series