Gambling consumption and harm: a systematic review of the evidence

Abstract

The total consumption model (TCM) postulates a close link between total consumption and levels of harm within the population, which has important implications for prevention. This review aimed to explore evidence relating to the application of the TCM and theoretical elements associated with it (i.e. the distribution of harms; the concentration of consumption) to gambling by reviewing evidence pertaining to the distribution of harms across the population; the concentration of gambling consumption; and evidence of the validity of the TCM in gambling. Systematic literature searches were performed using MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases, restricted to publications between January 1, 2010, and March 29, 2023. The search identified seven studies examining risk curves for gambling harm, of which only two employed continuous consumption measures. This nascent literature suggests mixed evidence for the relationship between gambling consumption (e.g. losses, frequency, expenditure, and expenditure as a percentage of income) and risk of harm. Five publications found that the concentration of gambling consumption was high among those experiencing gambling harms, with some evidence that spending is more concentrated for certain games (e.g. online casinos) than for others (e.g. lotteries). Finally, four studies assessed the TCM, suggesting close association between gambling consumption and problem gambling, lending empirical support to the validity of the TCM. However, robust evidence is nascent and further research is required to assess these relationships.

Gambling and financial harms: a multi-level approach

“…Financial difficulties related to gambling may also differ across socio-demographic characteristics. Gambling expenditure is highly concentrated at a population level (e.g., Kesaite et al, 2023). Those in the highest spending groups are more often male and have lower educational levels than those in lowest spending groups (e.g., Grönroos et al, 2021).…”