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The extent of in Ireland is likely being substantially underestimated and gamblers are being “lulled” into spending money on complex, unlikely bets, a new paper has said.
The ESRI’s Behavioural Research Unit has found that while recent data states tens of thousands of people in Ireland are at risk from problem gambling, the methods used to reach that conclusion likely underestimate the problem.
The ESRI was commissioned by the Department of Justice and the implementation team behind Ireland’s first gambling regulator to conduct the research. It found that problem gambling is more prevalent among young men, people in disadvantaged communities, and those with addiction issues and mental health problems.
Pete Lunn, head of the Behavioural Research Unit, said: “There is an urgent need for better research to more accurately measure the number of problem gamblers and what can be done to reduce it.
“Based on current evidence, we are pretty sure that the true extent of the problem is hidden from public view, along with some of the forces behind it. We are currently planning research designed to change that.”
Previous research found 12,000 adults here were recorded as problem gamblers, with many having difficulty perceiving their own gambling problems and recalling how much they have spent gambling.
Messages around “gambling responsibly” are unlikely to be effective based on current evidence, the ESRI said.
It notes throughout its report that further research is needed to understand the extent and severity of problem gambling in Ireland, and its impact.
“The evidence is reasonably strong that increased advertising leads to increased gambling behaviour,” the research said.
“The literature on gambling advertising highlights a number of issues that may be of particular concern from a PG perspective.
“These issues include the demographic targeting of advertisements, the offering of financial incentives to bet, complex bets, and the effectiveness of ‘responsible gambling’ messaging.”
In a section discussing so-called loot boxes in video games, where players can spend money on randomised chances to get high-value content in a game, such as getting a Messi or an Mbappe in Fifa’s Ultimate Team mode, the review says regulation may be called for to prevent young people and adults with problem gambling from being exploited.
The researchers conclude there is a “clear need” for further evidence specific to Ireland in areas such as the prevalence of problem gambling, its predictors, public perceptions, marketing tactics, preventive interventions, and the risk to young people.
They also note that given the relatively small proportion of the population most severely impacted by problem gambling and the difficulty in capturing this group accurately in a survey, anonymised data provided by the industry “to help identify behavioural patterns of those with problem gambling and those at-risk would be especially helpful”.
Anne Marie Caulfield, CEO designate of the Gambling Regulatory Authority, said: “A critical function of the new Gambling Regulatory Authority will be to create greater awareness of problem gambling and the supports available to those that need assistance.
“If we are to successfully tackle problem gambling we need to know the extent of the issue and how it is impacting on people’s lives. We have commissioned the ESRI to conduct a second study focused on measuring the extent of problem gambling and we anticipate results later this year.
“This new research study will ensure that our policy decisions and measures are evidence-based and informed by research.”
It’s expected the Government’s bill establishing the country’s first Gambling Regulatory Authority, with its accompanying powers, will pass through the Oireachtas this year.