Damian Sendler: There is a widespread belief that gamblers, particularly those with gambling problems (PG), are stigmatized because of this. However, there has been no systematic review of empirical studies on the perception of gamblers conducted. Thus, this article summarizes empirical evidence on gamblers’ views and suggests future research avenues. Using relevant guidelines, a comprehensive literature search was conducted across three databases. The databases Scopus, PubMed, and BASE covered a wide range of information. 48 studies from 37 different sources made up the final tally. These studies cover a wide variety of topics: People in the general population, specific subgroups (such as students or social workers), and even problem gamblers themselves have been examined in a number of studies. People’s attitudes toward casual gamblers don’t matter all that much.
Damian Jacob Sendler: People with gambling addictions are frequently singled out in discussions about the subject of gambling. There are many misconceptions about gambling addiction, but the negative effects it has on the lives of those who suffer from it are rated quite high. PG is described as “irresponsible,” “greedy,” and “weak or stupid” all at the same time. In this article, only a few examples of open discrimination are mentioned. Media portrayals of PGs have been implicated in studies as a cause of stigma.
Gambling addiction is a complex issue that has many unanswered questions. For example, how does a person’s age, culture, and sexual orientation affect their views? In these areas, more study is needed.
Dr. Sendler: Gambling is becoming increasingly accepted as a normal pastime in Western societies. Adults enjoy gambling on lotteries and sports, with a large percentage of them taking part. Playing a game of chance has the potential to harm one’s health and the environment in a way that few other pastimes can. Because of the potential harm it can do to one’s health and well-being, problematic gambling is included in the same category as excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages and illicit drugs (Browne et al. 2020).
Gaming can lead to stigmatization as one of the unfavorable side effects. Stigmatizing behavior serves a variety of purposes, including highlighting the difference between “normal” and “stigmatized” behavior. Many people who have gambling addictions are stigmatized or viewed in a negative light because of their condition (Carroll et al.; Hing et al. 2016b; Palmer et al. 2017). People with gambling problems are often stigmatized, but this has received scant attention in the scientific literature (Hing et al. 2013). Only a few studies have looked into it, but the findings are unambiguous (Dhillon et al. 2011; Hing and Russell 2017a; Miller and Thomas 2017a; Palmer et al. 2017; Peter et al. 2018). If you’ve got a problem with gambling, you’re more than likely to see it as a sign of your own inadequacy.
Self-stigmatization ensues, and the downward spiral continues. Consequently, stigmatization serves as a major barrier to treatment because people with mental health issues are reluctant to open up and may withdraw from relationships (Brown and Russell 2019; Hing et al. 2013; Miller and Thomas 2017b).
Problem gambling is assumed to be stigmatized in some form or another, regardless of the type of gambling one engages in (Horch and Hodgins 2015). That said, most studies to date have looked at how people with gambling addictions are stigmatized rather than the actual problem of gambling itself (Miller and Thomas 2017b). Gamblers’ views are being organized empirically with this in mind.
To prevent stigmatization, it is critical that researchers conduct a systematic literature review of empirical studies examining the perceptions of people who gamble or have gambling problems (Schomerus and Rumpf 2017). We’re only just beginning to learn about the social stigma attached to gambling and the people who engage in it. Gamblers are stigmatized at a much higher rate than people with a wide range of mental health issues, substance use disorders (both illicit and legal), or other conditions, according to study after study. Knowing this information can also help with the development of health policy. Stigma-reduction strategies from other industries could also help the gambling industry (such as mental illness).
As a general rule, drug use and problem gambling are seen as more depraved than alcohol abuse (Arbour-Nicitopoulos et al., 2010; Feeney, 2013). For example, in Arbour-Nicitopoulos et al. (2010), Feeney in 2013; Hing and colleagues in 2015; Horch and Hodgins (2008). People with schizophrenic disease were stigmatized more than problem gamblers, despite the fact that mental health problems were less stigmatized (Arbour-Nicitopoulos et al., 2010; Feeney, 2013). (Hing et al. 2015; Horch and Hodgins 2008).
Stigmatization was greater for those who had been officially diagnosed as problem gamblers (Palmer et al. 2018). An increase in the stigmatization of problem gamblers can be attributed to a number of factors including their age, gender, lower self-esteem, more severe problem gambling, and the use of secrecy to deal with their issues (Hing and Russell 2017b).
The majority of people did not view gambling as a bad thing. Sports bettors were less stigmatized than other types of gamblers (Lopez-Gonzalez et al. 2018). EGM gamblers were viewed and characterized in a negative light (Miller and Thomas 2017b). Gambling games with a greater emphasis on gamblers’ abilities may be to blame for this. It would appear that gambling itself was not stigmatized, but only problematic gambling behavior (Hing et al. 2015).
People who participated in the study believed that gambling addiction was more difficult to conceal than alcoholism or schizophrenia (Hing et al. 2015, 2016d). In addition, a sizable majority thought that problem gambling was “at least somewhat noticeable” or “fairly noticeable” (Hing et al. 2015, 2016d) (Hing et al. 2016e). As a group, people with gambling addictions didn’t appear to match the public’s perception that their condition was obvious (Hing et al. 2015). This means that it may not get the same level of attention as other addictions, like drug and alcohol abuse.
Gambling disrupts a person’s ability to work or study, live on their own, and maintain a long-term romantic relationship, according to a study (Hing et al. 2015, 2016d).
There is no doubt that problem gambling is as disruptive as alcoholism, but it is less so than schizophrenia, according to researchers (Hing et al., 2015), who label it “disruptive” or even “highly disruptive” (Hing et al. 2015). People with gambling problems feared that the public would view them as erratic because of their self-stigma (Hing and Russell 2017a).
Unlike schizophrenia (Hing et al. 2016d) and even more so (Blomqvist 2009), the majority of respondents (Hing et al. 2015, 2016d, e) believed that problem gambling could be treated in the same way that alcoholism could be (Hing et al. 2015).
In contrast to those who had used drugs or smoked previously, those who had a history of doing so were more pessimistic about their chances of quitting (Blomqvist 2009). Recovery from problem gambling was thought to be easier than recovery from mind-altering substance addictions if they were left untreated (Koski-Jännes et al. 2012), but treatment for “hard drugs” or alcohol addictions was considered more important (Blomqvist 2009).
Blomqvist (2009) found that recovering from problem gambling was extremely possible, whether or not they received treatment. Those who participated in Cunningham et al. (2011) and Feeney (2013) were divided on whether or not people with gambling problems could recover on their own without the help of others.
Professionals viewed self-improvement as more difficult than nonprofessionals (Koski-Jännes et al., 2012). Koski-Jännes and Simmat-Durand found that French professionals were more open to the idea of untreated recovery than those in Finland. Treating those with gambling addictions is also seen as less necessary by those in the general population (Cunningham et al. 2011).
Gambling addicts aren’t generally considered to be dangerous (Dhillon et al. 2011; Hing et al. 2016d; Peter et al. 2018). According to Hing et al. (2015), problem gambling was considered to be “somewhat perilous,” but the respondents believed it was unlikely that those with gambling problems would endanger others and more likely that those with gambling problems would harm themselves.
People with gambling issues were thought to be less dangerous than those with alcoholism or schizophrenia, both in terms of danger to others and danger to oneself (Hing et al. 2015; Horch and Hodgins 2015). Some games are rated higher than others based on their genre: Traditional casino gamblers and eSports players were seen as more dangerous than internet gamers (Peter et al. 2018).
Having an addictive personality (Carroll et al. 2013; Feeney 2013) or a lack of willpower were viewed as the root causes of gambling disorder. The lack of willpower might also mean that the gambling habits of friends and relatives are taken over (Feeney 2013). Control, discipline, or even intelligence were cited as another problem (Miller et al. 2014). Horch and Hodgins (2008) attributed gambling disorder to negative character traits and stressful life events. The most likely cause of stress was found to be a stressful life situation (Dhillon et al. 2011; Hing et al. 2015, 2016d, e). Social workers in Finland and France seemed to believe that the problem was societal rather than individual. Unlike the Finnish social workers, their French counterparts disagreed that the individual was solely responsible for their own recovery (Egerer 2013). Individuals have been held responsible in most studies (Blomqvist 2009; Gay et al. 2016; Horch and Hodgins 2008, 2015; Konkolo Thege et al. 2015; Koski-Jännes and Simmat-Durand 2017; Koski-Jännes et al. 2012; Miller and Thomas 2017b).
Behavior addictions were seen as having a higher prevalence of character flaws than substance use disorders (Konkol Thege et al. 2015). As a result, people with gambling problems were viewed as more responsible for their own issues than people with substance use disorders (Koski-Jännes et al. 2012; Koski and Simmat-Durand 2017; Koski-Jännes and Simmat-Durand 2017).
In a series of studies that followed Angermeyer and Matschinger (2003), researchers looked at three different types of emotional responses: pity, anger, and fear. Respondents mostly expressed pity, anger, and fear for those who suffer from gambling addiction (Hing et al. 2015, 2016e). The authors of Gay et al. (2016) and Horch and Hodgins (2008) found that people had similar or nearly equal levels of anger and pity for problem gamblers, but much lower levels of fear as a result of their feelings toward them. Gamblers in the online gaming industry, as well as those in casinos, drew more attention than the Internet gamer (Peter et al. 2018).
Damian Jacob Markiewicz Sendler: Schizophrenia sufferers were more pity-worthy than those with gambling or alcohol addiction issues, who were rated at the same level. Angry responses to gambling and alcohol abusers were similar, while those with schizophrenia were less enraged than those with other mental health issues. Those with alcoholism and schizophrenia were more likely to be feared than those with gambling addictions (Hing et al. 2015).
Stigmatization is greatly aided by labels — for example, in order to receive adequate treatment (Grunfeld et al. 2004). (Hing et al. 2016b; Peter et al. 2018). There have been several studies looking into whether or not problem gambling is seen as a disease or a mental health disorder and whether it can be diagnosed as such.
Addiction or both addiction and disease have been linked to gambling problems (Cunningham et al. 2011). Most of those polled agreed that gambling addiction was a medical condition that could be diagnosed (Hing et al. 2015). “Compulsive gambling” was classified as a disease rather than a “habit” or a “sin” in an early study by Crawford et al. (1989).
Damian Sendler
However, in Blomqvist (2009), the risk of becoming addicted to gambling was rated slightly higher than the risk of becoming addicted to alcohol (Konkolo Thege et al. 2015; Lang and Rosenberg 2017).
Stereotypes about people with gambling problems are difficult to challenge because they are based on culturally transmitted beliefs rather than on personal experience (Hing et al. 2016e). Hing et al. (2015), 2016e; Horch and Hodgins (2008), 2015; Miller and Thomas (2017), “irresponsible,” “greedy,” “antisocial,” “foolish,” and “untrustworthy” were all frequently attributed to him. Other common descriptors included “impulsive,” “irrational,” and “untrustworthy” (Hing et al. (2015), 2016e; Horch and Hodgins (2013)).
It was common for people with gambling issues to refer to themselves in these terms: “stupid,” “weak,” or “losers” (Hing et al. 2015, 2016b; Miller and Thomas 2017b) (Hing et al. 2015, 2016b). They also assumed that the general population viewed them as a group of “impulsive, irrational, anti-social,” “greedy, untrustworthy, unproductive, and deviant” gamblers (Hing et al. 2015). (Hing and Russell 2017a).
As a result of the media’s emphasis on gambling’s negative consequences and the individual’s responsibility, people with gambling problems felt that the media contributed to the formation of stereotypes (Miller et al. 2014). They were viewed as a deviant group, apart from the rest of society, and were viewed as having only themselves to blame for their addictions (Leung 2016; Miller et al. 2016).
Gamblers in movies are depicted as masculine and cool, self-control and the ability to enjoy oneself, according to studies (Egerer and Rantala 2015). Inexperienced gamblers were the only ones to encounter difficulties (Sulkunen 2007). When it comes to how gamblers are depicted, things have changed over the years: from a sinner in the 1950s to skilled and intelligent people in the 1980s to comedic characters lacking morality in the 2000s (Chan and Ohtsuka 2011).
Damien Sendler: Problems with alcoholism and schizophrenia were found to be more likely than gambling addiction to lead to a decline in social status (Hing et al. 2015). When it comes to employment, child care, and interpersonal relationships, there was a general consensus that people with gambling addictions will be treated less favorably or even discriminated against (Hing et al. 2016e). People with gambling problems are less likely to be discriminated against than those without, according to a study conducted by Horch and Hodgins (2015). There were very few instances of discrimination (Hing and Russell 2017a), attributed to the concealability of problem gambling (Horch and Hodgins 2015), as well as the fact that many affected individuals do not disclose their gambling problem. Responses that were critical included criticisms of wasting money or suggestions to improve one’s quality of life (Hing et al. 2016b).
Research has been done on participants’ willingness to interact with people who have gambling addictions. The respondents were less likely than people with alcoholism or schizophrenia to keep a distance from one another (Hing et al. 2015).
People in this condition, especially those who had been officially diagnosed, tended to want to keep a distance from each other (Hing et al. 2015, 2016e; Lang & Rosenberg 2017; Rockloff & Schofield 2004). (Palmer et al. 2018). According to other research, there is little appetite for racial segregation (Gay et al. 2016; Horch and Hodgins 2008). People who were more familiar with people who had gambling addictions wanted less social distance from them (Dhillon et al. 2011). The more people are aware of the issue, the more effective strategies can be devised in the fight against stigma.
The type of gambling also influenced the desire for social distance. Online casino gamblers were more popular than e-sports bettors, but casino gamblers were less popular than online e-sport gamblers (Peter et al. 2018).
Damian Jacob Sendler
Statistically significant research has been found for populations in Australia, Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (UK). Cross-sectional surveys were conducted almost exclusively. As a result, a shift in public perception of gamblers could not be studied. Both studies focusing on the effects of respondents’ sex and age were not available; however, this aspect was considered in some studies as one of many factors (e. g. Hing and Russell 2017b). It is impossible to draw conclusions about the perceptions of recreational gamblers because most studies focused on problem gambling. An increasing amount of comparable data from various countries and/or over various time periods would be useful.
It was found that problem gambling was widely believed to be difficult or impossible to detect. But the impact on the lives of those affected was found to be quite significant. Treatment and recovery were hotly debated topics. The overwhelming majority of respondents seemed to believe that it is the individual’s responsibility to find a solution. Gambling addiction as a mental illness appears to be a new concept to the public. It may be beneficial to have enough information available.
Those with gambling addictions were referred to as having a variety of negative characteristics. There are some truths to these claims, but many of them are exaggerated. As a sign of self-stigmatization, the gamblers’ negative self-perception was mirrored by this negative perspective. The media’s portrayal of people with gambling issues only serves to exacerbate the problem. This may be a good place to begin in the fight against stigmatization.
Because gambling addiction is easier to hide than other addictions, only a few examples of open discrimination were cited. The general public wanted to keep at least some distance from people with gambling problems, but the desire for distance diminished as familiarity grew with those with the problem. In public awareness campaigns, this information can be used to show that “ordinary people” can develop gambling addictions. It has been shown that the desire for social distance may vary depending on what type of gambling one is engaged in. Future studies should therefore compare the views of slot machine gamblers, casino players, sports bettors, and other gamblers. Increased awareness of the prevalence of problem gambling and the people who suffer from it could help alleviate stigmatization.
The current work has a number of flaws, many of which are the result of inadequate human and financial resources. If different search terms, other databases, and/or other sources (e.g. manual searches) had been used, the search results might have been more varied and specific. The quality of the studies was not rated because of time constraints. It would have been reasonable to take into account publications in additional languages. To add insult to injury there isn’t any way to measure how reliable each individual’s rating is. It was a team effort to select the studies, and all relevant decisions were thoroughly debated. Meta-analytical statistical methods could be used in the future to combine parts of the studies.
Many studies have looked at how the general public perceives people who have gambling problems, but other aspects have received less attention. This area of study has only recently begun to be studied. As a result, there aren’t many studies looking at gambling from the point of view of the general population in many countries. Furthermore, there are no long-term studies available. These, however, are necessary in order to gain an understanding of the phenomenon’s dynamics. A qualitative research approach could also be used to monitor individuals with gambling issues over a longer period of time. An investigation into stigmatization and self-stigmatization could yield valuable information.
Investigating how the media portrays people with gambling addiction is an intriguing research topic (press, official documents, films etc.). In light of previous research, new projects could be launched with a solid foundation. In countries where the issue of gambling addiction has yet to be addressed, the media’s portrayal of people with gambling problems could be an interesting topic of investigation.
Sexe and age of respondents had little or no impact on the respondents’ attitudes, for example. Furthermore, cultural aspects have been overlooked (Dhillon et al. 2011). There are also very few empirical studies that look at how the general public feels about gambling for fun. It’s also worth noting that only a few studies have examined the perspectives of professionals on their clients, indicating the need for more research in this area in the future (Schomerus 2017). Access to treatment for those who need it will be made easier as a result of this. In order to accomplish this, health policy measures should be implemented with a specific focus on stigmatization. Because of this, public health may be improved as a result.