A new study has found that gambling harms can intensify domestic abuse and act as a form of escapism for female victims – putting women and children at risk of long-term housing instability.
The research, produced in partnership between four major UK universities – the University of Nottingham, Durham University, Cranfield University and the University of Sheffield – highlights the urgent need for housing providers to recognise and respond to these risks to better protect women and families.
The report, Gambling Harms and Domestic Abuse: A Focus on Women and their Housing, explores the repercussions of gambling-related domestic abuse – where perpetrators of this abuse gamble; and domestic abuse-related gambling – where victim-survivors turn to gambling as a copying mechanism. In both scenarios, the findings reveal that women and children can face long-term housing insecurity, which can lead to homelessness.
A significant barrier for housing providers supporting people experiencing this issue is that most fail to ask their tenants or prospective tenants about gambling behaviours and harms. By recognising the signs earlier and improving support systems, services can help women find safety, rebuild their lives, and protect children from ongoing harm."
Led by Dr Mercy Denedo at Durham University Business School, the report found that gambling can provide a source of temporary emotional relief for women subjected to domestic abuse, who may also hope that gambling will provide them with the possibility of gaining the financial resources they need to escape their circumstances. It also highlights the urgent need for housing providers to recognise these risks and provide targeted support.
Gambling‑related domestic abuse and domestic abuse-related gambling affect thousands of women and families, yet the shame and silence surrounding such issues mean that many suffer alone for years without access to the support needed to improve their circumstances."
The researchers conducted in‑depth interviews with women with lived experience of gambling harms and domestic abuse, as well as with support services and UK housing providers. They also surveyed housing providers to understand what data they captured about tenants' experiences of gambling harms and domestic abuse, and the support they made available to women.
Key findings included:
- Physical or sexual abuse, violent or threatening behaviour, controlling or coercive behaviour, financial abuse, and psychological or emotional abuse were all found to occur within the home – and even continue after women had separated from their partners.
- Financial abuse, where partners stole money or used their identities to fraudulently obtain loans and build debt, landed women in inescapable circumstances, unable to pay for secure, safe, affordable housing elsewhere or obtain financial or legal support.
- Despite debts caused by gambling resulting in rental arrears and mortgage default, eviction, and future housing instability, gambling is often overlooked in Housing Providers' risk assessments and professional practice.
- A lack of specialist knowledge among housing service providers is hindering the ability to identify abuse in the home and provide help.
To enable the housing sector to overcome these challenges, the research makes a number of recommendations for policy, practice and further research, including:
- An increase in the provision of quality, affordable and secure housing.
- Improving access to low-cost or free legal support and introducing protective public policy.
- Greater training for sector professionals and taking action to tackle the social stigma surrounding gambling and domestic abuse.
Overall, developing a multi-agency approach to enhance prevention could better enable early intervention and crisis response, as well as provide an accessible route out of harmful living circumstances for those at risk.
The research was produced in partnership with two support organisations, Addressing Domestic Abuse and Betknowmore UK, and funded by the Gambling Commission through its Regulatory Settlements for Socially Responsible Purposes Fund.
