The impact on children exposed to parents’ gambling has been highlighted in a recent research study from the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, with EACH saying they see it firsthand.
The study supports the idea that adults who were exposed during childhood to their parents’ gambling face increased mental health problems.
EACH CEO Natalie Sullivan said the study highlighted differences in the types and degrees of harm experienced by parents who gamble compared to the harms experienced by the children of people who gamble.
‘These effects may be experienced as a perceived lack of love, hope or competent parenting and limit the child’s ability to function as a healthy member of their family or community,’ she said.
Parents commonly report financial effects and lower incidences of harm, whereas children report higher incidences of harm and mainly focus on the psychosocial effects of their parents’ gambling.
The research also found that while many people are aware that gambling can lead to difficulties such as financial stress or physical and mental health issues, the complex ways in which gambling harms can affect others are less well understood.
Ms Sullivan said nobody who gambles sets out to hurt themselves or others, but gambling products are risky and designed to keep people spending more time and more money on them.
‘The new research suggests that many people who gamble are aware that they may experience harm, but their understanding of the impact on their kids’ health and wellbeing is not well developed,” she said.
“Gambling harm doesn’t discriminate – it can affect anybody. Which is why every day we provide support to people who are experiencing negative consequences from gambling – not just people who gamble, but their friends and family,’ Natalie said.
EACH offers a range of effective treatment and support services to the person who gambles, their partner and children and anyone else who is negatively affected by the gambling of a loved one.
