Risk of gambling problems influenced by family and friends, new Bath study finds
A leading mental health expert from Bath has warned gambling addiction "can run in the family"
Last updated 23rd Jan 2026
Research involving the University of Bath has revealed that having a family member with a gambling problem increases your risk of facing gambling issues yourself.
The study also found that strong family relationships can help protect against this risk, while friendships do not appear to offer the same safeguard.
The international study surveyed more than 1,500 adults across a three-year period. Using data collected between 2021 and 2024, researchers found that gambling problems often cluster within families and close relationships.
Co-author and Emeritus Professor at Bath, Richard Velleman, said: “It has long been known that alcohol-related problems run in families – this study demonstrates that this is also the case with gambling.
“This is an important discovery, as many people don’t see gambling problems as equivalent to alcohol or drug problems, as gamblers don’t ‘ingest’ anything, yet gambling can equally lead to considerable problems which cause serious harm to individuals and families.”
The researchers suggest prevention strategies should make use of positive family relationships to reduce the risk of gambling harm. Supporting families, they say, could help limit how gambling behaviours and issues are passed down or shared.
Lead author Emmi Kauppila, from Tampere University in Finland, said that gambling-related harms often operate in similar ways to issues linked to alcohol or drugs.
Kauppila said: “This is not just about individual behaviour but about shared environments, stressors and social dynamics.”
The findings are expected to inform future approaches to tackling gambling harms, with a focus on family-based support as a key way to reduce risks.