13th October 2015 - New section - Gambling

A new web section on Gambling has been published on the ScotPHO website. The 2014 Scottish Health Survey reported that around two thirds of Scottish adults had spent money on gambling within the previous 12 months and many people gamble without experiencing any adverse consequences. However, some people experience extreme difficulties with their gambling behaviour, spending more time and money gambling than they would like or can afford. Problem gamblers experience a range of health harms including depression, anxiety and poor physical health. There can also be adverse consequences for family and friends and the broader community. Problem gambling can often co-exist alongside other health problems and it is recognised as a public health concern. It is estimated that in 2014 almost one in 100 Scottish adults (0.8% of the adult population, or around 36,000 people) were problem gamblers.

See our new Gambling section for further details and discussion.