The United Kingdom Armed Forces Veterans’ Health and Gambling Study, from Swansea University and funded by Forces in Mind Trust, is the first UK-wide survey exploring gambling participation in ex-Service personnel. Veterans who responded to the survey were more than 10 times more likely than non-veteran respondents to experience gambling harm. They were also four times more likely to have gambled recently, and on more activities than non-veteran respondents. Veterans’ gambling was seven times more likely to be motivated by a need to escape or avoid distress.

The researchers have emphasised that the findings must be considered with some caution. Professor Simon Dymond, lead author of the report, said: “Our findings do clearly indicate that veterans are at greater risk of gambling harm than the non-veteran population, but we cannot with confidence report the scale of the problem. The sample was recruited online, and veterans who have gambled may have been more likely to take part – therefore, the findings should be treated with caution.

https://www.fim-trust.org/news-policy-item/uk-veterans-at-significant-risk-of-problem-gambling/