The concept of responsible gambling (RG) has long been used to help individuals
control their gambling behavior and thereby reduce associated harms. However,
according to an article by Charles Livingstone and Angela Rintoul, published in
2020, these programs fail to achieve their primary objective. The authors argue
that the responsible gambling approach should be abandoned in favor of a
broader public health strategy to prevent and minimize gambling-related harms.
Responsible gambling programs are based on the idea that individuals are
responsible for their own gambling behavior. However, this approach has several
shortcomings. First, it does not take into account the social, environmental, and
commercial factors that make gambling hazardous. Moreover, there is little
evidence to support the actual effectiveness of RG programs in reducing
gambling-related harms.
These programs often focus on individuals already affected by problematic
gambling, rather than preventing the onset of such behaviors. This focus on
individuals, rather than external factors, allows the gambling industry to maintain
the status quo while giving the impression that steps are being taken to mitigate
risks.
Livingstone and Rintoul advocate for a public health approach aimed at improving
the health of the population as a whole. Unlike RG programs, such an approach
addresses the root causes of gambling addiction. It considers the addictive
aspects of products such as gambling, tobacco, and alcohol and seeks to prevent
and reduce the harms they can cause.
A public health strategy does not merely treat the symptoms of problematic
gambling. It emphasizes the prevention of harms from the outset and offers
treatment options for those already affected. Additionally, this approach examines
how the social environment, characteristics of gambling products, and marketing
and advertising can encourage individuals to gamble.
The authors recommend that policymakers develop prevention programs based
on evidence from public health activities and gambling policy research. For
example, in the UK, the 2019 reduction of the maximum stake on fixed-odds
betting terminals (FOBTs) from £100 to £2 is a concrete example of an effective
policy inspired by a public health approach.
Moreover, Livingstone and Rintoul suggest that it is crucial to prevent the gambling
industry from funding gambling research to avoid conflicts of interest that could
bias the results.
Responsible gambling programs, as they currently exist, are not sufficient to
protect individuals from the dangers of gambling. It is imperative to replace them
with a public health approach that addresses the true causes of gambling harms
and offers effective prevention and treatment solutions. To do so, policymakers
must rely on solid evidence and draw inspiration from past successes in alcohol
and tobacco policy.