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UK: New analysis shows problem gamblers are more likely than others to have suicidal thoughts, attempt suicide and to harm themselves
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GambleAware and the Gambling Commission have last week published the results of a small-scale research project that examines the link between problem gambling and suicide. The report will contribute to the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms and is based on findings from the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS). Out of over 7,000 respondents, 41 were found to be problem gamblers and were identified as being more likely than others to have thought about suicide and to have attempted suicide in the past 12 months.
The results showed that of those identified by the survey as problem gamblers, one in five (19%) had thought about suicide in the past year, compared with 4% of non-problem gamblers/non-gamblers. 5% of problem gamblers reported they had made a suicide attempt in the past year, compared with 0.6% of those who showed no sign of problem gambling.
The survey analysis shows an association between problem gambling, suicidal behaviours and loneliness that warrants further investigation. Problem gamblers were more likely to feel lonely and isolated from other people than the rest of the population. Problem gamblers appeared to have a smaller network of people they felt close to and were less likely to feel that their friends and family gave them encouragement and support.
This analysis is based on data from the 2007 survey. The APMS survey repeated in 2014 but did not include questions on gambling. It is hoped that the Department of Health and Social Care will commission another Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey for 2021 and the authors recommend that questions on gambling behaviour be included in that study to explore the association between gambling and suicidality further.
In order to scope out what further research may be needed, a range of stakeholders, including those with lived experience of gambling harms, including addiction and bereavement due to suicide, attended a one-day workshop. The aim of the session was to better understand what knowledge gaps there were regarding gambling and suicide and to develop recommendations for future work.
Recommendations include:
- The development of educational packages for clinicians, primary care providers and coroners to raise awareness of the association between gambling and suicidality.
- The commissioning of a systematic review of evidence of the relationship between gambling and suicidality
- The conduct of a psychological autopsy study to explore cases where gambling is related to suicide.
Marc Etches, CEO of GambleAware has said:
“There is limited data and research on the link between gambling and suicide and this research is just the start. This report has clearly identified the significant gaps in the data that is currently available and what steps we should be taking to get more evidence to help improve our knowledge and understanding of the relationship between gambling and suicide.
It is vital we all know what signs to look out for in a gambling addiction, so we can point people in the direction of help as and when they need it. We look forward to continuing to work with Government, particularly the Department of Health and Social Care, and all those involved to promote the help and services available at BeGambleAware.org.”
Dr Heather Wardle, Assistant Professor at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said:
“The harms from gambling are profound and can be devastating for individuals, families and communities. These results show how people with gambling problems are a higher risk group for suicidality. Everyone involved in providing, legislating and regulating gambling should recognise this risk and take action to prevent harm”.
Professor Ann John, Swansea University and Chair of the National Advisory Group to Welsh Government on Suicide and Self-harm prevention said
‘Death by suicide is usually in response to a complex interplay of a number of factors, it is rarely due to a single reason and is never inevitable. However, there is no doubt that there has been a lack of recognition that there is an association between problem gambling and suicide.
‘Our research is a first step in understanding that association. Problem gamblers should be included as a high-risk group in suicide prevention strategies, efforts made to improve awareness, particularly in those providing services, and we need to encourage people to seek help before they reach a crisis point.’
Neil McArthur, chief executive of the Gambling Commission, said:
“This research is based on data from 2007 but nonetheless the findings clearly show a connection between suicide and gambling, something that has a real and devastating impact on people’s lives. Whilst further research and more timely data collection is essential, we are taking further action now to protect people from the risk of gambling harm.
“As a result of this research, the Commission and Samaritans will work together to bolster the existing requirements on gambling businesses to identify those at risk and take action to address and reduce harm.
“However, progress cannot be made by us alone, we need to work together to implement the priorities outlined in the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms, and the key recommendations of this research. This is vital to ensuring we have the best research, prevention and treatment services available for vulnerable individuals, their families, friends and communities.”
The three research documents are available below, along with a summary of the key findings and recommendations.
Report 3: Scoping Current Evidence and Evidence-Gaps in Research on Gambling-Related Suicide
- The survey was conducted over a decade ago and the sample was relatively small, with just 172 people identified as at risk of problem gambling and 41 identified as problem gamblers. Both problem gambling and past-year suicide attempts/thoughts are relatively rare, and the analyses were underpowered. The survey is cross-sectional in design and the data cannot be used to establish temporal sequencing in problem gambling and suicidality, nor causality.
- The Commission’s Research Programme in support of the National Strategy includes an emphasis on measuring and understanding harm. A better understanding of gambling harms for adults and children and young people will help to target prevention and education initiatives where they will have most impact.
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OddsMatrix, EveryMatrix’s tier-1 turnkey sportsbook platform and odds feed service, has revealed significant year-on-year growth across its football product during the 2024/25 season, headlined by a rise in player prop betting.
Inclusive of all domestic global club football, major continental championships and international competitions, OddsMatrix delivered an average 2024/25 margin of 11.8%, a sharp increase on 2023/24 performance.
Overall turnover grew 28% season-on-season with volume of football bets placed on the platform surging 34% from 241.5 million in 2023/24 to 324.1 million in 2024/25 as the supplier continued to expand its client network and benefit from existing customer growth.
Demonstrating that behaviours are changing within the football betting community, the steepest season-on-season growth came in player prop betting. Dominated by the Shots on Target and Player to be Booked markets, player prop turnover grew 72% compared to 2023/24 with revenues from the betting type increasing 84% among OddsMatrix’s growing, global client base.
Fuelled by OddsMatrix’s recent integration partnership with Kero Sports and further development of its own in-house prop pricing models, player prop betting growth was further pronounced during the Champions League with shots betting accelerating 158% season-on-season while wagering on assists increased 149% during the 2024/25 continental championship.
The OddsMatrix numbers also point to sustained momentum for the well-established Bet Builder product. Firmly established as a sportsbook essential, the product continues to grow, alongside the award-winning sportsbook revealing a 127% season-on-season rise in Bet Builder turnover – driven by deeper in-house pricing integration.
Last week OddsMatrix was crowned sports betting supplier and sportsbook platform supplier of the year at the EGR B2B Awards 2025, alongside EveryMatrix picking up three major honours including top prize Full service platform of the year.
Tor Skeie, CEO, OddsMatrix, said: “It’s been another memorable club football season, with standout moments from PSG, Liverpool and Napoli. At OddsMatrix, we’re proud to have achieved exceptional year-on-year growth across our core football product metrics.
“In the last 12 months, not only have we rolled out a new proprietary horse racing solution, we’ve worked hard to enhance our football product with broader event coverage, increased in-house pricing, extended market uptime, enriched content, faster settlement, and smarter risk management – demonstrating our continued commitment to strengthening the core of our sportsbook offering.
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The post OddsMatrix announces record performance numbers during 2024/25 football season appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for emerging markets, has continued to build the strong momentum in its pipeline, thanks to its latest deal with rising-star supplier, Kitsune Studios, part of the bold OpenRGS studio initiative from Hacksaw Gaming.
Integrating content from such an innovative and well-credentialed studio, founded on Hacksaw’s heritage and expertise, adds yet more creative muscle to QTech Games’ burgeoning platform, which is taking the widest range of online games to emerging territories with established names, such as Playtech and Aviatrix, sitting alongside the industry’s most exciting up-and-coming providers.
The games made available to its partners via the deal include Kitsune’s foundational title, The Library, and its hotly anticipated latest release, Club Cabana.
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The deal organically broadens Manchester-based Kitsune Studios’ international footprint, unlocking untapped jurisdictions for diversified growth from Asia to Africa and Eastern Europe to Latin America, where Kitsune Studios is looking to make a big impression over the coming 12 months.
Philip Doftvik, QTech Games’ CEO, said: “We’re committed to rolling out high-calibre content that drives revenue for our partners. And this deal with Kitsune Studios both extends our impressive sequential pipeline for 2025, and also demonstrates that our diverse portfolio draws from a deep well of established stars and emerging forces in slots provision. We can’t wait to watch how these games perform across a spread of new markets for Kitsune.”
Phillip Douglas, CEO & Founder of Kitsune Studios, added: “At Kitsune, we’re all about pushing what slot games can be — creating immersive experiences that feel fresh, bold, and full of personality. Partnering with QTech gives us an exciting opportunity to share that vision with new players in emerging markets.
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The post QTech Games quick to integrate fresh-faced content from Kitsune Studios appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Stats Perform has been named Live Streaming Supplier of the Year at the EGR B2B Awards 2025, in recognition of the strength, innovation, and global scale of its Bet LiveStreams platform for licensed sportsbook apps, websites and retail betting venues.
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Judges noted that Stats Perform’s Bet LiveStreams is unique because of its extensive year-long, round-the-clock coverage and high performance. In 2024, the platform securely delivered billions of live video sessions to hundreds of licensed global sportsbooks such as bet365, Betano, Superbet, Betfair, FanDuel and many more.
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The judging panel pointed to three standout recent Bet LiveStreams innovations:
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- Live Match Gallery: Easier discovery of concurrent events, helping bettors follow more matches and sports at the same time
Adoption of these features has been fast and operators have reported a 7x increase in interactions per session, longer watch times and more in-play bets placed.
“This award is a reflection of how far streaming can go when it’s built for betting, not just viewing. We’re excited to continue to integrate our Opta data and AI into the experience to make the future of streaming on sportsbooks more engaging, intuitive and bettable,” added Perez.
The post Stats Perform Named Live Streaming Supplier of the Year at EGR B2B Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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