When ‘help’ might hurt: Do gambling harm prevention advertisements reduce or contribute to gambling stigma? Results of an exploratory study

Objectives
Gambling stigma is an important issue which influences, for example, the low rates of help-seeking observed internationally. Harm prevention advertisements aim to increase awareness regarding gambling harms among the population, although little empirical evaluation has been performed to see if current campaigns reduce or might alternatively contribute to gambling stigma. We therefore designed an exploratory mixed methods study to explore the effects of five UK-based harm prevention advertisements.

Study design
Online experiment.

Methods
Participants (N = 498) completed two blocks containing the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), and the five advertisements shown in random order. Three Likert items were summed to measure each advertisement for stigmatization (e.g., “This advertisement makes me think that people who gamble heavily are at fault for whatever may happen to them”), and participants also wrote perspectives via a text box. The Likert items were analyzed via mixed models, and the text perspectives subjected to a thematic analysis.

Results
Quantitative results showed that one advertisement (called “chasing losses” here) was associated with a mean stigmatization score indicating agreement that it could contribute to gambling stigma. This was not the case for the remaining advertisements. Furthermore, participants with higher PGSI scores tended to give higher stigmatization scores for all advertisements. The thematic analysis supported these findings, with participants also suggesting how the adverts could be improved.

Conclusions
The designers of harm prevention advertisements should consider their potential contribution to stigma. The higher stigmatization scores from those with higher PGSI scores underscores the need for multiple gambling-related harm interventions to help people experiencing gambling harms.