Gambling and suicide: Psychological autopsy and qualitative inquiry findings

Abstract: Gambling-related suicide is an urgent public health concern, yet the pathways through which gambling harms become linked to suicidality remain poorly understood. This presentation reports findings from a psychological autopsy and qualitative inquiry examining the events, circumstances and socioecological factors preceding gambling-related suicide and serious suicide attempts. The study drew on in-depth narrative interviews with bereaved relatives and affected others of people who died by gambling-related suicide, and with individuals who had survived serious gambling-related suicide attempts. Where available, interview accounts were supplemented with documentary evidence including gambling records, financial records, medical records, and coronial material. The study was co-produced with people with lived experience of gambling harm, bereavement, and suicidality. Findings highlight ten interconnected themes, including industry practices and product design, gambling normalisation, regulatory and policy failures, lack of knowledge and recognition, responsible gambling narratives, shame and stigma, financial desperation, ineffective treatment, lapse and recurrence, and entrapment. Together, these findings suggest that gambling-related suicide should not be understood as an isolated individual failure, but as emerging within wider social, commercial, regulatory, financial and psychological conditions. The presentation will discuss implications for suicide prevention, gambling regulation, clinical practice, treatment, postvention, and public understanding.

Trigger warning: This presentation discusses gambling-related suicide, suicide attempts, bereavement, financial harm, shame, and distress.

Professor Amanda Roberts is internationally recognised for her research on gambling and behavioural addictions, with a particular focus on gambling-related harm and its intersections with mental health, suicidality, interpersonal violence, and homelessness. Her work adopts a public health perspective, examining both structural and psychological determinants of harm and evaluating treatment, prevention, and harm-reduction interventions. She has extensive experience conducting applied research with vulnerable and underserved populations, working closely with NHS services, prisons, homelessness services, and third-sector organisations.