Lived experiences of gambling, gambling-related harms, and crime within ethnic minority communities

• ISBN: 978-1-911114-78-9

• Published: 2023

• Pages: 9

• Publisher: The Howard League for Penal Reform

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The report considers evidence gathered from interviews with people with lived experience of gambling and crime, key stakeholders from organisations concerned with these issues, and focus groups held inside a Category B men’s prison. 

The research reveals that there are many different pathways into gambling and gambling-related harm for people within ethnic minority communities, such as: growing up around gambling; migrating to the UK and the role of acculturation; the role of gambling as a means of hope (in relation to addressing socio-economic disadvantage); and escapism from their wider lives. 

But the findings also highlight a lack of understanding of the issue within the criminal justice system. Participants spoke about the inadequate provision of support for people at every stage of the system – arrest, prosecution, sentencing and afterwards. 

Co-produced by a team comprising people with lived experience of crime and gambling, academics at three universities, and colleagues from Betknowmore UK and We Fight Fraud, this is the last in a series of research reports published by the Commission, which was set up by the Howard League for Penal Reform in 2019.