Simon Community Scotland charity contends that women in Scotland grappling with gambling addiction lack adequate support due to a service deficiency. Analysts suggest Scotland is eight years behind the UK in offering gender-specific care for women with gambling addiction, despite the increasing number of affected women, often overlooked due to the perceived ‘masculine’ nature of gambling. Gambling addiction can lead to job or home loss for women, and there is a unique risk of child custody loss due to inability to care. The research also underscores the link between gambling addiction and homelessness, with one in five homeless individuals experiencing problem gambling.
The charity urges increased women-focused gambling addiction services in Scotland, emphasizing the acute impact on women facing hidden and severe harms. Gambling firms are accused of targeting women through social media ads on new moms’ sites and influencer advertising. The industry’s history of targeting low-income areas exacerbates harmful gambling habits, particularly among women closer to the poverty line. Simon Community Scotland’s CEO, Lorraine McGrath, advocates for raising the voices of women with lived experiences to address systemic and societal drivers of gambling harms in Scotland.
