Understanding and Addressing Gambling Harms Among Seafarers in the UK
Across Britain, around 2.7% of adults, approximately 1.4 million people, meet the criteria for problem gambling. Gambling harms can have far-reaching financial, emotional and social consequences, often affecting families and communities as well as individuals.
Historically there has been limited research into gambling among seafarers specifically, The Seafarers’ Charity has funded new research exploring the potential risks and impacts of gambling harms among UK seafarers.
The research paper, “Understanding and addressing gambling harms among seafarers in the UK,” brings much-needed attention to an under-researched area affecting maritime communities. It was published by the University of Bristol’s Personal Finance Research Centre, a leading research centre which has helped to shape public policy through advising government departments and regulators for more than 25 years.
The study highlights how the nature of seafaring work may increase vulnerability to harmful gambling behaviours. Key risk factors include:
- Long periods away from home
- Isolation and high-stress working environments
- Increased access to online gambling while at sea
With an estimated 23,700 active UK seafarers, even a relatively small number experiencing gambling harms could have a significant impact across maritime communities.
We are particularly grateful to our project partners for their contributions to this work, including:
- Naval Children’s Charity
- Sailors’ Children’s Society
- The Seafarers’ Advice and Information Line (SAIL) run by Citizens Advice Greenwich
