Improved outcomes following contact with a gambling helpline: the impact of gender on barriers and facilitators

Abstract

Gambling helplines were developed at a time when evidence for help-seeking was almost entirely based on male gamblers and there is limited evidence that helplines have changed in response to the exponential increase in female gamblers over the past 20 years. The current study aimed to explore the impact of gender on calls to Australian helplines, including caller characteristics, barriers and facilitators to contact as well as call outcomes. We surveyed 170 callers (94% problem gamblers, 61% male) approximately 1 month following their helpline call and found gender differences in terms of age, preferred gambling type, employment and source of referral. Males reported barriers related to pride and problem denial more frequently than females did, and also reported more frequent problems associated with the welfare of others and/or their living arrangements that facilitated their calling. Males and females were equally likely to seek further help from formal, informal and self-help resources. With only 10% of callers not accessing further help, these findings highlight the importance of helplines as a key support for both men and women with gambling problems.