Authors: Sharon Collard and Katie Cross
Funded by: ESRC
Published by: University of Bristol
Publication date: July 2022

Up to 1.2 million adults in the UK are classified as ‘problem gamblers’. Harmful gambling is not limited to ‘problem gamblers’, however, so the real number of people at risk of harm is much higher and includes 3.1 million adults who are affected by someone else’s gambling. People from a lower socio-economic background have a higher risk of harm from gambling, and this group is over-represented among credit union members. The adoption of open banking means that credit unions now have much more information on the extent of gambling within the communities they serve, and so are well-placed to help prevent harms from gambling among their members, particularly financial harms such as over-indebtedness and problem debt; repossession of goods or home; low financial resilience due to loss of savings or pension to gambling; reduced access to financial services or financial exclusion; heightened risk of being a victim of fraud or scams; and financial abuse of others. 

This short, practical guide for credit unions shares practical examples of what credit unions are already doing to support their members and the difference they can make, along with tools, resources and case studies.