byKing's College London

Credit: Pavel Danilyuk from Pexels

Published inBJPsych Open, this is the first UK study to use routinely collected NHS data to identify factors that may predict suicide among people with gambling problems. Using anonymous health care records from Wales covering 30 years (1993–2023) via the SAIL Databank, researchers compared 92 people with a gambling diagnosis who died by suicide to 2,990 who died from other causes. They examined GP records, hospital admissions, outpatient appointments, and death records.

The research found that those with agamblingdiagnosis who died by suicide had more recent contact withmental health servicesoverall, and particularly through hospital admissions rather than routine GP or outpatient appointments, compared to people without a diagnosis. This suggests there may be missed opportunities for earlier support and intervention.

"Across our health system, gambling harm is still too often recognized only at the point of crisis. This study shows we can spot risk earlier if we ask routinely, record it clearly, and connect people to support without delay.

"We must also confront the wider environment, such as relentless advertising, 24/7 online access, and debt and financial strain, as well as occupational factors. High-stress, shift-based and safety-critical roles may carry particular vulnerabilities and deserve focused attention. By combining better screening with a sharper view of environmental and occupational risks, we can design earlier, targeted interventions that save lives. This work helps us start this journey," said Dr. Daniel Leightley.

Lead author Professor Simon Dymond, Director of the Gambling Research, Education and Treatment (GREAT) Center at Swansea University, said, "Almost half of adults worldwide report gambling activity in the past year, and gambling-related harm is a growing global health concern. Yet, until now, no study has examined the association between gambling diagnoses and mental health service use in the months preceding death by suicide.

"A gambling diagnosis was a stronger predictor of suicide than other mental health conditions, such as depression, schizophrenia oralcohol use—indicating gambling disorder poses a unique risk. Importantly, help-seeking rates for gambling are persistently low and not everyone who needs help gets a diagnosis, so the patterns we observed in the study are a likely underestimate of the scale of the harm caused by gambling and its association with suicide."

The research indicates thatsuiciderisk can be identified through linked health care records, creating opportunities for earlier intervention. The researchers hope the findings will support health care professionals and policymakers in developing better systems for identifying and assisting those at risk.

The study aligns with Dr. Leightley's broader work at King's on veterans' health, and forms part of a wider program focusing on the health and well-being of serving personnel. The next step will be to build on this general population focus and examine veterans' health in greater depth.

More information: Matthew Jones et al, Gambling, suicide and mental health treatment utilisation in Wales: case–control, whole-population-based study, BJPsych Open (2025). DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2025.10867

Provided by King's College London