Gambling Harm has strong links with substance use. People who use substances and are also experiencing gambling harm can present with gambling harm in different ways.

Cross-dependency happens when one dependency is replaced with another. If someone is alcohol dependent and has started a journey to reduce their alcohol consumption, they may spend their excess money on gambling products and increase their dependency on gambling.

Activity

Choose the correct answer in each of the scenarios to support your understanding of how substances can influence gambling.

Increased gambling when drinking can mean:

Reduced gambling when using substances
can be due to:

Increased gambling after drinking can be due to:

Increased gambling when substance use is decreased can mean:

You may find that someone fits into all or most of these categories or only one, each individual’s journey is unique to them.

Activity

This activity shows the journey of one individual and how gambling harm intersects with their life before and after recovery.

Match the description to the picture to complete the person's journey and to further your knowledge of how gambling and substances are linked.