6.5 Men and gambling – Homeless and Gambling Harm Learning

Participation

Gambling is also common among men in Scotland, with 3 in 5 men (61%) participating in gambling in the last 12 months,⁸² compared to 55% amongst men in England.⁸³

Among men in Scotland, the most common gambling activities include:⁸⁴

National Lottery and other lotteries
Online betting with a bookmaker
Scratchcards and horse races (not online)
Football pools
Sports events (not online)

Men are more likely to gamble online than women, which carries different risks as online gambling is accessible 24/7. Men are also more likely to take part in multiple gambling activities, which is a risk factor for experiencing harm.

Men are also likely to have started gambling at a younger age (18.0 years vs. 19.7 years among women).⁸⁵

As with women, gambling among men in Scotland is often seen as a normalised social activity, with betting on sports or events common among friend groups or with family members from a young age.

Harm

Men are more likely than women to experience harm from their own gambling, with men in Scotland seven times more likely to be experiencing harmful gambling.⁸⁶

“It’s always good with your mates because if you watch a game with your mates and all your mates would have different bets on, so you’re all like going at each other, trying to win a bit. It becomes like a competition.”⁸⁷