In the summer of 2025 Manchester City Council's Department of Public Health and Chapter One, a national gambling harm prevention organisation led by those with lived experience, launched a Trauma and Gambling-Related Harms Toolkit for Professionals. It provides professionals with the knowledge, skills and resources to support the people they work with who may be experiencing gambling related harms in a trauma informed manner.

Gambling is often framed as a form of entertainment, but for many, it becomes a way to escape from emotional pain. Behind the flashing lights and rush of risk, gambling can mirror the hidden cycles of trauma, both feeding and deepening psychological distress.

People who have experienced trauma, whether from childhood adversity, violence, or neglect, are statistically more vulnerable to developing gambling problems. The unpredictable nature of gambling mimics the unpredictability of traumatic experiences, reinforcing feelings of adrenaline and danger that once accompanied survival. For some, the gambling environment offers temporary relief from intrusive memories or emotional numbness, but it often replaces one source of pain with another.

Over time, financial losses, broken trust, and social isolation compound the emotional wounds that trauma left behind. The shame and secrecy that frequently accompany gambling addiction can revive old patterns of avoidance and self-blame. These layers of distress make it harder for individuals to seek support, keeping them trapped in a cycle of harm.

Addressing gambling-related harm through a trauma-informed lens means recognising that healing requires more than stopping the behaviour—it involves rebuilding safety, trust, and emotional regulation. Compassionate intervention, trauma-focused therapy, and community support networks can help people rediscover stability and meaning beyond the game of chance.

The toolkit Trauma and Gambling Related Harms Toolkit outlines the links between trauma and gambling harms. It also provides materials to support practitioners to feel confident in talking about gambling harms in a trauma informed way. With further sources of information and support for this is a valuable resource for practitioners.