Military veterans are almost 11 times more likely to become problem gamblers than other people. --- A study of 2,185 people found 43 per cent of UK veterans from the Armed Forces have experienced gambling issues- such as risking more money than they can afford to lose. --- Compared to non-veterans, veterans had more than £500 higher debts on average. --- The study authors [[https://www.rt.com/search?q=conclude conclude]] that people who have served their country in the military should be monitored for signs of problematic gambling. --- The Daily Mail has campaigned against predatory betting firms, and highlighted dozens of traffic cases of gambling-related suicide. --- image class="left" url="" Veterans of the UK's armed forces are almost 11 times more likely to be problem gamblers than the general population, a study by researchers at Swansea University has found --- Professor Simon Dymond, lead author of the report from the University of Swansea, said the importance of the latest findings is 'indisputable', adding: 'This is the first study to explore the social and economic impact of gambling among UK ex-service personnel, and our findings are consistent with the international body of work which finds that veterans are at greater risk of gambling harm. --- 'We need to undertake routine screening for gambling problems among the UK Armed Forces, to reduce the stigma associated with help-seeking, and ensure that those who need confidential help and support receive it.' --- RELATED ARTICLES --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Share this article --- --- --- Share --- --- --- 11 shares --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- The study, published in the journal BMJ Military Health, looked at 1,037 Army veterans and compared them to 1,148 non-military people of the same sex and a similar age. --- They found veterans were 10.88 times more likely to have experienced problem gambling. --- Just 6.5 per cent of non-veterans had gambled in an unhealthy manner. --- image class="left" url="http://cdn.goodao.net/sjzsunshinegroup/HTB1c3QEX5HrK1Rjy0Flq6AsaFXaH.jpg" image class="left" url="" A report from the now [[https://abcnews.go.com/search?searchtext=disbanded%20Public disbanded Public]] Health England last month revealed gambling cost the economy nearly £1.3billion in 2019/20 alone. --- --- --- --- --- --- The huge cost encompasses the burden of debt on problem gamblers and the effect on relationships and family breakdown, according to itsreport --- Veterans generally had more contact with gambling support, alcohol and substance misuse services, and had more hospital admissions and emergency department attendances. --- Justyn Rees Larcombe, a co-author of the report, who lost £750,000 in three years after becoming addicted to online gambling following a successful career in the Army, said: 'The study has clearly identified a problem, so we must now address the reasons veterans experience problem gambling, and support those who suffer the consequences. --- 'I got addicted to the thrill of online gambling and it nearly destroyed my life. --- 'I don't want others to suffer as I have.' --- The study asked people about gambling activities in the past year, including online gambling, sports bets, casino games and slot machines. --- If people said they had gambled, they completed a further questionnaire on the scale of the problem, asking for example if people had wagered more than they could afford to lose. --- Around two-thirds of non-veterans had gambled, but without problems, compared to less than 38 per cent of veterans. --- Most of the veterans in the study were men, around a third were aged 30 to 39, and over two-thirds were in work, with almost half being married. --- Veterans had £1,375 of debt on average, compared to an average of £806 in the non-veterans. --- The veterans had more contact with the police, and spent almost twice as much time off sick from work - an average of 32.7 hours - in the previous year compared to civilians. --- Gambling is linked to job losses, relationship breakdowns and criminality, and estimates suggest it costs the UK up to £1.6 billion every year. --- While around 10 per cent of UK military veterans get into financial difficulties after leaving the forces, routine mental health assessments after deployment don't currently include gambling.  --- Https://Yuhub.Net) generously visit our own internet site.