Key findings

• Public discourse often frames gambling harms as a result of individual failure, reinforcing stigma through narratives of personal responsibility and choice.
• People who experience gambling harms are commonly constructed in three ways: as psychologically disordered, as morally or behaviourally flawed, or as passive victims.
• Language used in media and political discourse often reinforces stigma through possessive pronouns (e.g. “his addiction”), emotive or dramatic expressions, and contrasting language that implicitly devalues those with gambling harms.
• Positive descriptors for people who gamble but don't experience harm (e.g. “responsible” or “harmless”) may indirectly stigmatise others by comparison.
• These discursive patterns highlight the need for targeted stigma-reduction initiatives that challenge harmful narratives and promote more nuanced, compassionate representations.