Key findings

• Stigma takes multiple forms, including self-stigma, anticipated stigma, and overt discrimination from others. People with lived experience often internalised negative stereotypes, contributing to shame, low self-esteem, and social withdrawal.
• Stereotypes about who is affected by gambling harms—such as being unemployed, male, or from a low-income background—contributed to harmful generalisations and exclusion. These views were perpetuated by wider society, including family, friends, and workplaces.
• Stigma intersected with other aspects of identity, such as age, gender, socio-economic status, religion, and cultural background, leading to distinct and compounding experiences of discrimination.
• Stigma created barriers to support, with many people avoiding formal treatment due to fears of judgement or embarrassment. In some cases, people opted for private or anonymous forms of help, such as self-exclusion tools, to avoid stigma.
• Stakeholder views varied, with those in the gambling industry tending to hold more overtly stigmatising attitudes. This points to a need for sector-specific education and training.
• Support services played a dual role: while many individuals described positive and stigma-reducing experiences, some also reported stigma within support settings, including from peers or staff.
• Participants emphasised the importance of involving people with lived experience in the design and delivery of stigma-reduction efforts. Education campaigns, more diverse media representation, and the use of non-stigmatising language were seen as critical steps forward.
• Further research is needed, particularly among groups experiencing multiple forms of disadvantage and among younger people, to deepen understanding and inform inclusive, effective interventions.