A study out of Finland has identified an opportunity to identify problem gambling and offer addiction support during the debt consolidation process. Unlike previous studies on the topic, it used direct data from people applying to consolidate their debts, rather than less reliable self-reported data. The study found that over half of those seeking to consolidate their debts had made a gambling transaction through their bank in the past year. Moreover, the highest-spending 5% of the debtors accounted for almost half of those transactions.
The study, Gambling among indebted individuals: an analysis of bank transaction data, by the University of Helsinki’s Centre for Research on Addition, Control, and Governance (CEAGC) found gambling and indebtedness are strongly linked, particularly among those with unsecured debt.
