GambleAware Issues New Guidance for Supporting Neurodivergent Gamblers
GambleAware has launched new guidance and training materials to help therapists and practitioners support neurodivergent people affected by gambling harms.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:New Support Tools and Clinical Guidance
The UK charity GambleAware has published a package of resources aimed at improving treatment and support for people who are neurodivergent and experiencing gambling-related harms. Commissioned from IFF Research and Ara Recovery for All and informed by research led with academics at the University of Bristol, the materials include training modules, clinical toolkits and anonymised case studies designed to make therapy more accessible and effective.
The research underpinning the package highlights how traits associated with autism and ADHD – impulsivity, hyperfocus, sensory sensitivity and difficulties with social communicationcan heighten vulnerability to gambling harms. Those same factors often contribute to delays in seeking support, with many people reporting uncertainty about available services or worries about stigma.
GambleAware’s transition chief executive Anna Hargrave said the findings underline the need for tailored approaches. “The report highlights the complex link between neurodivergence and gambling. Characteristics of neurodivergence like impulsivity, hyperfocus, social difficulties and a need for stimulation drive gambling behaviour and increase harms, while stigma, shame and lack of tailored support further isolate neurodivergent people and make it harder for them to seek help.”
Hargrave added that the new guidance aims to close a long-recognised evidence gap. “The resources we have produced are designed to support therapists and practitioners working with clients who experience both gambling harms and neurodivergence. They address a critical evidence gap in understanding how gambling harms affect neurodivergent people and how treatment can be tailored most effectively.”
Alongside the clinical materials, the package outlines six principles for more inclusive practice. These include adapting communication styles, simplifying information, reducing sensory overload in treatment settings, encouraging client autonomy, integrating peer and self-directed supports, and ensuring staff receive dedicated neurodiversity training.
Policy Context and Sector Transition
The launch comes as the UK’s gambling harm-reduction landscape undergoes significant change. GambleAware recently released a separate analysis urging stronger rules for online gambling marketing, warning that young people are still exposed to substantial volumes of gambling content across digital platforms. The charity called for tighter cooperation between regulators, online platforms and public-health bodies to address emerging risks.
Meanwhile, the organisation is preparing for a winding-down of its role. Under the government’s forthcoming mandatory levy system, which is due to come into full effect by March 2026, funding for gambling-harm services will be collected and distributed by the Gambling Commission and the NHS. The shift marks a major restructuring of how support services are financed and coordinated.
Clinicians and support providers say the new resources will be essential during this transition. Specialist services for neurodivergent people remain limited across the UK, and several experts have raised concerns about how tailored provision will be maintained once the levy centralises commissioning.
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Guidance for Front-Line Services
The toolkit is designed for immediate use in therapy rooms, community programmes and support organisations. Recommendations include integrating routine screening for neurodivergence, developing written or visual treatment plans, pacing sessions to avoid overwhelm, and offering accessible self-help options alongside formal interventions.
Service managers are encouraged to incorporate the materials into staff training and to embed the six principles into operational policies. Advocates argue that doing so will help close existing access gaps and ensure neurodivergent clients receive consistent, informed care.
As the UK’s gambling-harm strategy evolves, GambleAware’s new guidance provides a timely framework for clinicians and commissioners seeking to strengthen support for a group often overlooked in traditional treatment models.
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