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Stigma associated with gambling disorder is complex, and is a key obstacle that prevents sufferers from seeking early help for their condition. However, little research has addressed how best to reduce gambling stigma. This study explored the effectiveness of video intervention styles, that have been used to reduce public stigma for conditions such as mental illness and substance use disorders. This was done to determine which would be most suitable, considering the unique characteristics of gambling disorder. An online survey of 164 people living in Australia was conducted which examined attitudes toward gamblers experiencing problems before and after an intervention. Participants were randomly allocated to one of three interventions (contact, education, advocacy) or a control video. The study found that each intervention was associated with changes to different components of stigma. Importantly, the education intervention increased labelling, but reduced stereotype endorsement and anger. Advocacy also reduced anger, attributions of character flaws, and anticipated discrimination and recoverability. While these interventions were generally effective at reducing stigma, the contact intervention was mixed, effectively intervening for some aspects of stigma, but increasing stigma on others. No single intervention reduced all aspects of stigma, suggesting that a complementary approach utilising specific elements of each intervention style could be used to deliver relevant information and effectively reduce stigma. Taken together, this suggests that research should be conducted into comprehensive, combined interventions, that include aspects of all three intervention styles, in an attempt to reduce more aspects of stigma simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gambling is embedded in Australian cultural history, and perceived as a normal, legitimate leisure activity. Despite this normalisation, people who experience gambling problems are heavily stigmatised which can lead to a variety of harms that extend beyond the individual. The stigma from the general public appears to be based on a stereotype of a typical "problem gambler"-selfish, greedy, impulsive and irresponsible. However, research suggests that people experiencing gambling problems have widely varying characteristics and do not conform to this stereotype. Regardless of whether the stigma is justified, it is both present and problematic. Gamblers experiencing problems delay help-seeking due to feelings of shame and, not unwarranted, expectations of negative judgement because of the heavy stigma associated with the stereotype. As stigma is a primary barrier to treatment and a reason why gambling problems can take longer to acknowledge, it is important to understand and address how stigma can be reduced to minimise the negative consequences of gambling on individuals, their families and friends and the wider community. There is little research on reducing gambling-related stigma, so there is a need to examine strategies used in other stigmatised conditions, such as mental health, to understand the general principles of effective stigma reduction measures. Because gambling disorder is unique, well-hidden and consequently not well understood, there is a need to recognise that techniques used in other domains may differ in their effectiveness within the context of gambling stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]