Massachusetts-based Kindbridge Behavioral Health, a telehealth provider specializing in counseling and mental health treatment for various addictions, recently published a report claiming first responders are at a higher risk of developing problematic gambling habits.
What Did the Survey Discover?
Kindbridge Research Institute (KRI), the organization’s non-profit arm, released the new report called Gambling Among First Responders in the United States. It examines gambling behaviors, mental health, occupational factors, and military experience among first responders across the country.
The report was funded through a grant from the Colorado Division of Gaming, part of the Colorado Department of Revenue. EPIC Global Solutions served as KRI’s research partner and conducted the study. The report was authored by Anca-Maria Gherghel, senior research manager at EPIC Global Solutions, and Anneke Stols, research associate at EPIC Global Solutions.
The Kindbridge study surveyed 507 current first responders through online questionnaires. Researchers applied a rigorous screening process, excluding 281 of the 788 initial responses due to reliability concerns. The study identified a correlation between first responders’ routine exposure to risk in their careers and their willingness to take financial risks through gambling.
Among the groups surveyed, firefighters emerged as the highest-risk group, with nearly half (49%) meeting the criteria for problem gambling. Additionally, the study found that gambling harm is closely associated with mental health and trauma. Higher levels of PTSD symptoms were linked to greater gambling-related harm, while poorer mental-health outcomes were associated with an increased risk of gambling problems.
Risk also varied across first-responder roles and work environments. Certain occupational groups reported higher levels of gambling participation and gambling-related risk than others. Researchers also suggested that factors such as work structure, shift patterns, periods of downtime, and team culture may shape how gambling fits into first responders’ daily lives and coping strategies.
What Can Be Done About the Problem?
Aside from revealing that first responders are more at risk of developing harmful gambling habits, the KRI’s report also identified several opportunities to strengthen support for first responders. These include integrating gambling screening into existing mental-health and wellness programs, developing education and prevention initiatives tailored to different first-responder roles.
The findings also underscore the importance of viewing gambling-related harm within the broader behavioral-health context in which first responders live and work. Greater collaboration among first-responder organizations, unions, employers, mental-health professionals, regulators, and responsible-gaming stakeholders could help identify risks earlier and prevent gambling-related harm.
KRI director of programming Mark Lucia noted that first responders work in environments characterized by repeated exposure to trauma, high levels of responsibility, and unpredictable stress. He said that while significant attention has been devoted to issues such as PTSD and burnout, gambling among first responders has received comparatively little attention.
Lucia also emphasized that Responsible Gaming Education Month provides an opportunity to broaden the conversation and examine whether education, screening, and support are reaching populations whose gambling-related risks might otherwise remain hidden.
In other news about Kindbridge Behavioral Health, the organization has been working closely with FanDuel recently, as the latter has reiterated its commitment to championing responsible gambling.