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State of Play’s TL;DR
- A new survey finds that 44% of first responders have problem gambling traits.
- The survey also found a link between risky gambling and PTSD.
A Colorado-funded survey of 507 current first responders found 44% met the criteria for problem gambling, a strikingly high figure for a workforce already exposed to trauma and stress.
The report also found a strong link between gambling risk and PTSD severity.
The responsible gambling findings add to a growing body of evidence that first responders may be an underserved group in gambling-addiction research and treatment.
Survey points to broad gambling exposure
According to the Kindbridge Research Institute survey, funded by the Colorado Division of Gaming, 95% of respondents said they had gambled in the past year. Overall, 44% met the criteria for problem gambling.
By profession, firefighters showed the highest rate at 49%, while police and EMS respondents were both at 42%. About half of the sample also screened positive for possible Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome. The report said PTSD severity correlated strongly with gambling risk.
The article argues that first responders may face a double vulnerability: trauma exposure on the job and personality traits associated with risk-seeking. It cites a 2010 study of 206 police and firefighter recruits in Boston and southern New Hampshire that found both groups scored significantly above general population norms on excitement-seeking.
Military overlap may deepen gambling harm concerns
The survey also found a notable military connection. Nearly a quarter of respondents had past military experience, and 11.7% were currently serving.
Among those currently on active duty, problem gambling rates were reported at nearly 70%. For those with past military experience, the rate was above 50%, compared with 35.6% among respondents with no military background.
That overlap matters beyond this single survey. In August, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a provision making gambling addiction an eligible research topic under the Pentagon’s Peer-reviewed Medical Research Program.
Why the findings matter
For regulators, treatment providers, and public safety agencies, the report points to a population that may need more targeted screening and support. The article suggests departments could screen for gambling risk factors during hiring and academy training.
What remains unclear is how widely those practices are being used now, what screening tools were used in the survey, and which prevention or treatment measures departments may already have in place. Even so, the report’s central takeaway is hard to miss: Gambling harm among first responders may be more prevalent, and more overlooked, than previously understood.
Based on reporting by Colin Lynch for Gaming America.
