by Cerys Head, GREAT Research Facilitation Officer, University of Swansea
This blog describes a small-scale exploratory research project to raise awareness about gambling harms among the rugby community in Wales, at all levels of the game. It was funded by a Research Innovation Fund Seedcorn Grant from the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research. The Seedcorn Grant scheme is for early-stage research projects to test ideas, generate new insights and build working relationships with external partners, from which larger-scale impactful projects can be developed.
Gambling harms is complex and affects different communities in different ways. Over the past 25 years, “gamblification” of sports has grown exponentially, with sports betting operators becoming major sponsors of sporting events and contributing to the normalisation of gambling. In light of this, there are growing concerns about the risks of gambling harms for sports audiences but also high-performing team sport athletes who are known to have risk factors for addictive behaviours, including young age, sensation seeking and competitiveness. Rugby players are therefore a group at risk of gambling harms, but to date there has been little research to understand their experiences and ways to mitigate potential harms.
To help raise awareness about gambling harms among the Welsh rugby community, we convened a two-hour in-person workshop in Cardiff in March 2024. The main element of the workshop was a lived-experience Q&A session with ex-professional Welsh rugby union player Bradley Davies, facilitated by Lloyd Ashley, also an ex-rugby player and now Swansea University’s Athlete Support Officer and lead for mental health & wellbeing at the Welsh Rugby Players’ Association. Bradley shared his personal journey with rugby and gambling, discussing the challenges he faced, the impact on his life, and his path to recovery. This engaging Q&A session stimulated a lively discussion with the 18 workshop participants, drawn from Bridgend college, a local rugby club and Welsh Rugby Union.
Robert Parker, Ara Recovery for All’s Community Engagement Manager, also talked at the workshop about recovery rates and support services available for those struggling with gambling. He provided insights from his own personal lived experience, and practical advice on accessing help and resources, emphasising the importance of seeking support.
Via an online survey completed during the workshop, participants shared their views about areas of potential future research in relation to rugby and gambling, which included:
- The impact of gambling on mental health and well-being of sports participants.
- Long-term effects of gambling on career sustainability in sports.
- The prevalence of gambling among rugby players.
- Impact of gambling on team dynamics.
- Awareness of support services for gambling-related issues.
- The role of family and peer support in mitigating gambling harm.
As a result of the Seedcorn Grant, we have fostered new connections with rugby clubs and colleges in Wales. The funding also enabled us to build valuable relationships in the rugby community, including current and ex-professional rugby players, laying the groundwork for potential future research collaboration, both within the academic community and with major sport organisations such as Welsh Rugby Union.
About the project team: The project was led by the University of Swansea’s GREAT network Wales (Gambling Research, Education and Treatment), working with ARA Recovery for All which provides treatment and support for gambling harms as part of the National Gambling Support Network. The project team comprised Cerys Head, GREAT Network’s Research Facilitation Officer; Lloyd Ashley, a former professional rugby player who is now Swansea University’s Athlete Support Officer and lead for mental health & wellbeing at the Welsh Rugby Players’ Association; Simon Dymond, Professor of Psychology and Behaviour Analysis, Swansea University; and Robert Parker, Community Engagement Manager, ARA Recovery for all.
