Among 2,800 help-seekers for gambling-related problems in Finland, women demonstrated significantly higher rates of suicidal ideation compared to men (25.5% versus 16.4%), with gambling-related debts and inadequate social support identified as critical risk factors for both sexes. Analysis using logistic regression revealed that at-risk alcohol use independently elevated suicidal ideation risk only in women, whereas both genders showed similar vulnerability to gambling indebtedness and social disconnection. Notably, the protective effect of social support proved stronger for men, who exhibited substantially higher odds ratios (2.63) compared to women. These gender-differentiated associations emphasise the necessity for sex-specific prevention and intervention strategies tailored to address distinct vulnerability pathways in gambling harm reduction programs.¹

Reference:

1. Marionneau V, Havuaho S, Wall H. Gender-specific risk factors for gambling-related suicidal ideation: Evidence from a help-seeking population. Addictive Behaviors. 2026;175;108616.