Kindbridge Research Institute Report Links First Responder Trauma to Elevated Problem Gambling Rates

A Massachusetts-based telehealth provider has released findings that first responders face heightened risks of developing problematic gambling habits. The Kindbridge Research Institute produced the report Gambling Among First Responders in the United States after surveying current personnel across multiple roles. It identifies clear ties between occupational stress, trauma exposure, and gambling behaviors.

The study received funding from the Colorado Division of Gaming within the Colorado Department of Revenue. EPIC Global Solutions partnered on the research. Anca-Maria Gherghel, senior research manager at EPIC Global Solutions, and Anneke Stols, research associate at EPIC Global Solutions, authored the document. According to reporting by GamblingNews, researchers started with 788 responses but excluded 281 due to reliability concerns, leaving a final sample of 507 current first responders.

Survey Findings on Risk Levels

Firefighters showed the highest vulnerability, with nearly half (49%) meeting criteria for problem gambling. The report establishes a correlation between routine career exposure to risk and greater willingness to accept financial risks through gambling. Higher PTSD symptoms aligned with increased gambling-related harm. Poorer overall mental health outcomes similarly tracked with elevated problem gambling risk.

Variations appeared by specific role, work environment, shift patterns, and team culture. The source material notes that periods of downtime and occupational structures can influence how gambling functions as a coping mechanism. These patterns place first responders in a distinct risk category relative to the general population.

Opportunities for Targeted Interventions

The report recommends integrating gambling screening into existing mental-health and wellness programs. It calls for education and prevention efforts tailored to different first-responder roles rather than generic approaches. Greater coordination among first-responder organizations, unions, employers, mental-health professionals, regulators, and responsible-gaming stakeholders could enable earlier identification of risks.

Mark Lucia, KRI director of programming, described first-responder environments as involving repeated trauma, high responsibility, and unpredictable stress. He observed that while PTSD and burnout receive substantial focus, gambling among these groups has drawn limited attention. Lucia highlighted Responsible Gaming Education Month as a timely moment to expand screening and support for populations whose risks might otherwise stay hidden. Kindbridge Behavioral Health has separately partnered with FanDuel on responsible gambling initiatives.

The study relies on self-reported online questionnaires, a method that carries inherent limitations even after the reliability screen. Its scope does not extend to longitudinal tracking or clinical diagnoses. These constraints mean the precise prevalence across all first-responder subgroups remains subject to further verification.

Reporting: GamblingNews

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