Stakeholder interests in gambling revenue: an obstacle to public health interventions?

OBJECTIVES

This article explores the financial interests that are behind gambling revenue and their relative importance. Identifying these interests is crucial to further analysis on how they may impact gambling policy and public health interventions.

STUDY

DESIGN

The analysis focuses on the spending structures of ten European gambling operators derived from their income statements to identify where money from gambling is further directed and who are the main financial stakeholders (SHs).

METHODS

Gambling companies' income statements were categorised based on four types of SHs: states, earmarked contributions, operators, and cost-dependants. The sums directed to these groups are compared with company gross gambling revenue (GGR).

RESULTS

Overall, the main financial SHs behind gambling appear to be states and earmarked beneficiaries. State budgets and earmarked contributions account for an average of 50 percent of the GGR of gambling companies, whereas about one-third is directed to cost-dependants. The most significant cost-dependant groups that can be identified are the distribution network and providers of materials. Results also show variance between companies depending on institutional contexts.

CONCLUSIONS

The importance of states and earmarked causes as significant beneficiaries of European gambling companies is confirmed by the analysis. The results also show that cost-dependants are an important financial SH in gambling. The implications on public health of a wide network of SHs in gambling revenue are discussed.