Problematic gambling in municipal social work in Tampere, Finland: Social workers’ perceptions of service pathways before the casino opening and the health and social services reform

Aims: Gambling can lead to a variety of economic and social harms, many of which are of central concern to social work. However, the “invisibility” of gambling-related harms can impede professional assistance by delaying recognition in social and healthcare services. The present study illuminates how problematic aspects of gambling surface in social work encounters within municipal social services, and how municipal social workers of the City of Tampere, Finland, perceive the available service pathways for problem gambling help provision before the opening of a casino in the city in 2021 and before the health and social services reform of 2023. Methods: We conducted five focus group interviews with 15 social workers employed by the City of Tampere Social Services, utilizing the Reception Analytical Group Interview (RAGI) method. The data were analyzed thematically using ATLAS.ti. Results: Gambling-related harm is entangled with multiple other issues, often inadvertently revealed in daily social work encounters. Lack of time to adequately address clients’ gambling issues and the absence of suitable services in the municipality were perceived as major structural obstacles to adequate help provision. The study participants recognized gambling-related shame, stigma and misconceptions as barriers to clients’ help-seeking. However, they did not view the opening of the casino as likely to increase harms locally. Conclusions: The study highlights the importance of diverse approaches in providing appropriate services for individuals facing gambling-related harm. Furthermore, it underscores the necessity of addressing gambling issues in daily social work encounters and ensuring diverse, accessible service provision.