Legislation

UK – DCMS asks Public Health England to investigate gambling harm

By Phil - 21 October 2019

The Public Health England has been asked to carry out an evidence based review into the specific health aspects of gambling-related harm to inform action on future prevention and treatment. This review will be the first of its kind, with experts welcoming the news after ‘decades of damage and despair.’

The request comes after the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport led a consultation on gaming machines and social responsibility. Their response to the consultation resulted in a package of measures, including reducing the maximum stake on FOBT’s from £100 to £2, improving player protections on category B machines and strengthening player protections, specifically around age verification and identifying risks to players. The consultation also wants to tackle gambling advertisements to protect those most vulnerable.

Public Health England was asked to compile an evidence based review into gambling-related harms and their social and economic burden. The objectives and structure around this review have today been announced, with an expected release date of Spring 2020.

Gambling addiction experts welcome today’s announcement but are cautious about just how far it will go to inciting real change. Eytan Alexander, Managing Director of addiction treatment firm UKAT and former gambling addict himself comments;
“The fact that Public Health England are reviewing gambling-related health harms is incredibly encouraging, as it suggests that the Government are finally sitting up and listening to the relentless cries for help from the gambling treatment community.

“We treat people from all kinds of backgrounds for gambling addictions, and in the last year, we’ve seen a worrying rise in the number of online gambling addicts. Gambling addiction ruins lives; just because it is not a drug doesn’t mean it’s less dangerous and damaging,’ Mr. Alexander continued.

“We’re equally as excited by this review as we are cautious; we expect the results to be extremely eye-opening for the Government, and it’ll take real defiance- not to mention financial investment- to implement truly effective preventative and treatment measures needed to protect future generations.”

“At the minute, the vast majority of the onus to not gamble is placed on the gambler themselves. We’ve all heard of ‘When the fun stops, stop’…but it isn’t as simple as that when you’ve lost the power of choice; trust me, it feels like you can’t stop. We need to focus on prevention and protection for gamblers so that gambling can be enjoyed without it tipping over into addiction.”