The NHS has highlighted the ease of gambling at the “touch of a button” on smartphones
By James FitzGerald
BBC News
NHS England is nearly doubling its number of gambling addiction clinics after referrals hit a record high.
Seven new facilities are to be opened this summer on top of the eight already available around the country.
Some 1,389 patients were referred for gambling support in 2022/23 – a sharp rise from 775 two years previously.
However, political opponents have accused ministers of “dragging their feet” over promised reforms to protect gamblers.
Gambling addiction is “a cruel disease which has the power to destroy people’s lives”, said NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard in a statement announcing the new clinics.
Children and adults are being “bombarded” with gambling adverts, added Ms Pritchard, who also highlighted the ease of gambling “at the touch of a button” on modern smartphones.
The NHS announcement follows a coroner’s verdict on Thursday that one betting firm could have done more to help a gambler who took his own life in 2021 after amassing huge debts.
The company in question, Betfair, said it had met all the regulatory standards which were in place at the time, but conceded in hindsight that it should have done more.
When the full set of 15 facilities are open across England, the health service hopes to be able to treat 3,000 patients a year, using techniques such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
The seven new clinics are in Blackpool, Bristol, Derby, Liverpool, Milton Keynes, Sheffield, and Thurrock in Essex.
These are in addition to others already running in London, Leeds, Newcastle, Manchester, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent and Telford.
An eighth clinic in London exists to treat not only gambling but also gaming addiction in children and young people.
Neil O’Brien, the public health minister, noted the “stark rise” in the number of people seeking NHS treatment for gambling issues, noting that such issues could have a “devastating impact” on people’s lives.
He said the government had set out plans to tackle such issues, including a commitment to introduce a statutory levy so gambling companies pay their “fair share” towards treatment services.
The publication of the government’s white paper in April marked the biggest shake-up of regulation in the sector since the advent of the smartphone.
Among the measures proposed were a stake limit of £2 on online slot machines for young gamblers. But campaigners attacked a lack of action on adverts.
The new addiction facilities were described as “heartening” by the charity Gambling with Lives, whose strategy director Will Prochaska said the clinics “couldn’t come at a more pertinent moment, whilst gambling advertising lures more people into harm”.
Sunday’s announcement was also welcomed by Matt Zarb-Cousin, the director of Clean Up Gambling, who said: “Gambling is an addiction like any other and 86% of the profits from online gambling comes from the 5% who are addicted or at risk.
“It’s so important access to treatment is normalised and people know that there is NHS help available in their area if they experience harm from gambling – harm that the current industry business model is built on.”
The Lib Dems said news of record addiction referrals showed the Conservatives were not doing enough to protect gamblers.
“Far too many people are suffering from gambling harms,” said health spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP.
“The Conservatives have been promising reforms to protect them for years but are still dragging their feet.
“These new figures must be a wake-up call to ministers to stop dithering and act now, before more lives are ruined.”
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