GambleAware publishes maps to highlight problem gambling hotbeds in GB

GambleAware continues to try and tackle problem gambling on a national level. The leading charity in Great Britain, which receives a fair bit of donations to maintain its operations, has detailed gambling harms on a local authority and parliamentary constituency level in 11 regions, the NGOs said in an official press release.

Essentially, GambleAware has been able to map out the hotbeds of problem gambling and gambling-related harm in Great Britain, detailing where these levels were higher and where they were lower. One particular aspect of the map and research focused on the North West, which established that people living in the region are more likely to be affected by the gambling habits of another person.

An average of 8% of people in North West are impacted by the gambling habits of a person they know, compared to 7% on average in Great Britain, the organization explains. Targeting specifically the North West, GambleAware discovered that more than 3.6m adults (61%) have participated in one form of gambling or another in 2022 alone, which is again ahead of the national average – 60%.

North West was also lacking, GambleAware explained, when it came to available treatment options and support for gambling harms. This data can be used to better-adjust not just the organization’s own resources but also help guide treatment services, such as the National Health Service, which is looking to tackle problem gambling in the United Kingdom.

A new mandatory levy that promises to raise as much as £100m pounds every year could provide treatment specialists with the mean to start addressing the issues. The maps and research were welcomed by GambleAware CEO Zoë Osmond, but she said that gambling harms were a serious public health issue.

"As the leading gambling harms charity in Great Britain, we have published these maps to provide local areas with the evidence they need to address treatment and support needs in their communities."

Meanwhile, the Beacon Counselling Trust, set up with the help of GambleAware, has also weighed in. The Trust’s Clinical Director, Neil Platt, welcomed the data as it helped further guide treatment practices. Platt confirmed that his organization saw the impact of gambling harms on individuals first-hand.

"The design of the new National Gambling Support Network means those who are experiencing gambling harm can access specialist, tailored treatment or support, dependent on their needs, quickly and efficiently, wherever they are across Great Britain," Platt added.

GambleAware has worked tirelessly to illustrate issues that pertain to gambling, including the link between mental health and gambling harm. The organization has also called for the introduction of a statutory levy on gambling firms to help fund gambling treatment, research, and support for those impacted.

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