The National Health Service (NHS) has issued a warning against the onslaught of gambling advertisements during Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, and advised restraint on the part of consumers who may be tempted to spend heavily during the holiday season.
As previous reports by GamCare and Nationwide have indicated, Christmas time is usually tied with the heaviest spending by consumers on gambling, and the NHS’ warning cannot come sooner.
NHS Northern Gambling Service Head Dr Matt Gaskell told the Guardian that people who received Christmas bonuses or money as gifts to not cave in to the temptation to spend that money on gambling products.
"People may receive extra money as gifts or bonuses during the holiday period, or find that money is short, and could be tempted to place a bet and end up betting more than they intended," Dr Gaskell explained, urging restraint.
Dr Gaskell said that with the promotional offers inundating television, social media, and radio on Boxing Day, people may be tempted to take advantage of free Christmas bets and then place extra money.
NHS England National Director for Mental Health Claire Murdoch similarly commented on Christmas gambling spending and the danger that advertising during the season posed to ordinary consumers.
"The 24/7 gambling industry is causing ever-increasing harms with addictive products and an inescapable barrage of advertising – particularly through mainstream sporting events, with gambling firm logos on football shirts and eye-catching ads during the breaks of televised matches – which drive growing numbers to gamble beyond their means and control," she explained in a lengthy statement.
The NHS agrees that addiction is a "cruel disease" that is hard to escape, and that people were the ones who bore the brunt resulting from excessive gambling advertisements that pushed people into excessive and reckless spending habits.
The issue is compounded by the fact that excessive gambling advertising can make it hard for many people to resist, as noted by GambleAware CEO Zoë Osmond, who said that a ban on gambling advertising in sports should be more seriously considered so that it can stop the normalization of gambling and protect vulnerable people, as well as children and young people.
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