Citizens Advice calls for compulsory gambling levy
Report calls on industry to be more proactive on problem gambling
A new Citizens Advice report into problem gambling has recommended the implementation of a compulsory levy on gambling companies to fund the treatment of problem gambling in the UK.
Citizens Advice believes that government “should ensure there is sufficient funding for research, education, and treatment for problem gamblers and affected others.”
The report, entitled Out of Luck – An exploration of the causes and impacts of problem gambling, also calls on GambleAware to develop more accessible means of treatment for problem gambling and the innovation of controls on problem gambling-related financial issues.
It also asks the industry to be more proactive in dealing with gambling-related harm, calling for banks and creditors to provide better training for staff in dealing with people with gambling addiction.
As part of their research, Citizens Advice surveyed 1,500 people affected by the own gambling, or someone else, also interviewing 35 people about their experiences of gambling-related harm.
Citizens Advice found that gambling-related harm affects far more individuals than just the problem gambler, with its research suggesting that between 6 and 10 additional individuals (friends, family, co-workers) being directly affected. At the national level, this figure equates to between 2.5 and 4.3 million people.
The research also revealed that ease of access and lack of controls were two of the causes of problem gambling and that the prevalence of advertising of gambling made it harder for those with a problem to stop.
Three-quarters of gamblers surveyed had built up debt as a result of gambling with over a third of families with children unable to afford essential costs (food, rent, bills) as a result of a family members gambling. Two-thirds of surveyed individuals reported mental distress as a result of gambling, with more than a third of households with children experiencing family breakdown.
The research conducted by Citizens Advice revealed that tools to manage gambling addiction do not work for everyone, calling for improvements to aid in their effectiveness. It also concludes that there are not enough local services and insufficient funding to meet demand for problem gambling support.