“Barrage” of betting tables playing around Boxing Day fixtures will exacerbate Britain’s growing gambling problem; NHS the bosses are warned.
Promotional techniques from unscrupulous bookmakers, including free Christmas bets, will increase gambling-related losses by encouraging punters to bet sums they cannot afford, they say.
Gambling addiction causes so much damage that the NHS in England will almost double from eight to 15 last year the number of specialist clinics to help addicts, he said.
The Ministry of Health faces an “uphill battle” to provide enough care to increase the number of people referred by GPs to network clinics with gambling-related health problems.
Dr Matt Gaskell, head of the NHS North’s gambling service, urged people to not risk losing money coming in as a Christmas present or bonus by using it to place bets.
During the holidays, people can get extra money for gifts or favors, or find money short, and can be tempted to invest more than they decide to end up betting.
“When betting adverts promote festive fixtures, races and offers such as Christmas free bets, they may look enticing, but these tend to encourage people to bet at high frequency,” says Gaskell.
“I’ve seen first hand how the festive season is damaging to further gambling.”
NHS England clinics mainly provide psychological support to people suffering from gambling-related problems such as mental illness, suicide risk and relationship breakdown. They range from Newcastle and Preston in the north to Southampton and Thurrock in the south.
The number of clinical reports received has almost tripled from 775 in 2020/21 to 2,284 in 2023/24 as the number of openings has expanded to meet growing demand.
They expect to treat at least 3,000 people this year, and 15 clinics are currently open. The survey reported 1,914 gamblers from April to September 2024, more than double the 836 respondents received during the same period in 2023.
“The 24/7 gambling industry is constantly increasing its losses with addictive products and an inescapable beating of advertising – especially through major sporting events, with gambling firm logos on football shirts and eye-catching advertisements on broken television matches – which drive a growing number to play beyond the limit and control”. said Claire Murdoch, NHS England’s national director for mental health.
“The NHS is fighting an uphill battle to ensure that more and more people are affected by these modern scourges and the shameless predatory tactics used to secure gambling profits.
“Food is an ADDICTION disease that can take and destroy lives. The NHS can only be left with the evils that are involved in the operations of food addiction firms.
Anyone struggling with gambling, or who is close to someone who is, should seek help from the NHS, Murdoch approached. He urged companies to be more responsible and “hard to think about the potential harm to people behind their products”.
Ministers have recently revealed plans to impose a new statutory levy on gambling industry profits, which is intended to raise £100m a year. It proceeds in research into gambling problems and how it can be prevented and treated.
GambleAware, a loss reduction charity set up by the industry, has confirmed the NHS’s concern that Christmas gambling adverts present unique challenges for people who gamble regularly.
“Gamble losses can affect anyone and Christmas can be the most difficult time of the year for many.
“Having so many gambling fixtures at Christmas, with lots of gambling advertising around them, can make it difficult for people,” said Zoë Osmond, chief executive of GambleAware.
“That is why we ask for a ban on gambling advertising in sports so that gambling is not normalized, especially for children and young people who will be watching”.
The National Sports Support Networkwhich helps problem gamblers across the UK, has treated almost 11,000 people this year – 12% more than last year. And calls to the national Gambling Helpline reached 55,000 per year.
In October, the Lancet medical committee on gambling warning That bet is a worldwide threat to public health. It is also associated with domestic violence, other crimes and people losing their jobs, the panel of experts said.
Globally, we find that approximately 80 million adults suffer from a gambling disorder or problematic gambling, with young people, children and poorer people the worst affected.