UK Lawmakers to Examine Gambling Harm and Industry Trends
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The UK’s Health and Social Care Select Committee will hold a dedicated session to explore how recent changes in the gambling industry are influencing public health and contributing to gambling-related harm.
Scheduled for 9:30am on April 2, this one-off evidence session will bring together MPs and experts to explore how evolving attitudes toward gambling have impacted problem gambling across the country.
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Session to Focus on Changing Perceptions and Industry Growth
In its announcement, the Committee highlighted that in 2023, approximately 25 million people in England engaged in gambling. The UK casinos sector generated a gross gambling yield of £15.6 billion in the financial year ending March 2024.
As gambling becomes more normalized in society, public perception continues to change. The Committee pointed out that the UK government aims to support this cultural transition by working to destigmatize problem gambling. Currently, stigma is a significant barrier preventing many individuals from seeking help. Experts believe that reducing stigma would encourage more people to pursue treatment for gambling addiction.
During the session, MPs will aim to identify what is required to create a more effective public health response to gambling harm. Additionally, they will look into the government’s responsibilities in supporting these efforts.
MPs to Evaluate Public Health Measures and Protections
As part of the session, lawmakers will question public health officials on their strategies for tackling gambling harm and their overall role in prevention. They will also explore what both national and local authorities can do to better protect the public.
A major discussion point will be whether current safeguards are robust enough to protect children and vulnerable individuals from gambling-related issues.
The Committee also noted that the government confirmed in November 2023 the implementation of a statutory levy on gambling operators. This mandatory fee, replacing the voluntary donations system, was proposed in the Gambling Act white paper. The levy is scheduled to come into force in April 2025 under the oversight of the UK Gambling Commission.
With this policy change coming soon, the Committee plans to evaluate how funding from the levy can be used to commission effective prevention and treatment programs.
Leading Experts Scheduled to Testify
The Health and Social Care Committee has announced a lineup of witnesses who will participate in the hearing:
From 9:30am:
- Professor Sam Chamberlain, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Southampton and Director of the Southern Gambling Treatment Clinic
- Professor Heather Wardle, Co-Chair of the Lancet Public Health Commission on Gambling and Professor at the University of Glasgow
- Lucy Hubber, Director of Public Health in Nottingham and representative of the Association of Directors of Public Health.
From 10:30am:
- Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones OBE, National Clinical Advisor on Gambling Harms
- Andrew Vereker, Deputy Director for Tobacco, Alcohol and Gambling at the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities
- Tim Miller, Executive Director of Research and Policy at the Gambling Commission.
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