Gambling – advice for all
Gambling is taking part in a game or activity where you risk losing something, usually money, in order to try and win a prize. It is all down to chance and usually the odds are very much against you. The reason that people gamble initially is usually for entertainment. They then continue as it is exciting and to make money, although this rarely happens!
We know that some adults are addicted to gambling and that children and young people living with parents or carers that are affected, are likely to suffer as well. However young people are also directly at risk of developing problems with gambling. Research tells us that 2% of young people aged between 12 and 15 develop gambling problems.
In recognition of the danger that gambling can cause young people, the Gambling Act 2005 makes most gambling for under 18’s illegal, with the exception of the National Lottery and slot machines with low stakes, which is 16.
Types of Gambling
Common types of gambling that young people or adults may become involved in include slot machines, lottery, scratch cards or through playing card games with friends, visiting casinos or various forms of online betting. It can start off as harmless as just a one off, such as betting on a cup final football game or buying a charity scratch card, but can get out of hand and become an obsession.
Signs that things are getting out of hand?
Warning signs can include:
- a significant interest in gambling and gambling related activities, with it becoming a main leisure activity
- stakes that continue to increase
- problems at school or college, including loss of interest, completing assignments or skipping attendance
- changes in personality or behaviour, including becoming moody or angry, that people begin to comment on
- telling lies about the amount spent on gambling or winnings
- borrowing money to gamble
- desperately trying to win back money or possessions that have been previously lost
- being put at risk physically if gambling debts can’t be paid
- feeling low or depressed
- not being able to stop or give up as it feels too hard.
If you are worried – you can take an online quiz at www.bigdeal.org.uk/quiz to assess whether you might have a problem.
What impact does it have?
- losing money that you need to spend on other things such as lunch, bus fares, clothing etc.
- mental ill-health including depression, loss of self-esteem, feeling of guilt
- resorting to criminal activities to fund gambling – such as theft – which could lead to a criminal record
- falling out with friends and family due to changes in behaviour and loss of trust
- not doing well at school, college or work
- failing exams that impact on a future career.
Gambling websites – what to look at before gambling
Licensed gambling businesses must display that they are licensed and provide a link to their licence register where you can see what type of activities they are allowed to offer and also if the GC have taken any regulatory action against them – visit the website at secure.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/PublicRegister
If there is no regulatory action listed, then the GC have not taken any action against them.
You can also see their address, website domain names, trading names and current licence status.
- Find out more at www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/what-to-look-at-before-gambling
What support is available?
This service includes a national telephone helpline and other support services including live chat rooms and forums and following assessment; face to face engagement i.e. one to one counselling; couple counselling; and group counselling;Â along with a number of advice and guidance platforms including debt management and social support.
- Find out more on their website at beaconcounsellingtrust.co.uk/manchester
Beacon Counselling Youth Outreach – their free offer has been updated.
- Contact Beacon for further details at jacki@beaconcounsellingtrust.co.uk or tele: 07793432219
GamCare provides information, advice and support for anyone affected by problem gaming – their work encompasses education, advice, treatment and communication.
- GamCare Helpline free on 0808 8020 133 (8am to midnight)
- Visit their website at www.gamcare.org.uk/youth
- Download their leaflet – Gambling & Youth – at www.gamcare.org.uk/Youth.pdf
Big Deal shares experiences of young people that have developed addictions including football betting.
- Visit their website at www.bigdeal.org.uk
The Mix provides information on what is a gambling addiction, who is most likely to be affected by gambling, what are the temptations, difficulties that may be encountered during the process of giving up gambling, and how to deal with a relapse.
- Visit their website at www.themix.org.uk
The Money Advice Service provides free and impartial money advice via web chat or call 0800 138 7777 (Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 1pm).
- Visit their website at www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk
Childline can provide support with addiction – call their 24/7 free phone line 0800 111.
- Visit their website at www.childline.org.uk
Skins in the Game – research from the Royal Society of Public Health which has some interesting insights from the young people.
- Find this at www.rsph.org.uk
PHSE – network gambling educational resources include a podcast
NAO – report which looks at gambling harms and call for changes to how the industry is regulated.
National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms
Reducing gambling harms means taking a broader focus than simply encouraging individuals to gamble responsibly, and this strategy sets out collectively how we can adopt a public health approach to reducing gambling harms.
A public health approach to reducing gambling harms is not solely – or even primarily – about health care provision – it is about adopting practices that bring benefit at the population level, as well as at the individual, in order to prevent gambling harms from occurring. It means recognising that a broad range of measures must usually be taken by different people and organisations to address what can often be a complex mix of harmful consequences.
This strategy sets out how, by focusing combined efforts on two strategic priorities of prevention and education and treatment and support, we can collectively have the most impact on reducing gambling harms.
- Prevention and education: To make significant progress towards a collective and clear prevention plan applying the right mix of interventions.
- Treatment and support: To make significant progress towards truly national treatment and support options that meet the needs of current and future service users.
These inter-related strategic priorities are delivered through four enablers:
- regulation and oversight
- collaboration
- evaluation
- research to inform action.
The Gambling Commission and licensing authorities work in partnership through shared regulation of gambling premises and will use the findings and evidence generated through the developing public health model to build on existing tool-kits for gambling, using an evidence-based approach.
Considerable progress has already been made in developing this work and details can be found in the Public Health toolkit on the Gambling Commission website at www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/Licensing-authority-toolkit/Reducing-Gambling-Harms-resources
- The work on the strategy has its own website at www.reducinggamblingharms.org
