Yesterday MPs from across the House came together to press the Government on what action they are taking to address online gambling related harms. Conservative MP Richard Graham who called the debate said it was a: “chance to update the record on where we are on online gambling, to recognise the damage being done in some very sad cases”.

The latest figures from the Gambling Commission found that there more than 2 million people addicted to gambling or thought to be at risk of developing the problem. Meanwhile, 450,000 11-16-year olds gamble on a regular basis with 55,000 classed as problem gamblers.

Josh’s story

MPs shared personal stories that they had heard that had impacted them to push for more gambling protections to support the vulnerable. Mr Green, for example, shared the story of Josh:

“Martin Jones in Swindon, who talked to me this morning, explaining the story of his son, Josh, who eventually committed suicide in 2015 after years of fighting addiction. It is a truly tragic story, and there can be no doubt that the system is failing individuals and therefore us all.

“What we are hearing is that Josh’s case is not a one-off; hundreds commit suicide every year as a result of gambling. We do not know exactly how many—it is somewhere between 250 and 650 a year. That is a margin of error about life and death that would be completely unacceptable in any other sector. The implication that we just do not know whether 400 people committed suicide as a result of a gambling addiction or for other reasons is truly shocking. Were it, say, the construction sector or the armed forces, there would be a public inquiry about dereliction of duty.”

Read all of the speeches here.

Government’s next steps revealed

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Mims Davies responded on behalf of the Government, explaining that “technological solutions to help protect vulnerable people from gambling-related harms” were being explored by the government.

• GamStop championed. GamStop is a site that enables people to self-exclude from online gambling with the companies that have signed up to the scheme. Around 90 per cent of the market has signed up to GamStop and over 60,000 people have used the service so far. GamStop is currently running programmes for schools aimed at 11 to 18 year olds, and is looking to develop new packages for 18 to 24 year olds to educate people on the risks of gambling and to sign post to charities and projects that can help those at risk or suffering with gambling addiction.

• Banking options explored. Mims Davies, along with the Secretary of State met with major banks to discuss ways in which they can allow customers to block gambling facilities. The government also launched a call for evidence on gambling with credit. This will give the department a comprehensive picture of the prevalence of using credit cards for gambling and the associated risks of it, which could lead to further action.

• Betting advertising being monitored. Tougher sanctions have been introduced for operators that break advertising rules. A whistle-to-whistle ban on TV betting adverts during pre-watershed live sports has also been introduced.

• Threats of a mandatory levy. Ms Davies alluded to that if the industry does not meet GambleAware’s donation target of £10 million by April this year, the Government will not rule out other ways of funding support for problem gambling, including a mandatory levy.

• Age and Identity Verification to be introduced. From May the Gambling Commission are set to bring in further changes to operators in order to include age and identity verification to allow consumers to ensure that they do not partake if they get free-to-play demo games.

Reading between the lines: CARE’s response.

In a 30-minute debate unfortunately there is not time to press the Government on their response or delve as deep as one would like on such a huge multi-faceted issue as online gambling harms.

What is clear is that the Government is starting to take action to address the harms of online problem gambling. With the rise of problem gamblers, especially amongst the young, it’s no longer a problem that can be ignored.

We have long been concerned that the landscape has changed significantly over the last few years in relation to gambling, with increased betting options and technological developments. Therefore, it is good to see the Government exploring technological solutions to help protect the vulnerable from gambling related harms.

CARE supports the introduction of age and identity verification. Whilst the Government only mentioned introducing this in relation to free demos, we hope that once this becomes available it would be extended to all online gambling advertising and when placing bets. This would ensure that young people would not only not be able to place bets but also be protected from advertising, which could entice them into playing.

We have also responded to both the new advertising rules and also the whistle-to-whistle ban on TV betting adverts that you can read here:

Gambling firms announce whistle-to-whistle sport betting ads ban

Breakthrough as gambling chiefs confirm watershed for gambling ads

Our big concern is that problem gamblers still are not being supported properly by the gambling industry.

New research has shown that problem gamblers are 15 times more likely to commit suicide. There’s a lack of support available, with hardly anything available on the NHS, meaning that the majority of people cannot afford financially to access the help they sorely need.

At the heart of this it is a funding issue. As Mims Davies alluded to, the current situation where the Government encourages the gambling industry to make voluntary contributions to help care for problem gamblers is not working effectively.

A mandatory levy would be more effective. Our research shows that 66 per cent of men in the UK were unhappy with the current arrangement and would like to see it increased and become compulsory. The Responsible Gambling Strategy Board also recommended that a compulsory levy should replace the current system.

A statutory levy would ensure that help for problem gamblers is properly funded and available. CARE will be working with Parliamentarians to push for this. It is vital that problem gamblers are able to access the help they need, without fear of getting into more debt, and are able to recover and live a life free from further gambling addiction.

Read more about our work on gambling here.