Image Source: Shutterstock.com

Image Source: Shutterstock.com

The All Party Group (APG) on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling in Northern Ireland was created back in March 2020. The group sought to tackle gambling harm and reduce it by advocating for effective changes and launching different inquiries.

APG Announces the Launch of a New Inquiry

On Tuesday, the APG announced the launch of a new inquiry into a public health approach to gambling-related harms in the country. The inquiry is open until Friday 3, 2023 and during this time, the APG will collect submitted written evidence. The public health approach is widely used to tackle other health concerns such as the consumption of alcohol, smoking or even obesity. Pointing to research, the APG claims that the current approach to gambling, which is focused on the “attitudes and behaviors of individuals” cannot determine the impact on public health which makes it less effective.

Ultimately, with the new public health inquiry, the APG asks different experts, academic groups and health professionals to submit their responses. Additionally, the Group called for advocacy group representatives, health professionals and experts with lived experience of gambling, among others to participate in the inquiry and submit written evidence.

Public Health Approach Needed for Gambling, Says APG Chair

According to APG’s chair, Robbie Butler MLA, the call for a public health approach can widen the gap and shift the focus from individuals to tackling gambling harm as a public health issue. He pointed out that this approach is already used for other addictions such as addiction to alcohol, smoking or food.

“A public health approach into gambling-related harm would move the focus from the individual problem gambler to a much broader consideration of the causes of gambling-related harm that can then be located within a wider framework of public health policies.“

Robbie Butler MLA, chair of the APG

“One of the key recommendations to emerge from the APG’s first inquiry on the future regulation of gambling was that gambling should be officially recognized as a public health issue,” Butler added. He explained that the APG calls for an effective regulation that focuses on preventing harm, providing treatment and prioritizing health. Butler added that strategies for mental health and suicide prevention should integrate methods for tackling gambling addiction.

“We call on health professionals, advocacy group representatives, academics, departmental officials and those with personal experience, among others, to take part in this inquiry,“

added Butler

Establishing of Independent Gambling Regulator Is Needed

Upon launching a previous inquiry, the APG acknowledged it has seen “overwhelming support” for the establishment of an independent regulator. This is because currently, in Northern Ireland, there is no such regulatory body that is in charge of enforcing the gambling regulation and has the authority to implement fines, prosecute operators that breach the rules and revoke their licenses. This is not the case for Britain, where a regulatory body oversees those processes.

At the same time, the APG recalled data from a 2016 Department for Communities survey which found that approximately 2.3% of the population in Northern Ireland is impacted by problem gambling. In contrast, this rate is significantly lower in Ireland, as well as Britain.

Australia is one of the countries that are notorious for having many gamblers on its territory, and they’ve been spending a lot of money on gambling. Gambling harm has a way of extending the damage to those close to its suffering, and this latest ABC report illustrates that by looking at how the demographics of GA attendees are changing.

Increase in Young Attendees Unquestionable

More and more young people are attending Gamblers Anonymous (GA) meetings, including teenagers – some even being brought to the meetings by their parents. The meetings are aimed at helping those who are at their lowest points get through their troubles but reports suggest that an increasing number of youngsters are committing suicide in their secret and quiet desperation.

A report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) cited a few of the organizers of GA meetings, who’ve chosen to remain anonymous themselves. The organizers are painting a dire picture in which even family members were not aware of their kids’ gambling addiction before it was too late.

The few papers looking into gambling-related suicide rates in Australia mostly agree that the number in indeed increasing, however, there’s a limited number of those, and the multiple confounding factors further make it difficult to get an exact estimate.

Medical professionals were also cited in ABC’s report, saying that Australia is currently at a critical point. They named gambling advertising and the nature of tuning a sports betting app’s algorithm to target the most vulnerable as key reasons to be worried and warned that gambling harm sometimes even bleeds into violent behavior.

Australia’s Gambling Problem is Complicated

Online betting has exploded around the world, with the recent global pandemic playing a crucial role in that. Medical professionals were also right to point out that advertising is also a heavily contributing factor. The increase in gambling advertising in recent years has been dramatic, and Australia is in no way an exception.

It’s important to note that even if Australians are notorious for their gambling, which some research suggests impacts their children as well. A study conducted earlier this year estimated that around 200,000 Australian children under the age of 15 might have been impacted by problem gambling, with about 60,000 of those being directly affected by gambling harm directly from within their own families.

Even more worryingly, it was at the beginning of this month when a report by the Alliance for Gambling Reform extrapolated that around 430,000 children in Australia under the age of 16 are currently gambling. Of those, 40,000 children were categorized as at-risk gamblers, while 14,400 were already showing signs of being problem gamblers.

It’s no surprise then, that the increase in gambling advertising has prompted Australian gambling regulators to pay strict attention to the messaging in these advertisements. The government decided to implement new taglines in gambling ads, designed to underline the real chance of being harmed by gambling, as well as losing a lot of money.

Some might argue that the stricter regulation of online gambling is a natural step in this line of thought, but others disagree, saying that it’s being done so aggressively, that this comes at the expense of regulating in-situ gaming.

At any rate, the increase in attendance in GA meetings by any demographic is a good sign that more people are seeking help. However, this also raises a rather worrying question – if that number has increased, is it possible the number of hidden sufferers has also increased proportionally?

Gambling harm is an inseparable part of gambling activities. Regardless if engaging in online or retail gambling, there are users who become addicted and ultimately experience the negative impact of gambling harm. On the other hand, there are people affected by other people’s gambling, such as a family member or a friend. A recent report released by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe), reaffirms the importance of adequate measures to mitigate gambling harm by probing into universal measures.

Restricting Gambling Advertising

Published on Monday, the research examines the effectiveness of different approaches toward limiting gambling harm and reducing the negative impact of gambling in Scotland. Ultimately, the new white paper points to four measures that are likely to reduce the risks associated with gambling and the harm itself.

SPICe’s latest report outlines that one of the measures that seeks to limit gambling harm is restricting advertising, promotion, and sponsorships for gambling operators. The report outlined that currently, there are voluntary measures taken by the gambling industry, but overall, there are “few mandatory or legal restrictions on gambling advertising in Britain.”

Gambling advertising covers multiple channels, including TV, online and retail locations, the report pointed out. What’s more, sports teams also contribute in terms of advertising via sponsorship promotions, which, according to the report impacts vulnerable groups such as people affected by problem gambling or even children.

It is likely that this can be improved by the review of the Gambling Act which for the moment remains at a constant “to-be-released soon” state. Focusing on the protection of the users, the report said that the Scottish Women’s football team has selected not to team up with gambling companies or alcohol producers.

Restrictions and School Education May Curb Gambling Harm

Another important measure outlined in the recent report involves the restriction of access to gambling. This applies especially to vulnerable groups such as children. At the same time, the reports points out that other restrictions may help reduce problem gambling such as changes to the working hours of retail outlets.

Still, the white paper said that with the 24/7 availability of online gambling, such restrictions may have a limited effect. Considering the impact of gambling harm on young adults, an alternative is to raise the age, the report says, but acknowledges that there’s little evidence to support how effective such an approach may be.

“Given the potential harm to young adults, the age at which people can gamble could also be increased, though evidence for the potential effectiveness of this approach is lacking,“

explains the recent report

An important measure that can have a positive impact and reduce gambling harm, according to the report are public information campaigns. It said that such campaigns can help with the treatment and support, but they need to be developed in a way to ensure efficiency. Finally, another measure that can help tackle gambling harm in Scotland is school education, the report suggests. Different education campaigns about the risks of gambling may help reduce gambling harm but evidence of their effectiveness is yet to be gathered.