Last modified on Tue 6 Apr 2021 19.15 EDT
Gambling firms have profited during the pandemic but are leaving the NHS to “pick up the pieces” of addiction and should be hit with a compulsory levy to fund treatment, the head of mental health in England has said.
Claire Murdoch – national mental health director for NHS England – denounced the voluntary system that lets the industry dictate how much it contributes to helping addicts.
In an intervention that comes amid a government review of laws governing the £11bn-a-year sector, Murdoch said 750 people have been referred to specialist clinics for treatment of serious addiction since April 2020. The health service is planning to open more gambling clinics across the country because it believes it is currently only reaching “the tip of the iceberg.”
YGAM claims four national awards for education programmes Share
The
Young Gamers & Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM) has been recognised for its national education campaigns on gambling-related harm with four awards.
Of particular significance was YGAM’s
Young People’s Gambling Harm Prevention
Programme, which provided training and resources to teachers and youth workers, delivered in collaboration with
GamCare and with support from the
Betting and Gaming Council (BGC).
The charity picked up the PSHE Education Award at the virtual Children & Young People Now Awards ceremony, hosted by
Alan Dedicoat.
This recognition focuses on honouring organisations that ‘provide outstanding resources to educators for PSHE education, delivering materials and lesson plans that align cohesively with current national curriculum requirements’.
YGAM and GamCare enlist Cambridge United for Kick the Habit campaign Share
Kick the Habit campaign in cooperation with
Cambridge United Community Trust (CUCT).
The campaign will see CUCT promote podcasts, articles and interviews via social media channels. The media releases will focus on the consequences of gambling problems and provide education regarding the topic.
Additionally, the drive will focus on two key initiatives, prevention and awareness. For the prevention aspect, the three participants will deliver sessions in schools providing education to young people on the potential dangers of gambling addiction, including discussions regarding video game loot boxes.
“Admitting you have a problem is the hardest part. The next steps to recovery are you talking to someone about your addiction and then having people there to listen to you,” said
GamCare and YGAM exceed first year educational targets Share
Young People’s Gambling Harm Prevention Programme.
The joint initiative – supported by the
Betting and Gaming Council – has been launched in all regions of England and Wales and has expanded education and support services for young people in Northern Ireland, whilst both organisations work closely with Scottish agencies.
YGAM’s data shows that the charity trained 2,906 practitioners in 2020, well above its initial target of 2,592. These practitioners in turn have provided educational sessions to 184,700 young people, surpassing the set goal of 170,300.
Meanwhile, GamCare has exceeded its training targets by almost 3,000, having taught 4,185 professionals working with young people as well as delivering educational workshops to 3,947 young people.