MPs Call for Gambling Law Review to Curb Harm
MPs have urged the government to overhaul gambling laws to tackle gambling-related harm.
In a letter to Ashley Dalton, the minister in England responsible for overseeing health issues associated with gambling and other addictions, the Commons Health and Social Care Committee called for tougher regulations on gambling advertising, promotion, and sponsorship.
It cited serious harms linked to gambling, including financial, physical, and mental health consequences.
Advertising Exposure and Normalisation
In an evidence session last month, the committee heard that gambling had become “prevalent and normalised” in society, with 80% of the population being exposed to some form of gambling advertising on a weekly basis.
One academic witness described “intrusive and targeted” promotions by gambling firms, with accounts of “people receiving offers of free bets in the middle of the night,” the letter said.
Committee chair Layla Moran MP recommended banning gambling ads before the 9 pm watershed, curbs on sports sponsorship, and restrictions on content designed to appeal to children and young people.
Gambling and Suicide Risks
Moran also noted evidence from the charity Gambling with Lives concerning the lack of public awareness about gambling harms, including suicide.
The 2023 National Suicide Prevention Strategy identified gambling as one of six factors linked to suicide at a population level. The committee highlighted evidence that estimated between 117 and 496 suicides were associated with problem gambling or gambling disorder in England in 2021-2022.
A lack of awareness amongst coroners of the link between gambling and suicide, and the fact that problem gambling — unlike smoking, alcohol, or drug use — was rarely recorded in an individual’s medical notes, meant that most gambling deaths were not properly investigated in a way that provided justice for families or taught the vital lessons which could save lives, Moran stressed.
The letter called on the Department of Health and Social Care to outline what steps it would to raise awareness of suicides linked to problem gambling amongst coroners and others involved in the investigation of sudden deaths.
The committee recommended that the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) should develop a public information campaign about gambling risks.
Problem Gambling in the Population
A 2023 review by Public Health England, whose public health functions have since been taken on by the OHID, estimated that 0.5% of the adult population had a problem with gambling, 3.8% were gambling at at-risk levels, and 7% were negatively impacted by another person’s gambling.
Guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence earlier this year recommended that primary care clinicians should ask patients about their gambling habits.
A government spokesperson acknowledged receipt of the committee’s letter and said it would formally respond in due course. In an emailed statement, the spokesperson added that the government recognised that gambling could be “hugely damaging for people and their loved ones” and that it is “committed to better protecting everyone from these harms.”
Dr Rob Hicks is a retired NHS doctor. A well-known TV and radio broadcaster, he has written several books and has regularly contributed to national newspapers, magazines, and online. He is based in the UK.
