Gambling Health Alliance publishes new safer gambling study

Added: March 25, 2021

Gambling Health Alliance has published its most recent study based on safety in gambling, revealing that the approach taken on safer gambling absolutely has to include the protection of the general population as well as those who are at risk and are dealing with problems caused by gambling at the moment. The Alliance also said that young people need to be protected.

The new study explained that 61% of non-gamblers and 58% of gamblers backed a £2 limit to be set on online slots, and 5% and 8% respectively were opposed to this.

The poll was initially set up by Yonder and lasted from February 26 to 28 of this year. It has sampled 2,094 adults in the UK who are over 18 years of age. 1,442 of these people said that they had previously gambled, and listed examples such as sports betting, the lottery, casinos, scratch cards, bingo and some others, while 652 reported that they had never tried gambling.

The Gambling Health Alliance also remarked that it is necessary to take a public health approach which incorporates a preventative and protective stance, which can ultimately end the normalization of gambling as it lessens people’s exposure to gambling in any form, as well as financing the studies and education concerning gambling and its safety, as well as providing better treatment methods.

Lead of Gambling Health Alliance Louisa Mason noted:

“We have a real opportunity right now with the Gambling Act review to make gambling safer. For too long the gambling ecosystem has developed into a powerful mechanism that has the potential to unleash harm and devastate lives. We now have the chance to do better and protect all those who gamble in the UK – and the public supports this. Let’s drive up standards that will improve safety and enjoyment.”

Furthermore, the report also noted that 57% of gamblers along with 63% of non-gamblers will be supporting a ban on any form of gambling for underage people. Another 53% and 64% respectively will also be in support of a suppression of VIP schemes.

Clean Up Gambling director, Matt Zarb-Cousin, mentioned:

“Public support for gambling reform is overwhelming. It’s one of the few issues uniting the country across political, demographic and regional lines. There is a growing consensus that our gambling laws are outdated and regulation is not fit for purpose. The government cannot waste the opportunity this review presents to make it right.”

Gambling Health Alliance, iGaming, Safer gambling