GambleAware has published data showing public support for financial risk checks to protect people from gambling-related harm.
An Ipsos poll, which surveyed 4,170 adults aged 18-75 across Great Britain between September 29 and October 4, 2023, found that approximately three in five adults – 57 per cent – support enhanced financial risk checks in principle.
Regarding affected others, over three quarters – 76 per cent – believe financial risk checks will shift more responsibility onto operators rather than solely players, while two-thirds – 63 per cent – believe measures will help reduce the number of people facing financial harm as a result of gambling.
Backing financial risk checks, GambleAware has stated that checks must be “implemented correctly and safely”, but must also be part of “a robust prevention strategy for gambling harms, with any delay likely to result in further harm experienced by the public”.
“As we continue to see a steady rise in demand for support and treatment services, we are urging the Government to ensure there are no missed opportunities when it comes to the instruction of robust preventative measures to tackle this rapidly growing public health issue,” commented Zoë Osmond, CEO of GambleAware.
“It’s imperative that proactive measures are taken to address the root causes of gambling harm, including comprehensive education programmes and awareness-raising campaigns, stronger regulations to protect vulnerable populations, and sufficient funding for treatment and support services.
“By prioritising preventative action and ensuring the industry takes some responsibility for protecting individuals against unaffordable losses, we can mitigate the detrimental impact of problem gambling on individuals and society as a whole.”
A debate is also set to take place in the UK Parliament’s Petitions Committee on February 26 regarding a petition relating to financial risk checks for gambling.
Nicola Jaques, family support worker for the Beacon Counselling Trust in Preston and an affected other of gambling harms, said: “Unaffordable losses can cause serious harm to people’s lives, but it can affect so much more than just our finances.
“My husband’s gambling had a profound emotional, physical and financial impact on me and my family. Safeguards like these financial risk checks are so important because they would help protect not only the person experiencing problems with gambling, but also those around them.
“Anyone can experience gambling harm and it affects far more than just one person – financial checks could make a world of difference to so many lives.”
