A new Fabian Society pamphlet by Dr Beccy Cooper MP, released today, calls on the government to radically rethink regulation of the British gambling sector.
The pamphlet, Where’s the Harm? A public health approach to gambling, funded by the Coalition to End Gambling Advertising, outlines the hidden costs of gambling to British society.
The Gambling Act 2005 ushered in a much-liberalised regime for gambling. Prior to the Gambling Act, licensing authorities had wide scope to deny granting licences to new operators. Casinos and bingo halls had to operate as members’ clubs, with a 24-hour delay between people gaining membership and being able to gamble.
Other restrictions included limits on the types of games, the number of machines, the size of stakes and on the possible winnings operators could offer. Advertising of gambling was highly restricted and only allowed for football pools, bingo, the National Lottery, and other licensed lotteries.
The 2005 Act treated gambling as a leisure activity like any other, and included provisions to promote consumer choice in a competitive gambling market. Gambling operators were allowed to advertise across all media in Great Britain, subject to codes set by the Advertising Standards Authority.
Twenty years on, the latest figures suggest that around 1.3 million people may classify as experiencing ‘problem gambling’. Changing methodology makes direct comparison difficult, but this latest data reveals a scale of harm up to five times higher than previously estimated.
Harms from gambling extend beyond the individual. They impact partners, children, family, and friends. It is estimated that an additional six people are affected by every one person experiencing ‘problem’ gambling. In Great Britain, around 2.5 per cent of the population report severe impacts from someone else’s gambling.
Cooper also challenges the economic case for maintaining a liberalised gambling regime, highlighting the public health costs of gambling disorder and the opportunity cost of diverting discretionary spending away from other sectors, such as retail and hospitality.
The pamphlet argues that the government should prioritise a range of measures, including overhauling advertising, marketing and sponsorship; prohibiting the most harmful products and practices; shifting oversight of gambling to the health ministry; and setting out a timetable for a new Gambling Act.
Report author, Dr Beccy Cooper MP commented: “Gambling harm is a significant public health problem affecting far too many individuals, their children, partners, employers and our communities. When commercial products cause widespread harm, they need to be treated as a public health matter. Gambling harm is a systemic failure, not a personal one and we need to rethink our approach to its oversight.”
Labour MP calls for radical overhaul of UK gambling industry
