The Gambling Commission has joined forces with partners in Wales to strengthen its national strategy to reduce problem gambling in the country, according to the UK government.
The three-year National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms will run through 2022 and engage healthcare providers, charitable organizations and businesses to work with the regulator to educate the public about problem gambling, work to prevent it and provided improved treatment and support programs for sufferers.
The commission announced it will seek to develop a “clear public health prevention plan” that includes a range of intervention strategies beyond public awareness campaigns. It will also tailor the treatment and support options to the needs of Welsh citizens.
“The new strategy will provide us and our partners across Wales the opportunity to make faster progress to reduce gambling harms,” said Commission Chief Executive Neil McArthur. “It will address not only the harms experienced by people who gamble but will also focus upon the impact that can be felt by friends, family and the wider community.
“We all need to better understand the harms that can be caused by gambling, moving away from simply counting problem gamblers and instead build a greater understanding of the harms experienced,” he continued. “Over the lifetime of the strategy we will better understand the full range of harms and how to protect against them.”
Frank Atherton, chief medical officer for Wales, welcomed the focus on reducing gambling harms “rather than simply promoting responsible gambling.
“Building the resilience of children and young people is essential to reducing these harms, as is understanding, through increasing the availability of robust and independent research, the most effective measures for intervention,” Atherton said.
In April, the commission unveiled a new National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms that will be implemented across England, Scotland and Wales. It too focuses on preventing gambling harm through early intervention and education and will see treatment and support services improved across the UK. Similar strategies are planned for England and Scotland.
