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| NHS should not have to pick up pieces from bookies' tactics, says health chief | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Industry urged to take action to reduce ‘likelihood and severity’ of addiction | |
| The health service should not be left to pick up the pieces from gambling firms’ tactics to retain customers with addiction issues, the NHS’s mental health chief has said. | The health service should not be left to pick up the pieces from gambling firms’ tactics to retain customers with addiction issues, the NHS’s mental health chief has said. |
| In a letter addressed to the Gambling Commission, the NHS’s national mental health director, Claire Murdoch, said: “As the head of England’s mental health services and a nurse of more than 30 years’ experience, I have seen first-hand the devastating impact on mental wellbeing of addiction and am concerned that the prevalence of gambling in our society is causing harm.” | In a letter addressed to the Gambling Commission, the NHS’s national mental health director, Claire Murdoch, said: “As the head of England’s mental health services and a nurse of more than 30 years’ experience, I have seen first-hand the devastating impact on mental wellbeing of addiction and am concerned that the prevalence of gambling in our society is causing harm.” |
| She expressed concern about tactics used to encourage people losing money to keep gambling. “In particular … I am concerned that offering people who are losing vast sums of money free tickets, VIP experiences and free bets all proactively prompt people back into the vicious gambling cycle which many want to escape.” | She expressed concern about tactics used to encourage people losing money to keep gambling. “In particular … I am concerned that offering people who are losing vast sums of money free tickets, VIP experiences and free bets all proactively prompt people back into the vicious gambling cycle which many want to escape.” |
| The letter was sent to the Gambling Commission’s chief executive, Neil McArthur, and the Betting And Gaming Council chair, Brigid Simmonds. | The letter was sent to the Gambling Commission’s chief executive, Neil McArthur, and the Betting And Gaming Council chair, Brigid Simmonds. |
| Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Murdoch said the industry needed to regulate itself better, noting that it invested £1.4bn of its £14bn annual profits in advertising. “When problem gamblers are trying to stop, it is difficult for them to get away from it – for example with things like free bets,” she said. | Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Murdoch said the industry needed to regulate itself better, noting that it invested £1.4bn of its £14bn annual profits in advertising. “When problem gamblers are trying to stop, it is difficult for them to get away from it – for example with things like free bets,” she said. |
| Murdoch described some of the tactics used as “all wrong, wrong and wrong again.” | Murdoch described some of the tactics used as “all wrong, wrong and wrong again.” |
| She said: “This industry could make the changes I’ve asked them to make today if they wanted to. They have not thus far regulated themselves well.” | She said: “This industry could make the changes I’ve asked them to make today if they wanted to. They have not thus far regulated themselves well.” |
| In her letter, Murdoch called on the industry to implement a number of harm-minimisation measures, including stopping targeting high-loss customers and ending “bet-to-view commercial deals which require a stake in exchange for sports streaming access”. | In her letter, Murdoch called on the industry to implement a number of harm-minimisation measures, including stopping targeting high-loss customers and ending “bet-to-view commercial deals which require a stake in exchange for sports streaming access”. |
| She added: “In order to operate safely, the gambling industry has a responsibility to prevent the occasional flutter turning into a dangerous habit. I am requesting that you please provide urgent detail on actions that the industry is taking to reduce the likelihood and severity of gambling addiction.” | She added: “In order to operate safely, the gambling industry has a responsibility to prevent the occasional flutter turning into a dangerous habit. I am requesting that you please provide urgent detail on actions that the industry is taking to reduce the likelihood and severity of gambling addiction.” |
| This week the Gambling Commission said it would introduce a ban on customers placing bets with credit cards, two years after charities including GambleAware and Citizens Advice urged the government to impose such a policy. | This week the Gambling Commission said it would introduce a ban on customers placing bets with credit cards, two years after charities including GambleAware and Citizens Advice urged the government to impose such a policy. |
| Last year the Guardian reported on the case of a problem gambler who used nine credit cards to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds with online casinos, who she claimed ignored her obvious signs of a spiralling addiction. Her losses included £54,000 in an overnight spree when she was allowed to place bets worth more than £380,000 on one website in a single session. | Last year the Guardian reported on the case of a problem gambler who used nine credit cards to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds with online casinos, who she claimed ignored her obvious signs of a spiralling addiction. Her losses included £54,000 in an overnight spree when she was allowed to place bets worth more than £380,000 on one website in a single session. |
| On the Today programme, Murdoch was also asked about funding for children’s mental health care. She said more people were being seen and the aim was to double support in the next four years. | On the Today programme, Murdoch was also asked about funding for children’s mental health care. She said more people were being seen and the aim was to double support in the next four years. |
| Asked if child and adolescent mental health services (Camhs) were fit for purpose, she replied: “They are seeing a huge number of people more, we are going to double the support over the next four years to children and young people, colleagues across the country are working hard on not just seeing more people but transforming the care they offer, so for example we’ve set services up this year in schools working differently. | Asked if child and adolescent mental health services (Camhs) were fit for purpose, she replied: “They are seeing a huge number of people more, we are going to double the support over the next four years to children and young people, colleagues across the country are working hard on not just seeing more people but transforming the care they offer, so for example we’ve set services up this year in schools working differently. |
| “So we don’t always want to wait until someone’s referred to Camhs, what we want to do and are doing is intervening earlier with families, with schools and with others. Is there a long way still to go, are we determined to deliver our long-term plan? Yes and yes again.” | “So we don’t always want to wait until someone’s referred to Camhs, what we want to do and are doing is intervening earlier with families, with schools and with others. Is there a long way still to go, are we determined to deliver our long-term plan? Yes and yes again.” |