Gambling Health Alliance

We are a coalition working to develop a public health approach to preventing gambling related harms.
Secretariat by @R_S_P_H

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

Deeply concerning that football clubs may have profited from their own supporters losing money to gambling. A further reminder of the urgent need for gambling regulation to ensure football can remain a safe and enjoyable experience for all.

[The Guardian @guardian]

Revealed: Football League clubs taking cut of gamblers’ losses with SkyBet https://t.co/zfc2qBn2b9

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

While this plays a role, it is also important to recognise that children's exposure to gambling content extends much wider than this - visible in adverts online, on the TV, on the high street and in the sports they watch.

https://t.co/YyM7ZQRwUx

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

A record fine of £17m is significant, but pales in comparison to the £260m net profit made by Entain in 2021.
These failures are a reminder of the urgent need for the publication of the gambling act review, and whole-population measures including affordability checks.

[Tom Witherow @TomWitherow]

🚨 BREAK: The owner of Ladbrokes and Coral has been fined a record £17m for 'completely unacceptable' safer gambling and anti-money laundering failings.

In a damning statement @GamRegGB threatened to remove Entain's licence for further breaches 👇🧵

https://t.co/qLBRhm2CgL

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

In light of this relationship between loot boxes and gambling harm, we also hope to see loot boxes be brought back within the scope of the Gambling Act Review.

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

The recognition by @DCMS of a link between loot boxes and gambling harm is significant. However, to truly prevent harm, this should be reflected with firm regulation, not voluntary proposals.

[Department for Culture, Media and Sport @DCMS]

🎮 NEWS:
We’re asking video games companies to step up and improve protections for children and players of all ages, including through loot box spending, to help keep them #SafeOnline

👉 https://t.co/11dFdMeEM4

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

Finally, the proposals for relaxing restrictions on brick-and-mortar casinos to 'level the playing field' with online gambling indicates a fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose of the Gambling Act Review, and will only increase levels of harm felt in deprived communities.

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

Disappointing to hear that @GOVUK is set to axe plans for a mandatory levy, and has no proposals for curbs on gambling advertising. Both measures are fundamental to an effective public health approach to reducing gambling harm.

[The Times and Sunday Times @thetimes]

Boris Johnson is poised to announce curbs on online gambling in an effort to stem the “catastrophic” impact of addiction on people’s lives https://t.co/kX6BLW2Oq7

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

While we are encouraged by some proposed measures, including minimum stakes and affordability checks, it is crucial that these are set at the right level. We also hope to see the ban on free bets and VIP packages extended to all gamblers, not just "those who incur heavy losses".

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

For too long gambling harm has been unhelpfully framed as an issue of 'individual responsibility'. We need to instead shift the focus onto the addictive products that are the cause of harm. #ReformGambling

[The Guardian @guardian]

S Club 7 star calls out ‘lack of empathy’ for gambling addicts https://t.co/NvNVI5YccU

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

@WillProchaska @CPhilpOfficial Hi Will, this was said in the Online Safety Bill debate on Tuesday (14 June 2022)
https://t.co/bnu8YCxEp0

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

Disappointing to hear @CPhilpOfficial say that loot boxes will not be addressed in the Gambling Act Review. While loot boxes may not offer a monetary reward, evidence shows they normalise gambling-like behaviour and can be a gateway into gambling.
https://t.co/y9MOPHIU7b

[Royal Society for Public Health @R_S_P_H]

The Gambling Act Review represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make gambling policy fit for the modern age, and treat it as the public health issue it is. This statement from @FPH @ADPHUK sets out recommendations we hope to see in the white paper
https://t.co/G3M8rEAehk

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

Read the statement from @JyotsnaVohra, @R_S_P_H Director of Policy and Public Affairs, in response to @NatCen and @LivUni 'Patterns of Play' report:

https://t.co/oIYjb8rRhr

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

'We are beginning to move away from the individual responsibility model and attitude to gambling problems towards a public health approach' @PaulBlomfieldMP

Long-term guaranteed funding sits at the core of a public health approach to gambling reform.
https://t.co/f3DZ7f7Ghj

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

To take an effective public health approach to gambling regulation, it makes sense to treat it in line with other potentially-harmful products, like tobacco, alcohol, and junk food.
https://t.co/v1Q1S6hBif

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

It is concerning that people are using gambling to deal with the cost of living crisis, especially as those on lower incomes are already at greater risk of gambling-related harm. To keep people safe, @GOVUK must ensure financial support is fit for purpose.
https://t.co/I6346plvoB

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

We are pleased to see @GOVUK planning online stake limits, which we have previously called for. However, we urge the government to implement wider restrictions on gambling ads both online and offline. A ban solely on PL shirt logos would do little to protect people from harm.

[The Times and Sunday Times @thetimes]

Online casinos will have to limit stakes to as little as £2 and Premier League clubs will be forced to remove gambling sponsors from the front of football shirts https://t.co/o0bYjGChwG

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

When the vast majority of gambling profits are made from just 5% of customers, we won't meaningfully reduce harms just by small tweaks to the status-quo. We need robust, evidence-led policies, including: a statutory levy and £100 affordability checks.
https://t.co/MJdhJMOUKf

[The Big Step @the_bigstep]

Belgium to ban nearly all gambling advertising.

“From now on, the philosophy is that only people who want to gamble and actively look for information about games of chance will be confronted with gambling advertising in the future.”

https://t.co/aU8NZHs0JU

[Gambling Health Alliance @GamblingHealthA]

While gambling firms claim stronger reforms may reduce tax revenues, this overlooks the fact that these reforms will also save money, reducing the £1.27bn societal cost of gambling harm.
Reform is not just urgently needed, it also makes economic sense.
https://t.co/def5awPk5b