Gambling Addiction Clinic To Open in Northern England

Gambling addiction or problem gambling has been one of the most significant emerging issues in as far as gambling is concerned. With more and more gambling facilities and platforms being introduced and becoming even more accessible, regulators and various authorities have begun to look deeper into the issue of problem gambling which means that there is still hope for people with the problem. One of the most recent developments in this regard is the decision by the United Kingdom’s National Health Service to open a clinic that will be treating people who have gambling addictions in the north of England making it the very first clinic of its kind outside London.

This new clinic is set to be opened in before the summer of 2019 and was made possible by a $1.5 million grant from a charity which happens to be funded by GambleAware. This is particularly great for people outside London since, as it stands, gambling addicts must travel to south London to get treatment. The problem gambling clinic will be called the NHS Northern Gambling Clinic and it will be run with a partnership of the GamCare network and the NHS Foundation.

Among the services that the clinic will be providing will be mental health counseling as well as social services for the gambling addicts – researches have found that people with gambling disorders need help with a number of different problems including debt, bankruptcy, crime, drug use, suicide, and even job loss. In essence, the goal of the clinic is to not only help the gambling addicts break their addiction but also give them the necessary psychological treatment and counseling so that they are able to get back on their feet financially. All these will be complemented with group therapy sessions which will help the patients to open up about some of the issues that they face.

United Kingdom’s Gambling Statistics

Gamblers in the United Kingdom have so many options and a number of critics have pointed out that the availability of gambling products is part of the problem. Gamblers area able to wager online or at land-based facilities for almost all of their favorite sporting activities. The same goes for online casino and online poker games.

Research shows that almost two million in the United Kingdom are problem gamblers and nearly 400,00 of them are said to be gambling addicts. However, the government has been allegedly ignoring the issue of problem gambling because of the money that gambling brings into the coffers of the country. However, there have some moves by the British government to regulate the gambling industry further in the hopes that they would be able to deal with the issue.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

William Hill Launches “Nobody Harmed by Gambling” Campaign

Popular online bookmaker William Hill has announced its new corporate objective that is aimed at eradicating problem gambling in the United Kingdom. “Nobody Harmed By Gambling” is a campaign that will make social responsibility one of the main focuses of the company’s day-to-day operations.

William Hill recognizes that there is a responsibility that comes with being one of the larger bookmakers in the country to look after its players and ensure that they are not harmed by the activities that the company provides. After analysing its data, the betting operator has decided do something about the rising threat of problem gambling across the country.

How William Hill Plans to Help

William Hill will be taking a good, hard look at how its products are designed in an attempt to change the way that at-risk players interact with them. They will be changing the way their products are advertised and how the company communicates with players to help them stay in control of their gambling habits.

There are nine core commitments involved in the Nobody Harmed by Gambling campaign. They are outlined as follows:

  • Develop tools to help at risk players
  • Provide players with more data to help them make better choices
  • Set up training with responsible gambling experts
  • Develop a program for employees to work with problem gambling organisations
  • Create a Responsible Gambling Innovation Fund
  • Develop indicators of responsible gambling
  • Crowdsource new ideas from experts
  • Encourage industry-wide adoption of responsible gambling tools
  • Promote change in how gambling is advertised

With so many steps involved, it will certainly be a long road ahead for William Hill in its mission to eliminate problem gambling in the UK. However, it is an admirable goal, and other gaming operators should take note of William Hill’s commitment to its players’ safety.

Problem Gambling in the UK

In the United Kingdom, there are over two million people who are either at-risk or problem gamblers. A report from the Gambling Commission notes that problem gambling rates have risen by more than a third among individuals over the age of 16, with increasing rates of addiction among players who wager on fixed-odds betting terminals.

Over the years, GambleAware, the country’s leading gambling charity, has request an increase in funding for problem gambling treatment, but little has been done to help this cause. By stepping forward with its “Nobody Harmed by Gambling Campaign”, William Hill is taking initiative and helping out organisations like GambleAware in their effort to help minimise problem gambling rates and prevent players from developing unhealthy habits in the future.

 

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.