Workplace gambling support lags behind mental health policies, GamCare research shows
GamCare highlights need for urgent workplace gambling support, as new data shows only 9 per cent of workplaces have gambling-specific policies despite rising National Gambling Helpline calls
GamCare, the charity that founded the National Gambling Helpline almost 30 years ago, is carefully monitoring the relationship between financial stress, the workplace and gambling. Research from the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute1 reveals that employees with money worries are 50 per cent more likely to report signs of poor mental health that affect performance at work; while a significant number of the 1,000 people calling our Helpline each week are telling us about the impact of gambling harm on their work.
Yet, in a recent YouGov polling commissioned by GamCare2, only 9 per cent of the public reported that their workplace had policies supporting those affected by gambling. By comparison, nearly half (47 per cent) noted policies addressing mental health, 17 per cent for alcohol misuse, and 15 per cent for drug misuse. Official data supports these findings. The Gambling Commission’s Gambling Survey of Great Britain3 found that 0.6 per cent of people who gambled in the past year reported being absent from work "very often".
Clearly, preventing harm is better than treating it, and this is why GamCare is supporting employers to create safe spaces where staff feel comfortable disclosing gambling-related harm. GamCare’s education programmes provide training for young people, parents and professionals, women, and people in the criminal justice system. By raising awareness of the potential harms of gambling and how they can manifest, GamCare is encouraging people, including friends and family, to seek support earlier.
But when people do need more structured support, this places pressure on public services already under strain. While the voluntary sector has been the primary innovator in prevention and treatment for over 27 years, integration between the NHS, helplines and community support is vital to address growing demand. The NHS in England has opened 15 clinics and demand is growing. This is why Third Sector partnership remains essential to delivering flexible, innovative and personalised support for people experiencing harm.
GamCare’s focus on providing timely support to those in need includes integrating our National Gambling Helpline with free, low-wait-time treatment services. We are also increasingly focused on meeting people where they are, offering support through online chat and digital treatment options.
The relationship between the economy, workforce, and specific industries is multifaceted, requiring a balanced perspective. It is important to recognise the significant economic contributions of the gambling industry and its broader role in the economy. Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross recently noted that "the gambling industry contributed over £3.4bn in tax last year and employs 90,000 workers."4
GamCare is encouraged to see the creation of a new levy board and levy advisory group alongside the government’s announcement of a statutory levy on gambling operators, which will come into force in the coming months, and better funding for organisations helping those experiencing harm from gambling. Enhanced long-term resources for services tackling gambling harm will yield positive knock-on impacts across society.
With renewed energy from across the House and a government that is getting on with the job of supporting those impacted by gambling harm, we can contribute to resolving one part of this country’s economic growth puzzle.
If you or anyone you know needs support with any of the issues discussed, GamCare’s National Gambling Helpline is available 24/7, 365 days a year. You can call GamCare on 0808 80 20 133.
References
- Money and Mental Health Policy Institute. Overstretched, overdrawn, underserved. 2017. https://www.moneyandmentalhealth.org/publications/money-worries-at-work/
- GamCare. Workplace Support for Gambling. 2024. https://www.gamcare.org.uk/news-and-blog/news/workplace-support-gambling-2/
- Gambling Survey for Great Britain. Adverse consequences from own gambling in the last 12 months. 2024. https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/about-us/statistics-and-research/gambling-survey
- UK Government. Baroness Twycross Speech at GambleAware Annual Conference. 2024. https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/baroness-twycross-speech-at-gambleaware-annual-conference
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