The Wales’ Chief Medical Officer Dr. Frank Atherton has described gambling as a public health problem which is quickly becoming more and more widespread. Today, Dr. Atherton is expected to officially roll out his second annual report, calling for the Government to pay more attention to emerging issues associated with gambling addictions.
The Chief Medical Officer for Wales is to launch his report which is to call for the local authorities to support local players who suffer from problem gambling behaviour and gambling-related harm, respectively. Dr. Atherton is to also urge the Government to invest more money in more thorough research and monitoring of the possible impact that gambling could have on players’ health, especially considering the fact that he described gambling as a public health issue. Last, but not least, the competent authorities are being urged to improve the regulatory control on gambling.
The Chief Medical Officer calls for the Welsh Government to come up with a plan focused on reduction of gambling-related harm among Welsh residents and on using its existing powers in order to minimise the harm that gambling has inflicted in the region. In addition, Dr. Atherton shared that local Government’s powers to deal with such issues should be extended. He also offers a new levy to be imposed on the gambling sector in order for more money for research, prevention and treatment of the possible effects of gambling to be accumulated.
In the light of increased concern related to aggressive gambling advertising, he also pushes for more restrictions on gambling commercials.
Problem Gambling Rates in Wales
Currently, Wales is considered one of the areas where levels of problem gambling have risen immensely over the past few years. According to recent reports, more than 60% of local adults have gambled in 2017, while 30,000 individuals who represent approximately 1.1% of the population described themselves as problem gamblers. Another 3.8% are considered to be at risk of developing a gambling addiction.
For some time now, problem gambling rates in Wales have been one of the most discussed issues in the region as far as gambling is concerned. Last year, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) that it was focused on raising the wider public’s awareness of problem gambling in order to tackle possible negative effects that gambling could inflict on local customers.
At the time, the UK gambling regulatory body shared its concerns that gambling could lead not only to financial difficulties for the ones suffering from problem gambling behaviour, but also to certain health issues, including depression, stress, anxiety or even to other addictions.
In September 2017, the UK Gambling Commission’s Chief Executive Officer Sarah Harrison explained that over 120,000 Welsh residents were affected by negative effects related to gambling, with some of these people already being problem gamblers, and others being put at risk of developing an addiction.
- Author
Daniel Williams
